nRF9160 schedule connect and disconnect LTE connection

Question

I am only want to send and MQTT message every day. Because of this I think it is better to turnoff the modem and reconnect when needed. I tried to alter the LTE Link example a bit but it does not work as expected. I think it has something to do with the timing of the work thread. I schedule the connect when the device is turned on. When this function is successful a new work item is scheduled to disconnect the modem.

The fist connect does not respond.

#include <zephyr/kernel.h>
#include <modem/lte_lc.h>

/* Semaphore used to block the main thread until the link controller has
 * established an LTE connection.
 */
K_SEM_DEFINE(lte_connected, 0, 1);

static struct k_work_delayable connectLTE_work;
static struct k_work_delayable disconnectLTE_work;

static void lte_handler(const struct lte_lc_evt *const evt)
{
     switch (evt->type) {
     case LTE_LC_EVT_NW_REG_STATUS:
             if ((evt->nw_reg_status != LTE_LC_NW_REG_REGISTERED_HOME) &&
             (evt->nw_reg_status != LTE_LC_NW_REG_REGISTERED_ROAMING)) {
                     break;
             }

             printk("Connected to: %s network\n",
             evt->nw_reg_status == LTE_LC_NW_REG_REGISTERED_HOME ? "home" : "roaming");

             k_sem_give(&lte_connected);
             break;
     case LTE_LC_EVT_PSM_UPDATE:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_EDRX_UPDATE:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_RRC_UPDATE:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_CELL_UPDATE:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_LTE_MODE_UPDATE:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_TAU_PRE_WARNING:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_NEIGHBOR_CELL_MEAS:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_MODEM_SLEEP_EXIT_PRE_WARNING:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_MODEM_SLEEP_EXIT:
     case LTE_LC_EVT_MODEM_SLEEP_ENTER:
             /* Callback events carrying LTE link data */
             break;
     default:
             break;
     }
}

static void connectLTE(struct k_work *work) 
{
    int err;
	printk("Connecting to LTE network. This may take a few minutes...\n");

    err = lte_lc_init_and_connect_async(lte_handler);
    if (err) {
            printk("lte_lc_init_and_connect_async, error: %d\n", err);
            return;
	}

	k_sem_take(&lte_connected, K_FOREVER);

	printk("Connected!\n");
	
	//Disconnect after 30 seconds
	k_work_schedule(&disconnectLTE_work, K_SECONDS(30));		

}

static void disconnectLTE(struct k_work *work) 
{
    int err;
	printk("Disconnecting...\n");

    err = lte_lc_offline();
    if (err) {
            printk("Failed to discconet\n");
            return;
	}

	printk("Disconnected!\n");

	//Connect after 30 seconds
	k_work_schedule(&connectLTE_work, K_SECONDS(30));		
}



static void init_work(void)
{
	k_work_init_delayable(&connectLTE_work, connectLTE);
	k_work_init_delayable(&disconnectLTE_work, disconnectLTE);	

}

void main(void)
{
	init_work();
	//Schedule connect now
	k_work_schedule(&connectLTE_work, K_NO_WAIT);	
}

Output

14:32:07.540 -> *** Booting Zephyr OS build v3.1.99-ncs1-1  ***
14:32:07.540 -> Connecting to LTE network. This may take a few minutes...

What would be the correct way to archive something like this?