BG96 cannot connect to roaming network

IoT Modules LPWA Module
1

I’m in Australia, using a BG96 with a ThingsMobile SIM, trying to make an NB-IoT connection.
I have trouble at the AT+COPS step - it always seems to respond with “Error 30: No network service.”

With the “AT+COPS=?” command, enabling multiple bands, I’ve been able to find a number of potential operators:

11:24:49.891 -> at+cops=?
11:47:40.575 -> +COPS: (1,"Optus AU","Optus","50502",9),(1,"Telstra Mobile","Telstra","50501",9), (1,"vodafone AU","voda AU","50503",9),,(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)
11:47:40.705 ->
11:47:40.705 -> OK

But if I try connecting to any of these operators manually, I end up with the error. The vodafone attempt takes more than 30 minutes to respond!

13:10:05.310 -> at+cops=1,2,"50501",9
13:10:11.108 -> +CME ERROR: 30
13:12:21.538 -> at+cops=1,2,"50502",9
13:12:30.303 -> +CME ERROR: 30
13:12:35.880 -> at+cops=1,2,"50503",9
13:43:11.152 -> +CME ERROR: 30

If I try to connect automatically, I get the response “OK” (no error), but AT+CGREG? indicates that it has not connected. When I check with AT+CGDCONT? it seems to suggest that I have the APN name correctly set to “TM”, as advised by ThingsMobile.

14:13:39.905 -> at+cops=0
14:13:39.905 -> OK
14:13:46.258 -> at+qiact=1
14:13:46.258 -> ERROR
14:13:50.744 -> AT+QIGETERROR
14:13:50.744 -> +QIGETERROR: 561,activate pdp context failed
14:13:50.810 ->
14:13:50.810 -> OK
14:14:31.414 -> at+creg?
14:14:31.445 -> +CREG: 0,2
14:14:31.445 ->
14:14:31.445 -> OK
18:38:46.083 -> at+creg?
18:38:46.083 -> +CREG: 0,2
18:38:46.083 ->
18:38:46.083 -> OK
20:37:00.409 -> AT+QICSGP=1
20:37:00.441 -> +QICSGP: 1,"tm","","",0
20:37:00.475 ->
20:37:00.475 -> OK
20:48:20.758 -> AT+CGDCONT=?
20:48:20.758 -> +CGDCONT: (1-24,100-179),"IP",,,(0-2),(0-4),(0-1),(0-1)
20:48:20.822 -> +CGDCONT: (1-24,100-179),"PPP",,,(0-2),(0-4),(0-1),(0-1)
20:48:20.885 -> +CGDCONT: (1-24,100-179),"IPV6",,,(0-2),(0-4),(0-1),(0-1)
20:48:20.952 -> +CGDCONT: (1-24,100-179),"IPV4V6",,,(0-2),(0-4),(0-1),(0-1)
20:48:21.017 ->
20:48:21.017 -> OK
20:48:55.181 -> AT+CGDCONT?
20:48:55.213 -> +CGDCONT: 1,"IP","tm","0.0.0.0",0,0,0,0

ThingsMobile has an operator code (PLMN) of “23450”. I don’t understand whether I should use that code or the code of the network I’m trying to roam to (presumably one of 50501, 50502, or 50503).

Can anyone suggest what step I should try next?
Thanks,

John.

2

Has the SIM been activated?

Is roaming enabled? What does AT+QCFG="roamservice" return?

Some time ago I used a Hologram SIM in my BG96 successfully. I cancelled the Hologram account so I can no longer experiment.

Hologram also uses PLMN 23450 (Jersey Telecom, UK) as its home network.

I see from my configuration files that I used the Hologram APN of hologram

I was able to use both NB-IoT (RAT=9) and Cat-M1 (RAT=8) successfully, using the AT+QCFG="IOTOPMODE" command to switch.

That was on the Telstra network, before Optus or Vodafone had IoT coverage.

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