Does iBASIS eSIM support NB-IoT in Germany?

[Avinash Chaudhari]

Hello all,

I am developing an application based on NB-IoT using nRF9160-DK and I am doubtful about the iBASIS network in Germany and want to know if it is possible to use NB-IoT in the region of baden-württemberg(Germany).

What all possible options are there if iBASIS does not provide the required NB-IoT support?

Thank you in advance for your replies. Kindly let me know how to move forward with the above problem.

[Achim Kraus]

In south Germany I'm currently only able to connect to O2 (26203) using NB-IoT. 

Unfortunately, O2 seems to have still issues with some base stations and NB-IoT, see High Latency in NB-IoT communication using Telefonica DE

[Avinash Chaudhari]

Thank you for the response. So according to this post High Latency in NB-IoT communication using Telefonica DE, we have lower latency with Deutsche Telekom(26201) compared to O2(26203).

But I guess you mentioned that you were only able to connect to O2(26203) using Nb-IoT. Did you try using Vodafone or deutsch telekom or any other provider and how was your experience working with different operators?

[Achim Kraus]

With iBASIS my nRF9160 was only able to connect with:

Telekom, 26201, LTE-M

O2, 26203, LTE-M

O2, 26203, NB-IoT

It wasn't able to connect with Vodafone 26202 neither LTE-M nor NB-IoT. Also Telekom NB-IoT isn't working.

> we have lower latency with Deutsche Telekom(26201) compared to O2(26203).

It's more irritating. Some O2 base stations seems to still run old versions and need to be updated. The O2 base station here in my area is already updated and O2 works quite well.

Anyway, beside that the iBASIS SIM is included in the nRF9160-DK and Thingy:91,  there are also other SIM card provider with better connectivity for Germany.

[Avinash Chaudhari]

Thank you for the response and it was good to know, how other operators perform working with Nb-IoT.

[Achim Kraus]

Just to clarify:

All three German providers, Telekom 26201, Vodafone 26202 and O2 26203 offer LTE-M and NB-IoT. It depends on your SIM card, if the modem is allowed to register. The issues of O2 and NB-IoT maybe just temporary ones, even if I don't know, how long that update will take.

[Achim Kraus]

I have to add:

I didn't test with the eSIM, just with the iBASIS (nano) SIM provided with the DK or Thingy:91.

[Avinash Chaudhari]

Thank you for the clarification and providing information so can we work with the iBASIS(nano) SIM for NB-IoT? Because the website says that iBASIS does not cover NB-IoT network in Germany. And for this purpose we have to use the local network provider SIM network while working with NB-IoT.

[Achim Kraus]

I guess, only iBASIS sales is really able to answer that question.

I tested it today with one of the iBASIS SIM cards. The connectivity I got is that written above. I'm also located in BaWü (near Stuttgart).

iBASIS is not the only global SIM card provider.  You will find a lot. Just a small subset in alphabetic order:

1nce, Emnify, FloLive, TruPhone

Also some network operators have SIM cards with coverage for quite a lot countries, see Telekom or Vodafone.