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NRF9160 doesn't connect over NB-IoT (iBasis and T-mobile, works fine on Cat-M)

I'm using the NRF9160DK, the asset_tracker example works fine over Cat-M together with the iBasis sim.

I want to run my applications on NB-IoT, so I'm trying to connect the DK over NB-IoT, but it doesn't seem to work. It feels like I'm missing a config, but I'm not sure which one.

I'm in North CA in the US, iBasis states NB-IoT should work here.

AT-host example output with iBasis sim:

*** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.1.99-ncs1-1145-g13dc96f83bab  ***
The AT host sample started
AT%XSYSTEMMODE?
%XSYSTEMMODE: 0,1,0,0
OK
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 0
OK
AT+CFUN=1
OK
AT+CFUN=1
OK
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1
OK
AT+CGMI
Nordic Semiconductor ASA
OK
AT+CGMM
nRF9160-SICA
OK
AT+CGMR
mfw_nrf9160_1.2.0
OK
AT+CEMODE?+CEMODE: 0
OK
AT%XCBAND=?
%XCBAND: (1,2,3,4,5,8,12,13,17,19,20,25,26,28,66)
OK
AT+CMEE?
+CMEE: 0
OK
AT+CMEE=1
OK
AT+CNEC?
+CNEC: 0
OK
AT+CNEC=24
OK
AT+CGEREP?
+CGEREP: 0,0
OK
AT+CGDCONT?
OK
AT+CGACT?
OK
AT+CGEREP=1
OK
AT+CIND=1,1,1
OK
AT+CEREG=2
OK
AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,0,"FFFE","FFFFFFFF",9
OK
AT%CESQ=1
OK
AT+CESQ+CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,255
OK
AT%XSIM=1
OK
AT%XSIM?
%XSIM: 1
OK
AT+CPIN?
+CPIN: READY
OK
AT+CPINR="SIM PIN"
+CPINR: "SIM PIN",3
OK
AT+CIMI
204080813516911
OK
AT+CEREG=5
OK
%CESQ: 61,3,23,3
+CEREG: 2,"EBB6","0144D3C8",9,0,0,"11100000","11100000"
+CNEC_EMM: 11
+CEREG: 2,"EBB6","0144D3C8",9,0,11,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 61,3,16,2
%CESQ: 55,2,11,1
+CEREG: 2,"8C3C","0A18483B",9,0,11,"11100000","11100000"
+CNEC_EMM: 15
+CEREG: 4,"8C3C","0A18483B",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 255,0,255,0
+CEREG: 4,"FFFE","FFFFFFFF",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 74,3,18,2
+CEREG: 2,"2080","00808C14",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
+CNEC_EMM: 15
+CEREG: 4,"2080","00808C14",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 255,0,255,0
+CEREG: 4,"FFFE","FFFFFFFF",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 75,3,18,2
+CEREG: 4,"2080","00808C14",9,0,15,"11100000","11100000"
%CESQ: 75,3,23,3
%CESQ: 70,3,23,3
AT+COPS=?
+CME ERROR: 0
AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0
OK
AT%COPS=?
%COPS: (3,"","","310260",9),(1,"","","311480",9),(1,"","","310410",9)
OK
AT+COPS=?
+CME ERROR: 0

note the `AT+COPS=?` and `+CME ERROR: 0` here. Why am I getting this error, and why does `AT%COPS=?` work instead?

AT host example output with T-mobile sim. This sim works on NB-IoT in a different brand modem, so I'm sure it's not a network issue:

*** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.1.99-ncs1-1145-g13dc96f83bab  ***
The AT host sample started
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 0
OK
AT+CFUN=4
OK
AT%XSYSTEMMODE?
%XSYSTEMMODE: 0,1,0,0
OK
AT+CFUN=1
OK
AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1
OK
AT+CGSN=1
+CGSN: "352656100381287"
OK
AT+CGMI
Nordic Semiconductor ASA
OK
AT+CGMM
nRF9160-SICA
OK
AT+CGMR
mfw_nrf9160_1.2.0
OK
AT+CEMODE?
+CEMODE: 0
OK
AT%XCBAND=?
%XCBAND: (1,2,3,4,5,8,12,13,17,19,20,25,26,28,66)
OK
AT+CMEE?
+CMEE: 0
OK
AT+CMEE=1
OK
AT+CNEC?
+CNEC: 0
OK
AT+CNEC=24
OK
AT+CGEREP?
+CGEREP: 0,0
OK
AT+CGDCONT?
OK
AT+CGACT?
OK
AT+CGEREP=1
OK
AT+CIND=1,1,1
OK
AT+CEREG=2
OK
AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,0,"FFFE","FFFFFFFF",9
OK
AT%CESQ=1
OK
AT+CESQ
+CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,255
OK
AT%XSIM=1
OK
AT%XSIM?
%XSIM: 1
OK
AT+CPIN?
+CPIN: READY
OK
AT+CPINR="SIM PIN"
+CPINR: "SIM PIN",3
OK
AT+CIMI
310240200018620
OK
AT+CEREG=5
OK
AT%XAPNSTATUS?
%XAPNSTATUS: 
OK
AT+COPS=?
+COPS: (1,"","","310260",9),(1,"","","310410",9),(1,"","","311480",9)
OK
+CEREG: 2,"FFFE","FFFFFFFF",9,0,0,"11100000","11100000"

Here `AT+COPS=?` seems to work, but it kind of gives up immediately on connecting?

Am I missing a config somewhere / what can I do to debug this?

Thanks for the help!

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