nRF9160DK can't connect to LTE Network (iBasis and Altice SIM)

[Caio Dias]

Hello, DevZoners!

Hope you all doing great!

I have 2 9160DK's and for a few weeks now I've been trying to connect to the LTE network and then connect to the nRF Cloud (for the example of the at client and asset tracker) and so far without success.

I'm located in the north of Portugal, and reading the threads on DevZone about iBasis SIM a question came up: In the issue of network coverage NETWORK COVERAGE | iBASIS in Portgual, iBasis SIM says it's LTE-M national coverage, but when I look at Mobile IoT deployment Map GSMA | Mobile IoT Deployment Map | Internet of Things in Portugal shows NB-IoT nationwide coverage, so when loading .hex file to asset tracker DK should I load LTE-M or NB-IoT example?

With the previous question, I purchased an Altice M2M SIM to try to connect using the NB-IoT network (which I'm sure the NB-IoT coverage is supported), the connection attempts were also made with the iBasis SIM, and by the example of the AT Client it is always looking for the network and the connection never is established.

I don't know what is the issue for not getting the connection. 

Any help I would appreciate a lot!!!

Best Regards, Caio.

Below I attach the logs and photos of the AT client using iBasis. I will soon send the log and photos using Altice's SIM.

2021-09-20T14_50_01.694Z-log.txt

[iBasis Tech Support]

Hi,

From the testing we performed in Portugal, we found LTE-M to be available in select areas. Please look at the coverage list we have on the Devzone and try to force a connection to the same operator that we tested in Portugal.

iBasis Tech Support

[Øyvind]

Thanks for the reply iBasis Tech Support! Can you elaborate on GSMA | Mobile IoT Deployment Map | Internet of Things, why does this claim NB-IoT only?

iBasis Tech Support said:

Please look at the coverage list we have on the Devzone

Do you mean this blog post updated August 2021?

Kind regards,
Øyvind

[iBasis Tech Support]

Hi, yes, I meant that list with the test locations and timer settings. I believe the GSMA only lists the operators that have completed the country wide rollout . In some cases, it is possible that an operator has only started to deploy LTE-M and the coverage is limited.

iBasis Tech Support

[Øyvind]

iBasis Tech Support, thanks for clarifying! 

-Øyvind

[Caio Dias]

Hello!

I appreciate all the help, Thanks a lot!

I've been testing either with iBasis's SIM and Altice's SIM and none of them work out in my location and this morning I bought a NOS IoT SIM and worked instantly, whatever the Nordic cellular example is. 

Thus, for anyone that is far from Lisbon or Porto, I think the NOS SIM card is the best suit.