BG96 CME Error 13

Technical Subjects Open Solution
1

Custom hardware not connecting to network and looking for help on why. Here are the sequence of commands, followed by responses:
ATI
Quectal
BG96
Revision: BG96MAR02A07M1G

AT+QINSTAT
+QINISTAT: 3

AT+QCCID
+QCCID: 8901240202100290579F

AT+CIMI
310240200029057

AT+QCFG=“nwscanseq”,030201,1
OK

AT+QCFG=“nwscanmode”,0
OK

AT+QCFG=“iotopmode”,1
OK

AT+CREG=2
OK

AT+COPS=0,0,“T-Mobile”,9
Either no response OR
+CME ERROR: 13

AT+COPS=? results in the module bricking and not responding to any AT commands until I remove power and restart it completely.

And as you can see I get a CME ERROR:13 indicating a failure with the SIM card, which happens with all SIM cards I try. However, QINSTAT, QCCID, and CIMI all respond without a problem indicating no issue with SIM card. Any help on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

2

Hi

Are you want to register to NBIOT?
AT+COPS=? command will spend a bit long time to get response,determined by network.

3

Yes I want to register to NBIOT, however any band is fine for testing. And you were right it took about 25 minutes for AT+COPS=? to return.

AT+COPS=?
Response:
AT+COPS=?
+COPS: (0,“T-Mobile”,“T-Mobile”,“310260”,0),(0,“311 490”,“311 490”,“311490”,8),(
0,“T-Mobile”,“T-Mobile”,“310260”,8),(0,“Verizon”,“Verizon”,“311480”,8),(0,“AT&T”
,“AT&T”,“310410”,8),(0,“313 100”,“313 100”,“313100”,8),(0,“Verizon”,“Verizon”,“3
11480”,9),(0,“311 588”,“311 588”,“311588”,9),(0,“AT&T”,“AT&T”,“310410”,9),(0,“T-
Mobile”,“T-Mobile”,“310260”,9),(0,1,2,3,4),(0,1,2)

Then I try AT+COPS=0,0,“T-Mobile”,9 and still get the CME Error 13.
AT+COPS? Results in +COPS: 2.

Some other useful commands that may be needed by you:
AT+QGMR
BG96MAR02A07M1G_01.017.01.017

AT+CPIN?
+CPIN: READY

AT+COPS?
+COPS: 2

AT+QCSQ
+QCSQ: “NO SERVICE”

AT+CEREG?
+CERE: 0,0

AT+QNWINFO
+QNWINFO: “No Service”

AT+CFUN?
+CFUN: 1

AT+CGDCONT?
+CGDCONT: 1,“IP”,“iot.nb”,“0.0.0.0”,0,0,0,0

​AT+QMBNCFG=“list”
+QMBNCFG=“list”

+QMBNCFG: “list”,0,0,0,“Att_Non_Volte_Lab”,0x05010310,201712191

+QMBNCFG: “list”,1,0,0,“China_Common”,0x05802800,201806231

+QMBNCFG: “list”,2,0,0,“ROW_Commercial”,0x05800801,201806301

+QMBNCFG: “list”,3,0,0,“Verizon_Commercial”,0x05803801,201806301

+QMBNCFG: “list”,4,0,0,“Telstra_Commercial”,0x05801806,201903191

+QMBNCFG: “list”,5,0,0,“SKT_Commercial”,0x05804803,201907061

AT+QCFG=“iotopmode”,1
+QCFG=“iotopmode”,1
OK

AT+QCFG=“band”
+QCFG: “band”,0xf,0x400a0e189f,0xa0e189f

4

I would try:

AT+COPS=1,2,"310260",9

5

That was a good idea, however, I still get the CME Error 13, same thing with AT+COPS=0

6

Which SIM Card do you using? T-Mobile? if so, there is no T-MO MBN
image

7

Yes I am using a T-mobile/Twilio SIM card. There is no T-MO MBN listed on any of my 3 different custom test boards. However, even on a working dev board(different FW version) that I have purchased, I can connect to the network yet there is no tmobile MBN listed. Example of the working dev kit I have:

AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0,0,“T-Mobile”,9

AT+QMBNCFG=“list”
+QMBNCFG: “List”,0,0,0,“Att_Non_Volte_Lab”,0x05010310,201712191
+QMBNCFG: “List”,1,0,0,“China_Common”,0x05802800,201806231
+QMBNCFG: “List”,2,0,0,“Telstra-Commercial”,0x05801801,201806301
+QMBNCFG: “List”,3,0,0,“ROW_Commercial”,0x05800801,201806301
+QMBNCFG: “List”,4,0,0,“Verizon_Commercial”,0x05803801,201806301

AT+QPING=1,“8.8.8.8”
+QPING: 0,“8.8.8.8”,32,752,255
+QPING: 0,“8.8.8.8”,32,256,255

So I am not sure the MBN has anything to do with it.

I also have just realized on my boards if I do: AT+CFUN=0 then AT+CFUN=1 and then QUICKLY send
AT+COPS=0,0,“T-Mobile”,9 I get a response of +COPS=0,0,“T-Mobile”,9. However, then AT+CEREG? returns 0,3 (network registration denied).

8

OK, can you do AT+QCFG=“emmcause” when you got network reject?

9

Yes. The result was:
+QCFG: “emmcause”,6

10

EMM CAUSE #6( Illegal ME)

image
image785×72 3.79 KB

11

Thank you.

Is there some sort of workaround for this? I am not familiar with this error or how to approach dealing with it. Would this be caused by some incorrectly configured setting/ what would be my next step to fixing this?

If not, would it be possible to update the firmware on my module via the main UARTs on the bg96 ? I only have the AT comm and gnss uarts exposed that I communicate via usb to ttl converter, so no USB.

Thank you again for your help.

12

Actually, If UE enabled T3245 timer, After received this emm cause the timer will start and during this duration UE will not send PLMN request, and we already have command to clear this timer.
AT+QNWCFG="clearbackoff"
If your FW not support this command, need upgrade FW and BTW, we cannot upgrade via main UART but its OK to use DFOTA to upgrade, this is a best way when USB is not layout.

13

The command was accepted, however, AT+COPS just continually returns +COPS: 2 and AT+CEREG returns 0,0. Unfortunately I cannot do DFOTA upgrade since I cannot connect to the network. I am beginning to think maybe it is a hardware issue since I have tried everything and will revisit my schematics.

14

Hi,
Please also check the UE whether binding with SIM, you can ask operator for confirmation. that’s also will cause emm cause#6.

15

I will contact them, it may take a bit for them to get back to me. In the mean time can you please verify I am using the correct sequence of commands?

AT+CFUN=0
AT+QCFG=“nwscanmode”,0
AT+QCFG=“nwscanseq”,030201,1
AT+CGDCONT=1,“IP”,“iot.nb”
AT+CFUN=1
AT+CREG=1
AT+COPS=0,0,“T-Mobile”,9

Thank you

16

Hi,

Settings are ok and if you want more quickly to register NBIOT, you can configure Iotopmode as 1