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

[email protected]

[Boby20]

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.

[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?

[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

 

[Heidi]

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

[Boby20]

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.