AT+COPS not selecting desired operator on EG21

IoT Modules LTE Standard Module
1

Firmware is EG21GGBR07A11M1G_30.201.30.201

I’m using a 1nce SIM and would like it to register on a specific operator. No matter what I try for AT+COPS=… it always selects a different operator. I’m in an urban area in New Zealand with good signal on both operators.

Visible operators:
AT+COPS=?
+COPS: (1,“2degrees”,“2degrees”,“53024”,7),(1,“Spark NZ”,“Spark NZ”,“53005”,2)NZ",“Spark NZ”,“53005”,7),(0-4),(0-2)

I’ve tried various permutations of:
AT+COPS=1,1,“Spark NZ”
AT+COPS=1,2,“53005”
AT+COPS=1,2,“53005”,7
… with and without quotes around the short name/numeric code.

How can I force my SIM/modem to a specific operator? It has successfully connected to Spark NZ in the past, but decided yesterday to get on 2degrees instead and I can’t make it choose Spark.

AT command sequence:

AT
AT
OK

ATE0
OK

AT+IFC=0,0
OK

AT+CGMI
Quectel
OK

AT+CGMM
EG21
OK

AT+QGMR
EG21GGBR07A11M1G_30.201.30.201
OK

AT+CGSN
8663460xxxxxxxx
OK

AT+CIMI
9014051xxxxxxxx
OK

AT+CPIN?
+CPIN: READY
OK

AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1
OK

AT+CFUN=0
OK

AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 0
OK

AT+QCFG=“nwscanmode”,3,1
OK

AT+QCFG=“band”
+QCFG: “band”,0xbff,0x1e00b0e18df,0x0
OK

AT+CGDCONT=1,“IP”,“<1nce APN HERE>”
OK

AT+COPS=1,2,“53005”,7
** OK**

AT+CFUN=1
OK

AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1
OK

AT+CGDCONT?
+CGDCONT: 1,“IP”,“<1nce APN HERE>”,“0.0.0.0”,0,0,0,0
+CGDCONT: 2,“IPV4V6”,“ims”,
“0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0”,0,0,0,0
+CGDCONT: 3,“IPV4V6”,“SOS”,“0.0.0.0.0
.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0”,0,0,0,1
OK

AT+CREG=2
OK

AT+CGREG=2
OK

AT+CEREG=2
OK

AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,0
OK

AT+CREG?
+CREG: 2,0
OK

AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,2
OK

AT+CREG?
+CREG: 2,2
OK
…

AT+CREG?
+CREG: 2,2
OK

AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 2,5,“F304”,“01D4A05”,7
OK

AT+CREG?
+CREG: 2,5,“F304”,“01D4A05”,7
OK

AT+QNWINFO
+QNWINFO: “FDD LTE”,“53024”,“LTE BAND 8”,3622
OK

AT+COPS?
** +COPS: 0,2,“53024”,7**
OK

AT+QCSQ
+QCSQ: “LTE”,58,-78,199,-7
OK

AT+CBC
+CBC: 0,65,3822
OK

ATD99**1#
CONNECT 150000000

2

(1nce APN is iot.1nce.net but as a new user the forum software interpreted this as a URL and wouldn’t let me post it)

3

You can try to lock in bands that are connected to the Spark NZ radio network before doing a COPS search

4

Thanks. Will that also speed up the COPS search? on NBIOT/M1 (BG95) it takes 3.5 minutes and on CAT1 (EG21) it’s more like 30-60s

I’d like to understand if I’m doing something wrong though for COPS=… to have no apparent effect? Some devices might be deployed in other countries and I’d like to see them work as directed, as I might not have opportunity to spend time on work-arounds.

5

If you need to speed up your Internet search, you need to
1, lock the frequency band of the local radio network;
2. Lock the network standard/mode enabled by the device;
3. Lock the local network’s PLMN;
Since the SIM card you are using is a roaming card, the PLMN in the SIM card affects the search speed

6

Which is how? I try:
AT+COPS=1,1,“Spark NZ”
AT+COPS=1,2,“53005”
AT+COPS=1,2,“53005”,7

… one of which have an effect.

7

You can try this configuration