3GPP Scout / Reference / ESM causes / ESM cause #29

TS 24.301ESM cause

ESM cause #29: User authentication or authorization failed

TS 24.301 V20.1.0Clause 9.9.4.4Value 29 (bits 0001 1101)Checked 2026-10-15

In plain words

The network uses this cause when the external packet data network rejects the requested service due to failed user authentication. The cause also covers revocation by that network or required user authentication that cannot be performed.

Our summary of the spec text quoted below.

What the spec says

Name in the cause table

User authentication or authorization failed

Source: 3GPP TS 24.301 V20.1.0, clause 9.9.4.4, table 9.9.4.4.1. © 3GPP Organizational Partners (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC). Official text: 24301-k10.zip in the 3GPP archive.

When it is used

This ESM cause is used by the network to indicate that the requested service was rejected by the external packet data network due to a failed user authentication, revoked by the external packet data network, or the required user authentication cannot be performed.

Source: 3GPP TS 24.301 V20.1.0, clause B.1. © 3GPP Organizational Partners (ARIB, ATIS, CCSA, ETSI, TSDSI, TTA, TTC). Official text: 24301-k10.zip in the 3GPP archive.

Same cause in 5GS (TS 24.501)

TS 24.501 defines the corresponding cause for 5GS. Its page quotes the 5GS wording.

How this page was made

3GPP Scout built this page from TS 24.301 V20.1.0 as indexed on 2026-10-15. The quotes are copied from the spec, and code checks each one against the stored text and the 3GPP archive file before publishing. The plain-words line was written by an AI model (GPT-6 Sol) and checked against the quotes by a second AI model from another company (Claude Opus 5.5). The official 3GPP text governs.