BG96 can't find Vodafone AU network using AT+COPS=?

The main issues is that I cannot connect to the network and generate an IP for the SIM.

When I look at the results i get below this would indicate to me that there is no Vodafone network where I currently am, However i have tried these experiments in multiple locations and the sim card Works perfectly when its inserted into a phone.

I have also attempted this sim card in multiple BG96 devices with the same results. One being a never before used BG96.

The Sicard is DATA only.

Any advice or assistance you could give me would be greatly appreciated as at this point I am stumped?

First time setup
When I search for all available networks from the same place using AT+COPS=? i get only one result per sim card.

Vodafone SIM : +COPS: (3,Telstra Mobile,Telstra,50501,8),(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)
ALDI SIM: +COPS: (2,ALDImobile,ALDImobi,50501,8),(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)

I would like to get the Vodafone SIM connected to the Australia Vodafone network (50503) but it only manages to find the forbidden Telstra network.

These are the responses of other commands.
Send: AT+COPS?
Response: +COPS: 0

Send: AT+QCSQ
Response: +QCSQ: “CAT-M1”,-66,-99,124,-14

Send: AT+QNWINFO
Response: +QNWINFO: “CAT-M1”,“50501”,“LTE BAND 28”,9410 (i would not expect this as it is a forbidden network)

Send: AT+QICSGP=1,3,“live.vodafone.com”,“”,“”,0
Response: OK

Send: AT+CGACT=1,1
Response: +CME ERROR: 30

Send: AT+CGPADDR
Response: +CGPADDR: 1,0.0.0.0,0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0

Now I tried to force the COPS to Vodafone

Send: AT+COPS=1,2,“50503”
Response: OK

I restarted the device

Send: AT+COPS?
Response: +COPS: 0

Send: AT+COPS?
Response: +CME ERROR: 3

Send: AT+QNWINFO
Response: +QNWINFO: “CAT-M1”,“50501”,“LTE BAND 28”,9410 (i would not expect this as it is a forbidden network)

Now I tried to force the Vodafone bands.

I set the COPS back to Auto
Send: AT+COPS=0
Response: OK

Vodafone AU states that the bands available for 4G are:
2100MHz
1800MHz
850MHz

If the device to using only these bands using: AT+QCFG=“band”,00000006,15,0,1 (is this correct?)
And restart the device I get this.
Send: AT+COPS=?
Response: +CME ERROR: 3

and there will be no signal information or network information

Additional Information
Send: ATI
Response:
Quectel
BG96
Revision: BG96MAR02A07M1G

OK

Send: AT+QGMR
Response: BG96MAR02A07M1G_01.017.01.017

Send: AT+CPOL?
Response:
+CPOL: 1,2,“50503”,0,0,0,0
+CPOL: 2,2,“50503”,0,0,0,1
+CPOL: 3,2,“50503”,0,0,1,0
+CPOL: 4,2,“50502”,0,0,0,1
+CPOL: 5,2,“50502”,0,0,1,0
+CPOL: 6,2,“53001”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 7,2,“26202”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 8,2,“20205”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 9,2,“65501”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 10,2,“21401”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 11,2,“20404”,1,0,1,1
+CPOL: 12,2,“60202”,1,0,1,1

Update: OPTUS SIM cards have the same issues. It seems like the BG96 will ONLY find the Telstra network and only Telstra based SIMs are working for me (ALDI and M2M).

A sequence that works for me that can specify the CATM1 network that I want (53001 Vodafone NZ or 53005 Spark NZ):

AT+IFC=0,0
AT+CGMI
AT+CGMM
AT+QGMR
AT+CGSN
AT+CIMI
AT+CFUN?
AT+CPIN?
AT+QCCID
AT+CPSMS=0
AT+QPSMS=0
AT+QPSMCFG=20,0
AT+CEDRXS=0,5,“0000”
AT+QSCLK=1
AT+QCFG=“iotopmode”,2
AT+QCFG=“nwscanmode”,3,1
AT+QCFG=“nwscanseq”,0203,1
AT+COPS=?

(AT+COPS=? takes nearly four minutes, but if you already know the LAI there’s no need for it, just jump straight to specifying the LAI using AT+COPS=1,2,“”)

AT+COPS=1,2,“53001”
AT+COPS=3,0
AT+CFUN=0
AT+CFUN?
AT+QCFG=“band”
AT+CGDCONT=1,“IP”,“”
AT+CFUN=1
AT+CFUN?
AT+CGDCONT?

now, tell modem to register with network

AT+CREG=2
AT+CGREG=2
AT+CEREG=2

now, poll repeatedly for network reg :

AT+CEREG?
AT+CREG?
AT+CEREG?

Resolved: The answer to this is that Telstra is the only network in Australia on the CAT-M1. So Vodafone and Optus will not work with BG96 using normal store sim cards.

Thanks for the info, i will use this in future also.