CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Benjamin — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 08:47:37 GMT

Hi,
Please open a new ticket for this issue.

Best regards,
Benjamin

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Klaus — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 09:13:42 GMT

Bringing back an old issues here.... would it not be reasonable for the modem software to add the option of a timer (T3245) to automatically remove the operator from the PLMN list (after 24-48h), since it is allowed in the 3ggp standard?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Didrik Rokhaug — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 12:34:54 GMT

Hi,

Markus is out of office, so I have taken over the case.

Could you take a modem trace, so we can get more insight into what the modem is doing?

Best regards,

Didrik

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Mon, 26 Sep 2022 06:55:51 GMT

We have contacted our carier with this concrete issue with logs and time of the CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN".

Their response:

Dear team,

We have investigated the provided IMSI and we observed that, any create session didn't reached our P-GW, as you can see in the logs below:

/CDR_DIA.sh 20220824 901288003656775 100224500
Script V2.1

Time Stamp [UTC] IMSI Device IP APN CDR SGSN IP GGSN IP Byte In Byte out GDSP Node IMEI Radio Type

./CDR_DIA.sh 20220825 901288003656775 100224500
Script V2.1

Time Stamp [UTC] IMSI Device IP APN CDR SGSN IP GGSN IP Byte In Byte out GDSP Node IMEI Radio Type

We have checked the HSS db and it's properly attached under Vodafone CZ, as you can see below:

EpsLocState: 1 (Which Means Attached)
EpsMmeAddr: mmec50.mmegiff37.mme.epc.mnc003.mcc230.3gppnetwork.org
EpsMmeRealm: epc.mnc003.mcc230.3gppnetwork.org
EpsLastInsertSent: 20220811T174030898
EpsMmeOdb: 0
EpsMobilityNotifInfo: 38
EpsMmeRegServ: FALSE

Also we have tried to extract a control plane trace and we didn't find any sessions there either, please find attached a screenshot.

Please let us know if there are any devices affected, provide us examples along with a fresh timestamp, not older than 48h in order to involve the Local Opco.

If is the only device affected, please try to perform a test by inserting the SIM into a working device this would helps us to exclude an issue with him and if the issue still persists, please give us a fresh sample.

This leads us to believe there might be incorrect reaction by the modem firmware in some situation. Could you please help us how to proceed ?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 07:29:30 GMT

Hello Tomas,

[quote user="optical"]Is it possible to assemble a list of rejection codes, which places the PLMN to the "list of forbidden PLMNs for GPRS service" ?
Is there option to readout current list ?[/quote]

The reject cause codes are not defined by us, they are part of the 3GPP standard, which the nRF9160 modem follows. Referring to technical specification # 24.301, Annex A.

Cheers,

Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 06:25:05 GMT

Is it possible to assemble a list of rejection codes, which places the PLMN to the "list of forbidden PLMNs for GPRS service" ?
Is there option to readout current list ?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 11:17:42 GMT

Hello Tomas,

[quote user="optical"]However, i'm unable to get OK response for any of the mentioned AT+CFUN=x commands.[/quote]

I checked with the modem team, and it turns out that while modem is active (+CFUN=1), it is not possible to switch on/off the SIM card. But it should work when the modem is turned off (+CFUN=0), see log below:

[2022-08-12 12:10*** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.0.99-ncs1  ***             
[2022-08-12 12:11:12] The AT host sample started
[2022-08-12 12:11:16] AT+CGMR  
[2022-08-12 12:11:16] mfw_nrf9160_1.3.2
[2022-08-12 12:11:16] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:19] AT+CEREG=5
[2022-08-12 12:11:20] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:23] AT%CESQ=1
[2022-08-12 12:11:23] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:26] AT+CSCON=3
[2022-08-12 12:11:27] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:30] AT%XSIM=1
[2022-08-12 12:11:30] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:33] AT%XSIM?
[2022-08-12 12:11:34] %XSIM: 0
[2022-08-12 12:11:34] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:38] AT+CFUN=41
[2022-08-12 12:11:38] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:39] %XSIM: 1
[2022-08-12 12:11:42] AT+CFUN?
[2022-08-12 12:11:43] +CFUN: 41
[2022-08-12 12:11:43] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:48] AT+CFUN=40
[2022-08-12 12:11:49] %XSIM: 0
[2022-08-12 12:11:49] OK
[2022-08-12 12:11:53] AT+CFUN?
[2022-08-12 12:11:54] +CFUN: 0
[2022-08-12 12:11:54] OK
[2022-08-12 12:12:05] AT+CFUN=1
[2022-08-12 12:12:06] OK
[2022-08-12 12:12:07] %XSIM: 1
[2022-08-12 12:12:07] %CESQ: 55,2,23,3
[2022-08-12 12:12:07] +CEREG: 2,"7AA9","01444000",7
[2022-08-12 12:12:07] +CSCON: 1,7,4
[2022-08-12 12:12:08] +CEREG: 1,"7AA9","01444000",7,,,"00001010","11000001"
[2022-08-12 12:12:21] +CSCON: 0,7,4
[2022-08-12 12:12:40] %CESQ: 255,0,255,0

