nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 19:39:57 GMT

HI Jachym, thanks for the update. There have been some customer reporting similar issues and we have are working with the MVNOs to fix this. Perharps this is a result of that work.

Please do not hesitate to reopen this case and report back if you do see similar issues again with your devices.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 11:23:38 GMT

Hello Øyvind,
I just want to let you know that my Onomondo sim card has started work.
It works even without Vodafone black-list workaround (tested with Quick Start -> nRF Cloud multi-service).

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 20:12:00 GMT

Hello,
Sorry I somehow made link wrong. Here is .zip file with project, logs and traces.
Build with: nRF Connect SDK v3.0.2, overlay: nrf91-modem-trace-uart, board: nrf9151dk/nrf9151/ns.

IMSI: 234502103237110 (also in logging file).

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../vodafone_5F00_blacklist.zip

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Tue, 09 Sep 2025 08:43:24 GMT

Hello Jachym,

Can you please share the IMSI?

[quote user="Jachym"]Here is saved log and sources file which are patched from example.[/quote]

This links to prj.conf only. Can you please provide the information as a .zip file and upload via DevZone? Does this include modem traces as well?

[quote user="Jachym"]Question: Why last trace says: "[00:00:59.940,917] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: LTE mode: NB-IoT", if only LTE-M is enabled via kconfig? [/quote]

This is due to your device being rejected by the network (LTE-M) with reject:

Cause #15 – No suitable cells in tracking area

This EMM cause is sent to the UE if it requests service, or if the network initiates a detach request, in a tracking area where the UE, by subscription, is not allowed to operate, but when it should find another allowed tracking area or location area in the same PLMN or an equivalent PLMN.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 18:45:30 GMT

Hello,
Sorry for the late reply but I was on vacation.
I tried to set PLMN and add Vodafone to blacklist like this: AT%PALL=0,1,”23001”,3
MMC: 230 and MNC:03, LTE-M + NB-IOT (found here).

For test I used example from Dev Academy Cellular IoT Fundamentals l3/l3_e1.
I added PLMN config before connect like this:

    err = nrf_modem_at_printf("%s", "AT%PALL=0,1,\"23003\",3");                //Blacklist PLMN 23003 - Vodafone
    if (err)
    {
        LOG_ERR("Failed to send AT command, error: %d", err);
        return err;
    }

    LOG_INF("Connecting to LTE network");
    err = lte_lc_connect_async(lte_handler);
    if (err)
    {
        LOG_ERR("Error in lte_lc_connect_async, error: %d", err);
        return err;
    }

I also enabled only LTE-M in prj.conf since only LTE-M is supported by Onomondo.

# Use only LTE-M
CONFIG_LTE_NETWORK_MODE_LTE_M=y

Here is result traces:

*** Booting nRF Connect SDK v3.0.2-89ba1294ac9b ***
*** Using Zephyr OS v4.0.99-f791c49f492c ***
[00:00:00.407,928] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Initializing modem library
[00:00:00.675,231] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Connecting to LTE network
[00:00:07.257,934] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Not connected to network, status: 2
[00:00:07.257,965] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Cell update: MCC 0, MNC 0, Cell ID 0x050b5f02, TAC 1320
[00:00:07.257,995] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: LTE mode: LTE-M
[00:00:07.311,340] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: RRC mode: Connected
[00:00:16.307,952] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Network registration status: Connected - roaming
[00:00:16.308,715] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: AT command sent: AT%PALL=1
[00:00:16.308,746] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: AT command response: %PALL: 1,"23003",3
OK

[00:00:16.308,807] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Connected to LTE network
[00:00:16.729,553] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: IPv4 Address found 20.82.16.164
[00:00:16.730,285] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully connected to server
[00:00:16.730,316] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Press button 1 on your DK or Thingy:91 to send your message
[00:00:18.779,602] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:19.279,724] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:07 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:20.296,386] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:20.559,783] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:08 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:21.667,663] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:22.159,881] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:10 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:23.083,953] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:23.439,941] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:11 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:24.601,318] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:25.040,008] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:13 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:25.941,406] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:26.320,068] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:14 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:27.296,722] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:27.600,128] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Data received from the server: (Time: 2025-09-06 18:10:15 Message: Hi from nRF91 Series device)
[00:00:48.462,646] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: RRC mode: Idle
[00:00:59.685,272] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Successfully sent message: Hi from nRF91 Series device
[00:00:59.773,925] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: RRC mode: Connected
[00:00:59.845,794] <wrn> lte_lc: Registration rejected, EMM cause: 15, Cell ID: 84631298, Tracking area: 1320, LTE mode: 7
[00:00:59.845,825] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Not connected to network, status: 4
[00:00:59.903,198] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: RRC mode: Idle
[00:00:59.940,856] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: Cell update: MCC 0, MNC 0, Cell ID 0xffffffff, TAC -1
[00:00:59.940,917] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: LTE mode: NB-IoT

Based on traces I can see that LTE connection was established successfully.
I was able send/received multiple messages until device went to RRC_IDLE state.
After that I always got Registration rejected.

