Automatic electronic-service-guide selection

Embodiments of the invention are directed to identifying a bootstrap electronic service guide ("ESG"), determining how many ESGs that use a selected specification/standard are declared in the bootstrap ESG; and if the bootstrap ESG declares more than 1 ESG that uses the selected specification/standard, selecting, from the bootstrap ESG, based on a specification/standard priority-selection scheme, at least one of the ESGs that use the selected specification/standard. Embodiments of the invention are directed to determining how many ESGs that use a selected service operator are declared in the bootstrap ESG, and if the bootstrap ESG declares more than 1 ESG that uses the selected service operator, selecting, from the bootstrap ESG, based on a service-operator priority-selection scheme, at least one of the ESGs that use the selected service operator. One or more ESGs may be selected from the ESGs declared in the bootstrap ESG based on user input.