nRF9151DK - UICC failure "Is SIM installed?"

[Tom01]

Dear Nordic team,

we are evaluating the nRF9151 for a data acquisition application/device. Our first goal was to get the official HTTPS client sample to run on the nRF9151DK, but have run into an issue with a UICC failure which I couldn't solve so far.

I've been trying to run the official HTTPS sample with SDK version 3.3.0. The output of the sample application is as follows.

*** Booting nRF Connect SDK v3.3.0-ba167d9f3db4 ***
*** Using Zephyr OS v4.3.99-fd9204a02d52 ***
HTTPS client sample started
Bringing network interface up
Provisioning certificate
Certificate match
Connecting to the network
+CEREG: 90
[00:00:01.019,073] <wrn> nrf_modem_lib_netif: The modem reports a UICC failure. Is SIM installed?

As per the output, the SIM card does not seem to be recognized and at this point I am unsure whether this is a hardware or a software problem. What I've tried/checked so far:

1. inserted one SIM card which came with the development kit and one SIM card which is known to work in another device

2. made sure the SIM cards are inserted correctly

3. made sure the jumper on P30 is connected

4. Added AT command "AT%XSIM?" to the sample which returns "%XSIM: 0" (which seems to mean it's not initialized?)

5. Tried the advice given in this thread: https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/f/nordic-q-a/128147/nrf9151-dk-uicc-failure-no-sim-vcc-after-previous-softsim-usage (all commands yield "OK")

Am I missing some hardware-side configuration for the nRF9151 development kit? 

Best,

Tom

  

[Tom01]

We've now also tried to work with "nRF Connect for Desktop" v5.3.1 and its "Cellular Monitor" module. That module runs a couple of AT commands with the following results:

09:55:49.414	AT command AT+CPIN? failed: +CME ERROR:
09:55:49.424	AT command AT+CIMI failed: 13 +CME ERROR
09:55:49.810	AT command AT%XICCID failed: +CME ERROR:
09:55:49.893	AT command AT+CPINR="SIM PIN" failed: +CME ERROR
09:55:49.908	AT command AT+CPINR="SIM PIN2" failed: : 0 +CME ERROR: 0
09:55:49.924	AT command AT+CPINR="SIM PUK" failed: +CME ERROR:

We have also measured that P0.14 switches between 1.8V and 0V rapidly when running the Cellular Monitor procedure. Is this to be expected?

Additionally it seems that the supply voltage for the SIM card can not be held (measured at J5 C1 against ground) at one point during the Cellular Monitor procedure. We notice a small drop in voltage. Is this to be expected as well?

EDIT:

We've also tried/checked the following:

- ensured that the physical SIM card is selected software- and hardware-wise

- fixate SIM card supply voltage to make sure the described drop in voltage is not the cause of our issues

- tried three different SIM cards from three different suppliers

- tried the two nRF9151 DKs that we have available

It seems as if we are missing some obvious detail. Any help is greatly appreciated.