ITU-T Recommendations

Recommendation ITU-T E.118 defines the format and the assignment criteria of numbers, called primary account numbers (PANs), that identify accounts that can be used for charging telecommunication services. In the case of a subscriber identity module (SIM) and embedded SIM (eSIM), a PAN is also known as an integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID) number or the serial number of the subscriber identity module (SIM). A PAN is a unique number used to identify a universal integrated circuit card (UICC) or a profile in an embedded UICC (eUICC) or a charge card.
Recommendation ITU-T E.118 makes use of the major industry identifiers (MIIs) assigned in accordance with ISO/IEC 7812-1 for telecommunication purposes to ITU-T.
A PAN is generated by an issuer, identified by an Issuer identification number which includes an issuer identifier number (IIN). On the basis of the criteria defined in this Recommendation, IINs are assigned by the Administration identified by the country code for a geographic area. Shared global IINs are assigned by the Director of TSB according to Recommendation ITU-T E.118.1.
Charge cards issued in accordance with this Recommendation conform to the appropriate ISO standards.
IINs are assigned only for the purpose of generating PANs in accordance with this Recommendation.