Activate LTE in Iran

[keivan]

hello,

please guide me to active LTE in Iran. i used several modem firmware release and can't connect to the network. im using nRF9160 DK and testing with AT sample programmed and LTE Link Monitor App.

tanks

[ovrebekk]

Hi 

Which mobile carrier are you using? 

Have you been in touch with them to verify if they have support for NB-IoT or LTE-M in their network?

According to the coverage map on the GSMA website Iran doesn't have national coverage for either NB-IoT or LTE-M yet. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[keivan]

Hi

Here we use Irancell network and as they say, they cover nb-iot and lte. As we are designing a mobile device, we cant use nb-iot. is it possible that we use normal LTE with this nRF ?

[ovrebekk]

Hi

When you say mobile, do you mean it is moving about all the time?

We only support the LTE-M1 part of the LTE specification unfortunately, not the higher bandwidth standards used by cell phones. 

Best regards
Torbjørn

[keivan]

Hi, so i can't use the chip with standard LTE ?

Yes its moving all the time.

[MJD093]

Depending on what your actual application is, LTE Cat-M1 provides a low-power alternative to standard LTE. Unlike NB-IoT, Cat-M1 will allow cell tower hand overs while in motion and provides higher data rates at an increase in current consumption. If your application is low data rate, low energy and mobile, Cat-M1 would be the IoT solution to go for if LTE networks is one of the design requirements.

As Torbjørn said, this is an IoT SiP, it's not a substitute for the hardware found in hand-held mobile phones as this chip (and other Cat-M1 and Cat-NB chips) uses a different part of the specification to the standard LTE network, this comes with limitations and restrictions to enable IoT devices to seemlessly intergrate with the rest of the LTE network.

[keivan]

thanks for the time and reply. i didnt understand one thing that LTE-M can be used with standard LTE network from our sim provider or they should have some add-on equipment in the towers so we can use LTE-M? and is it possible to use standard LTE with this chip (2g,3g,4g that mobile phones uses for example)?

[ovrebekk]

Hi 

keivan said:

i didnt understand one thing that LTE-M can be used with standard LTE network from our sim provider or they should have some add-on equipment in the towers so we can use LTE-M?

If they already support 4G they typically only need to update the software running in the base station, but older base stations might require a hardware update also.  

keivan said:

and is it possible to use standard LTE with this chip (2g,3g,4g that mobile phones uses for example)?

 Haven't this been answered once or twice already? ;)

The answer is no, the nRF9160 does not support older LTE standards, only LTE-M1 and NB-IoT. 

Best regards
Torbjørn