Architecture
Can I reuse an esimReference across multiple plans?
Yes. esimReference is the physical eSIM profile. You can attach multiple plans to it over time (top-ups). profileReference is the per-plan attachment.
The short answer
Yes.
esimReferenceprofileReferenceThe mental model
Try it yourself
Free sandbox. Real Tier-1 carriers. 60 seconds from signup to credentials.
Get started →- = the SIM card slot. One per device.
esimReference - = a plan attached to that slot. Many per
profileReferenceover time.esimReference - = the GSMA identifier. One per
iccid, never changes.esimReference
Typical lifecycle
1. Create eSIM -> returns esimReference + iccid 2. Customer installs -> esim.activated webhook 3. Attach plan A -> returns profileReference_A 4. Plan A expires -> profile.expired webhook 5. Attach plan B -> returns profileReference_B (same esimReference) 6. Customer top-up... -> repeat
When you should NOT reuse
- After 12 months of no activity. The carrier reclaims the slot.
- If the customer formally cancels and you call .
DELETE /esims/{ref} - For testing: always create a fresh sandbox eSIM per test run.
See the identifiers guide for the full breakdown.
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