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  • Case ID: 248676
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Net Thingy 91 not connected to LTE in Romania. Do you have a firmware to connect through Vodafone network, which was detected but is not connected. I updated the certificate too. I'm located in Bucharest and here the signal is good.

Boby20

IMEI 352656100982084

I need your support to solve this matter urgently because we are developing a IOT solution to monitor several thousand motors - one Thingy 91 for each motor.

I can provide logs for LTE monitor but I saw some previous topics which were not finalized for Romania and Bulgaria. Is this solution working in these countries?

If yes, please provide me the right firmware to update via USB.

Best regards,

Bogdan

bogdan.calin@umeb.ro

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  • 0

    Hi! I can help you but I need some more information. 

     

    I can provide logs for LTE monitor but I saw some previous topics which were not finalized for Romania and Bulgaria. Is this solution working in these countries?

     I'm not sure what you mean by this, please clarify. Logs would be great to see what's going on.

    I can provide the correct file to upgrade via USB, I just need to know if you are using LTE-M or NB-IoT? And if NB-IoT, if your network supports ePCO or not. 

    Best regards,

    Heidi

  • 0 in reply to Heidi

    Hello Heidi,

    Thank you for your answer.

    In first topic I was referring to cases ID: 240211 and 246744.

    Regarding the second topic, we have only LTE, 3G and 2G in Romania, not NB-IoT. But LTE coverage is very good.

    I wrote also to iBASIS and they confirmed that they have roaming accord with Orange, not with Vodafone. 

    Thingy module tries to connect to Vodafone only and I think that this is the main problem.

    Can you make a firmware to force it in Orange - 226001 ? All connections until now were to Vodafone, but there is not roaming agreement.

    Waiting for new firmware to test it and to send you feedback.

    Fullscreen 2020-04-29T14_45_45.304Z-log.txt Download

  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    Hi!

    When you say LTE, I'm going to assume you mean LTE-M?

    I have attached the firmware for LTE-M but it looks like the firmware isn't the problem.

    I suggest trying %XBANDLOCK, where you can lock the bands the modem searches on before connecting. Set the modem to only search on bands with Orange and not Vodafone.  Make sure to set AT+CFUN=0 first to deactivate the modem before locking the bands.

    According to the iBasis website the coverage in Romania is limited. Try sending +CESQ and seeing the RSRP values to find out if you have coverage exactly where you are. 

    thingy91_ltem_dfu_2019-11-29_d3130d77.hex

    Best regards,

    Heidi

  • 0 in reply to Heidi

    Hi,

    This is the firmware I'm using.

    Is it possible to use AT+COPS command?

    Orange has main coverage on B3 band and few on B7.

    Vodafone has on B3 and B20.

    Is better to force MNC than the band.

  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    Hi, yes you can also use AT+COPS to choose the network. 

  • 0 in reply to Heidi

    Hello Heidi,

    i tried all variants, but is not working.

    The device is detecting only Vodafone network, even if I inserted in it an Orange SIM card. 

    I informed also iBasis about this ticket and they will contact you to solve this problem together.

    In my opinion is nothing that I can do in this moment.

    If you have any idea, please let me know.

Reply
  • 0 in reply to Heidi

    Hello Heidi,

    i tried all variants, but is not working.

    The device is detecting only Vodafone network, even if I inserted in it an Orange SIM card. 

    I informed also iBasis about this ticket and they will contact you to solve this problem together.

    In my opinion is nothing that I can do in this moment.

    If you have any idea, please let me know.

Children
  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    Hello Heidi,

    Maybe the device has some troubles and cannot detect the signal well.

    Is it possible to test a device with a eSIM and to deliver to my company, either directly either through Farnell from whom i acqured the device?

    The existing device i will send through DHL to Nordic for investigation.

    In  this way i we will be sure that the Thingy 91 and eSim are running well together and the right firmware is installed.

    Is this proposal ok?

  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    Hello Heidi,

    I made more tests, and I concluded that the Thingy 91 has problems with cell modem - radio part.

    The eSIM is working well, I insert it in my phone and see immediately the network and registered on LTE, HSPDA, UMTS and EDGE, depending of the location.

    Regarding Thingy 91, first thing is that Band 7 (B7) is not available in this firmware.

    Second, I searched a location with very good LTE signal on B3 and I tried to connect the thingy there, but still it did not find signal.

    I attached you the logs plus photos with LTE signal from my phone in the two locations where I made tests: 1. with B7 coverage and second with B3 coverage. In both the situation was the same - no signal.

    I like very much this module idea and I propose to Nordic to prepare a new Thingy 91 - tested for good radio part and a firmware which supports B3 and B7 bands.

    Regarding logistic, I can return this package by DHL to Nordic or to Farnell, as you recommend.

    2020-05-01T07_36_15.071Z-log.txt

     

  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    Hi again, I apologize for not responding earlier. When you mark an answer in your ticket as a Verified Answer, the employees on DevZone stop receiving notifications if the case is updated. 

    Yes, as you can see here, band 7 is not certified yet, but band 3 is. In the Thingy:91 doc in Europe bands 3, 8, 20 and 28 are used. 

     

    From your images, it looks like you're showing me the LTE coverage in that area? There is a difference between LTE and LTE Cat M1, the protocol that the nRF9160 supports, and good LTE coverage does not imply good LTE Cat M1 coverage.

    Have you contacted the network provider to ask specifically about LTE Cat M1 or LTE NB-IoT coverage where you are? 

    Boby20 said:
    Is it possible to test a device with a eSIM and to deliver to my company, either directly either through Farnell from whom i acqured the device?

     I'm not sure what it is you're proposing here. 

    If your device does not work, we will, of course, send a new one. But let's pin down what the actual error is first. And you do not need to send us your device to receive a new one, if it isn't working. 

    Best regards,

    Heidi

  • 0 in reply to Heidi

    Hello Heidi,

    I tested the device in several places and the response was the same. In 1 location it even shows 3 lines of signal, but no connection to network. After few seconds the signal disappear. 

    I checked with Orange Romania and they confirmed LTE-M coverage in more than 3000 localities in Romania, including Bucharest.

    Unfortunately, I do not have a solution to show LTE-M coverage in the places where i made the tests, only LTE as I already provided. If there is such solution, please inform me.

    Also, I found the LTE Link Monitor from NRF Connect re-write the settings that I made with AT commands at each 10-15 minutes, forcing me to make the settings again.

    At this point, the existing device is not working for me. I can test is with a new one, to eliminate the possible cause of the wrong firmware or radio module.

  • 0 in reply to Boby20

    I see. Perhaps  can comment on this issue, from a coverage standpoint. 

    Again, to send a new device I will need to confirm that yours isn't working, which I haven't at this point. 

    Boby20 said:
    I found the LTE Link Monitor from NRF Connect re-write the settings that I made with AT commands

     What do you mean by this? %XBANDLOCK and +COPS are being rewritten every 10-15 minutes?

    Please a text document of the LTE Link Monitor log by pressing this button and attaching the file that pops up. The pictures of your computer screen were not very helpful.

     

    Best regards,

    Heidi

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