nRF9160 DK unable to connect to a network (South West England + iBasis)

Question

Hi! I'm unable to connect my development kit to a network with the provided iBasis SIM card. I'm located in Bristol UK. According to this [https://ibasis.com/solutions/iot-connectivity/network-coverage/] IoT network coverage map, iBasis has Limited Coverage over the UK for LTE-M. I'm wondering whether my unsuccessful attempts are due to a lack of coverage or improper setup.

I'm using the AT Client example and the LTE Link Monitor app to try and establish a connection. Below are some details of my setup and logs.

Development setup:

OS: Windows 10

Application Firmware: nrf9160dk_at_client_2022-02-17_ec486dab.hex

Modem Firmware: mfw_nrf9160_1.3.1.zip

Hardware: nRF9160-DK

Logs:

DEBUG modem << *** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.7.99-ncs1  ***
DEBUG modem << I: Starting bootloader
DEBUG modem << I: Primary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
DEBUG modem << I: Secondary image: magic=unset, swap_type=0x1, copy_done=0x3, image_ok=0x3
DEBUG modem << I: Boot source: none
DEBUG modem << I: Swap type: none
DEBUG modem << I: Bootloader chainload address offset: 0x10000
DEBUG modem << I: Jumping to the first image slot
DEBUG modem << *** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.7.99-ncs1  ***
DEBUG modem << Flash regionsDomainPermissions
DEBUG modem << 00 03 0x00000 0x20000 Securerwxl
DEBUG modem << 04 31 0x20000 0x100000 Non-Securerwxl
DEBUG modem << Non-secure callable region 0 placed in flash region 3 with size 32.
DEBUG modem << SRAM regionDomainPermissions
DEBUG modem << 00 03 0x00000 0x08000 Securerwxl
DEBUG modem << 04 31 0x08000 0x40000 Non-Securerwxl
DEBUG modem << PeripheralDomainStatus
DEBUG modem << 00 NRF_P0               Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 01 NRF_CLOCK            Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 02 NRF_RTC0             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 03 NRF_RTC1             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 04 NRF_NVMC             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 05 NRF_UARTE1           Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 06 NRF_UARTE2           SecureSKIP
DEBUG modem << 07 NRF_TWIM2            Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 08 NRF_SPIM3            Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 09 NRF_TIMER0           Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 10 NRF_TIMER1           Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 11 NRF_TIMER2           Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 12 NRF_SAADC            Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 13 NRF_PWM0             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 14 NRF_PWM1             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 15 NRF_PWM2             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 16 NRF_PWM3             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 17 NRF_WDT              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 18 NRF_IPC              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 19 NRF_VMC              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 20 NRF_FPU              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 21 NRF_EGU0             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 22 NRF_EGU1             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 23 NRF_EGU2             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 24 NRF_EGU3             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 25 NRF_EGU4             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 26 NRF_EGU5             Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 27 NRF_DPPIC            Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 28 NRF_REGULATORS       Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 29 NRF_PDM              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 30 NRF_I2S              Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << 31 NRF_GPIOTE1          Non-SecureOK
DEBUG modem << SPM: NS image at 0x20200
DEBUG modem << SPM: NS MSP at 0x2000f600
DEBUG modem << SPM: NS reset vector at 0x22229
DEBUG modem << SPM: prepare to jump to Non-Secure image.
DEBUG modem << *** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.7.99-ncs1  ***
DEBUG modem << The AT host sample started
DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN?
DEBUG modem << +CFUN: 0
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN=1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CFUN?
DEBUG modem << +CFUN: 1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGSN=1
DEBUG modem << +CGSN: "351358811119400"
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMI
DEBUG modem << Nordic Semiconductor ASA
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMM
DEBUG modem << nRF9160-SICA
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGMR
DEBUG modem << mfw_nrf9160_1.3.1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CEMODE?
DEBUG modem << +CEMODE: 2
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT%XCBAND=?
DEBUG modem << %XCBAND: (1,2,3,4,5,8,12,13,18,19,20,25,26,28,66)
DEBUG modem << 
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CMEE?
DEBUG modem << +CMEE: 0
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CMEE=1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CNEC?
DEBUG modem << +CNEC: 0
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CNEC=24
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGEREP?
DEBUG modem << +CGEREP: 0,0
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGDCONT?
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGACT?
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CGEREP=1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CIND=1,1,1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CEREG=5
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CEREG?
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 5,4
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT%CESQ=1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CESQ
DEBUG modem << +CESQ: 99,99,255,255,255,255
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT%XSIM=1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT%XSIM?
DEBUG modem << %XSIM: 1
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CPIN?
DEBUG modem << +CPIN: READY
DEBUG modem << 
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CPINR="SIM PIN"
DEBUG modem << +CPINR: "SIM PIN",3
DEBUG modem << 
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+CIMI
DEBUG modem << 204080813693980
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS=?
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 4
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 2
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 4
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 2
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 4
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 2
DEBUG modem << 
DEBUG modem << +CEREG: 4
DEBUG modem << 
DEBUG modem << +COPS: 
DEBUG modem << OK
DEBUG modem >> AT+COPS?
DEBUG modem << +COPS: 0
DEBUG modem << OK

Anthony Harrison · Answer

Hi Yannidd, 
 O2 is the LTE-M provider in the UK and here is their coverage map: 
 https://www.o2.co.uk/business/solutions/iot/lte-m 
 Bad new for you in Bristol, I'm afraid, we have a similar problem up North, here in the Lake District, it's a 2 hour drive to LTE-M coverage, the way we are resolving it is: 
 
 Renting additional promises that has LTE-M coverage 
 Simulating LTE-M coverage locally by maintaining a DEV port of our application under development by using Zigbee to send and receive the info, we're in the process of fitting out our Field Testing Land Rover with Starlink, so that the Zigbee coordinator can communicate with the cloud. 
 
 We're developing against the assumption that O2 will eventually deploy LTE-M light in the west of the UK as well. 
 One approach is to lobby your local MP to force O2 to do it, it's slowing down IoT development in the UK, clearly.