Here is saved log and sources file which are patched from example.

Question: Why last trace says: "[00:00:59.940,917] <inf> Lesson3_Exercise1: LTE mode: NB-IoT", if only LTE-M is enabled via kconfig?

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:03:53 GMT

Hello, our team have been in contact with Onomondo. Currently the best solution is for you to use PLMN access limitation %PALL to blacklist the Vodafone network. Onomondo does not provide Vodafone LTE-M, only O2 and T-mobile.

Please test and let us know how that works!

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Fri, 22 Aug 2025 06:22:08 GMT

Hi, the issue seems to be with the network and/or SIM used. There have been several issues reported from the Czech Republic similar to yours. Our modem team are working on this.

The best recommendation at the moment is for you to reach out directly to Onomondo and Conexa, and report the issues you are having with the network.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 06:51:43 GMT

Hello Jachym,
Thanks for testing and providing modem traces. I was out of office yesterday and not able to forward internally. Will do so now I hope to have an answer within end of tomorrow.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 11:24:05 GMT

Hello,

I tested both configurations. Unfortunately it still doesn't work.

I am including traces:
1. config CONFIG_PDN_LEGACY_PCO=y (traces have prefix CONFIG_PDN_LEGACY_PCO_)
2. config CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULT_FAM_IPV4=y && CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULTS_OVERRIDE=y (traces have prefix CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULT_FAM_IPV4_)

Trace are here: Google disc: Traces

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 09:26:59 GMT

Hello, I've got some feedback from our modem team. This might be a case of ePCO/Protocol Configuration Options (PCO), where the network you are connecting to are using legacy PCO. Could you try issuing AT%XEPCO=0 to you modem or setting CONFIG_PDN_LEGACY_PCO=y

Also, it seems that modem is still trying to connect using IPV4V6, could you try setting CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULT_FAM_IPV4=y as well?
Edit: You might need to set CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULTS_OVERRIDE=y

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:38:30 GMT

Thanks, Jachym! I've forwarded internally to get more feedback the modem developers.I hope to have some answer by end of tomorrow.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 20:11:41 GMT

I captured traces with onomondo sim card. The behavior looks the same as conexa.
I am attaching traces (the new ones are with the onomondo_prefix and conexa without any prefix): Google disc - traces

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:20:26 GMT

Can you please capture a modem trace using each SIM card? Just to verify that both SIM seeing the same issue.

Thanks!

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 09:00:59 GMT

Thanks for testing.

I will need to investigate and discuss this internally to why your device is still rejected by network.

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:12:45 GMT

Hello,
Unfortunately, activating only IPv4 is even worse. DK will not connect to the network at all.
I am attaching traces (the new ones are with the IPv4_ prefix): Google disc - traces

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 13:43:01 GMT

Hello, and thanks for providing the modem trace!

Looking through the modem trace it can seem that there is an issue with the IP. The device reports ESM: 50

Cause #50 – PDN type IPv4 only allowed

This ESM cause is used by the network to indicate that only PDN type IPv4 is allowed for the requested PDN connectivity.

In prj.conf, please ensure:

CONFIG_NET_IPV4=y

CONFIG_NET_IPV6=n

Let me know how that works for you

Kind regards,
Øyvind

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Jachym — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 21:53:39 GMT

Hello Øyvind,

Thank you for quick response.

I see this issue every time, it is not sporadic. Unfortunately right know I don't have another SIM so I have to order one from Vodafone.

I include modem traces as you request (used SIM Wireless Logic).

Google disc - traces

BR,
Jachym

RE: nRF9151 DK + SIM card registration rejected

Øyvind — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 11:01:22 GMT

Hello,

Yes, your device is being rejected by the network, on both NB-IoT and LTE-M. There are several EMM reject causes provided (in ascending order).

Cause #9 – UE identity cannot be derived by the network.

This EMM cause is sent to the UE when the network cannot derive the UE’s identity from the GUTI/S-TMSI/P-TMSI and RAI e.g. no matching identity/context in the network or failure to validate the UE’s identity due to integrity check failure of the received message.

Cause #13 – Roaming not allowed in this tracking area

This EMM cause is sent to an UE which requests service, or if the network initiates a detach request, in a tracking area of a PLMN which by subscription offers roaming to that UE but not in that tracking area.

Cause #15 – No suitable cells in tracking area

NOTE 3: Cause #15 and cause #12 differ in the fact that cause #12 does not trigger the UE to search for another allowed tracking area on the same PLMN.

Cause #19 – ESM failure

This EMM cause is sent to the UE when there is a failure in the ESM message contained in the EMM message.

Could you please provide a modem trace from your device when you see these issues?

One thing to test is using a local SIM from e.g. Eurotel or Vodafone CZ. See GSMA Mobile Deployment map for LTE-M and NB-IoT coverage in Czech Republic. Looking at the coverage map of the Onomondo SIM it seems that they do not have roaming coverage in Czech Republic, but Wireless Logic seemingly has.

Kind regards,
Øyvind