nrf9160

[Steveg]

Purchased an nrf9160 DK in the UK but cannot get any success with the ibasis SIM card. Looked at the various posts and it seems that there is no support for LTE-m or NB-IoT at the moment, which is obviously very frustrating as that wasn’t made clear when purchased.

Tried contacting ibasis to see if they had any idea as to when the relevant services would be available but no response.

Is there any information on relevant service rollout in the UK that you can share, as my purchase now seems to have limited value, though the promise of the product is just what I require,

[iBasis Tech Support]

Hi Steve, 

We apologize for the inconvenience.  We are seeing connectivity over Telefonica UK.  Is that network available in your area?  We also have a link that shows where we have LTE-M connectivity available: http://iot.ibasis.com/network-coverage/  If you could please share with me your IMSI or ICCID to troubleshoot further?  

Kind Regards,

iBasis Tech Support

[Steveg]

Thanks Bjorn and ibasis.

I am attempting to make contact with Vodafone and awaiting a response.

I checked out the suggested page (http://iot.ibasis.com/network-coverage/) and it says “United Kingdom - Yes” but didn’t specify the coverage area.

So I followed the secondary link (https://www.gsma.com/iot/deployment-map/#deployments) and that shows no deployment. This seems contradictory.

Could you shed some light on this ?

I am based in the Cardiff (UK) region and I will follow up with the other requested info (IMSI or ICCID) over the next day or so as I am away presently.

Any info gratefully received.

Steve

[bjorn-spockeli]

Hi Steve, 

as far as I know the western part of the UK should have decent  NB-IoT coverage from Vodafone. I suggest contacting our RSM in the UK. She should be up to date on this. Do you have her contact info?

[Steveg]

Hi Bjorn

No, I don't have her details. 

Could you let me have them please ?

Hopefully she might help me get a response from Vodafone and ibasis.

Thanks

[bjorn-spockeli]

Will send the contact info as a private message. 

[SCombellack]

Hi,

Where are you located, Steve?

Information is sketchy on which GSM sites have the upgrade and which don't in the UK.  My understanding is that both CAT-M and NB-IoT only have very sporadic coverage at present, and limited to what are basically test sites. 

Best of luck, Steve, if you find any decent info then post it on here! (or PM me!)

Thanks,

Stuart

[Steveg]

Hi Stuart,

I’m based in the Cardiff area.

I will certainly pass on whatever I find of use.

Regards

Steve

[Steveg]

Hello Stuart and Bjorn,

seems like the UK is not overly interested in allowing access to nb-IoT or LTE-m services except in particular locations and for the "chosen few".

Contacted Vodafone via their web-page last week, which promised a response in 1 day --- no luck.

Contacted Vodafone via a separate method as suggested by the Nordic RSM --- no luck

Contacted 02 Telefonica via their online IoT contact page --- nothing

Rang 02 Telefonica and no one new what I was talking about, but someone would ensure I was contacted by the appropriate  person --- see above.

ibasis response below shows they don't know if 02 are providing a service in my region.

So, having purchased the dk it seems I can do everything except make a connection !

Contacted a colleague in China --- he is up and running with nb-IoT and cannot understand the issue. He gets SIMs the next day !

Sorry if I appear exasperated, but by the time the UK gets it's act together, the rest of the world will have probably moved on to 6G.

[SCombellack]

Hi Steve,  I wish I could share more information with you but I'm bound by NDA.  From the iBasis responses, perhaps they are only able to roam onto O2 at present, which might make it harder to get a signal.

The networks are being built.  Now would be a good time to develop your product.  Testing it is a bit more challenging, to be sure.

Maybe look into another roaming SIM provider, or try a commercial Vodafone SIM?  PAYG or something, you never know.

[Steveg]

Hi Stuart,

appreciate your situation but thanks for the pointers.

Being new to this site I'm not quite sure how to reply privately to you but I'll try the connect button and see what happens !