Cheers,

Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Fri, 12 Aug 2022 07:33:40 GMT

Hello,

i have tried to simulate network rejection by setting incorrect APN, which works fine.
However, i'm unable to get OK response for any of the mentioned AT+CFUN=x commands.

I tried:
#Normal operation initiated by AT+CFUN=1#

AT+CFUN=40
ERROR
AT+CFUN=41
ERROR

#Normal operation initiated by AT+CFUN=0#

AT+CFUN=40
ERROR
AT+CFUN=41
ERROR

Modem version:

%SHORTSWVER: nrf9160_1.3.1

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 11:00:34 GMT

[quote user="optical"] +CFUN=41 Will again activat the UICC. Will the modem then start again the search for the network ?

There are no other commands required after deactivating the UICC to restore previous behavior(Subscription to notifications, etc.) ?[/quote]

I do not have detailed insights here, but I assume that +CFUN=41 should be enough to restore normal operation, yes.

//Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:36:02 GMT

We will try to contact our carrier.

When we get another device with this behavior we will try the +CFUN=40 approach.
+CFUN=41 Will again activat the UICC. Will the modem then start again the search for the network ?

There are no other commands required after deactivating the UICC to restore previous behavior(Subscription to notifications, etc.) ?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 10:11:17 GMT

[quote user="optical"]Is it possible that some BTS have the EPS disabled and will signal rejection ?[/quote]

Reject cause #14 comes from MME, hence there should not be any difference between the eNodeB's. You need to talk to the carrier regarding this.

[quote user="optical"]How can we initiate connection to this network after rejection ?[/quote]

The network code is stored to "list of forbidden PLMNs for GPRS service" which will be maintained until +CFUN=0, SIM card removal, or expiry of T3245 (random 12-24h if timer usage is enabled by SIM card). You could try +CFUN=40 as well, although I'm not quite sure if that will work.

Cheers,

Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:32:01 GMT

In the log there are successful connections to the network with the same PLMN.

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:22:29 GMT

The problem is that the device was connected for a while in this network and the EPS was supported. The device was working fine. The device is mobile so it changes stations very often.

Is it possible that some BTS have the EPS disabled and will signal rejection ?
How can we initiate connection to this network after rejection ?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:14:27 GMT

[quote user="optical"]Is it possible that the modem won't try connecting to the same PLMN again after rejection?[/quote]

Yes. If EPS services are not allowed in this network, then the modem cannot do anything ‘useful’ with it and will not perform a reconnect attempt.

Cheers,

Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:04:10 GMT

We are using fixed PLMN most of the time.
Is it possible that the modem won't try connecting to the same PLMN again after rejection?

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

Albrecht Markus Schellenberger — Mon, 08 Aug 2022 09:01:32 GMT

Hello Tomas,

[quote user=""]How should we proceed when this case is encountered ? Does the modem needs some additional at commands to recover ?
Can we somehow set the modem to keep trying after this event ?[/quote]

I do not think that any additional actions are required here, as the modem automatically should try to connect to another PLMN, if available.

What you could do to verify this is letting the modem search the mobile network for operators. This can be done using +COPS (normal search) or %COPS (priority search).

Cheers,

Markus

RE: CEREG: Reject - #14 "EPS services not allowed in this PLMN"

optical — Sun, 07 Aug 2022 12:00:34 GMT

Note: We cannot capture modem traces due to unpredictable nature of the problem. We are experiencing it very occasionally. However, it is indeed a problem our.