BG96 failing to read sim card

IoT Modules LPWA Module
1

I have just started working with a new sim card provider. When I put this sim into our product the BG96 doesn’t seem to be able to read it at all. When I use the same hardware and firmware with other sim cards they work fine. The new sim card provider’s sim works fine in an android phone.

Here are the AT commands for the failing sim:

06/01/20 17:43:21.566 INFO: Switching on BG96
06/01/20 17:43:23.600 INFO: Switched on BG96 in 2029ms
06/01/20 17:43:26.375 INFO: RX> "RDY"
06/01/20 17:43:26.693 INFO: TX> "ATI"
06/01/20 17:43:26.698 INFO: RX> "ATI"
06/01/20 17:43:26.702 INFO: RX> "Quectel"
06/01/20 17:43:26.707 INFO: RX> "BG96"
06/01/20 17:43:26.712 INFO: RX> "Revision: BG96MAR02A07M1G"
06/01/20 17:43:26.718 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:43:26.723 INFO: TX> "AT&F"
06/01/20 17:43:26.728 INFO: RX> "AT&F"
06/01/20 17:43:26.732 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:43:26.737 INFO: TX> "AT+GSN"
06/01/20 17:43:26.742 INFO: RX> "AT+GSN"
06/01/20 17:43:26.747 INFO: RX> "868446031448729"
06/01/20 17:43:26.753 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:43:26.763 INFO: TX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:26.769 INFO: RX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:26.773 INFO: RX> "ERROR"
06/01/20 17:43:27.069 INFO: TX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:27.074 INFO: RX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:27.078 INFO: RX> "ERROR"
06/01/20 17:43:27.374 INFO: TX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:27.379 INFO: RX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:43:27.383 INFO: RX> "ERROR"
06/01/20 17:43:27.668 ERROR: Exiting BG96 after failure timeout timer expired
06/01/20 17:43:27.745 INFO: Switching off BG96
06/01/20 17:43:29.058 INFO: Switched off BG96 in 1308ms

And the same experiment with a different manufacturer’s sim that works:

06/01/20 17:47:31.669 INFO: Switching on BG96
06/01/20 17:47:33.702 INFO: Switched on BG96 in 2028ms
06/01/20 17:47:36.502 INFO: RX> "RDY"
06/01/20 17:47:36.819 INFO: TX> "ATI"
06/01/20 17:47:36.824 INFO: RX> "ATI"
06/01/20 17:47:36.829 INFO: RX> "Quectel"
06/01/20 17:47:36.834 INFO: RX> "BG96"
06/01/20 17:47:36.839 INFO: RX> "Revision: BG96MAR02A07M1G"
06/01/20 17:47:36.845 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:47:36.850 INFO: TX> "AT&F"
06/01/20 17:47:36.855 INFO: RX> "AT&F"
06/01/20 17:47:36.859 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:47:36.864 INFO: TX> "AT+GSN"
06/01/20 17:47:36.869 INFO: RX> "AT+GSN"
06/01/20 17:47:36.874 INFO: RX> "868446031448729"
06/01/20 17:47:36.879 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:47:36.890 INFO: TX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:47:36.895 INFO: RX> "AT+CIMI"
06/01/20 17:47:36.900 INFO: RX> "901288002369837"
06/01/20 17:47:36.905 INFO: RX> "OK"
06/01/20 17:47:36.924 INFO: TX> "AT+QCCID"
06/01/20 17:47:36.929 INFO: RX> "AT+QCCID"
06/01/20 17:47:36.934 INFO: RX> "+QCCID: 89882390000068788093"
06/01/20 17:47:36.940 INFO: RX> "OK"
2

I managed to get a CME error code by sending this command: AT+CPIN?

Sometimes I get +CME ERROR: 10 other times I get +CME ERROR: 14

So either sim not inserted or sim busy. I’m not sure why this would be the case only for one brand of sim. Any ideas?

3

Try to reboot your device if you get a cme error 14!

4

Hi Pdaj_mm,

To check CATM and NB network status and SIM card status，Pls enter the below cmd， and feedback to us.

at+cereg?;+cgreg?;+cops?;+qcsq;+qnwinfo

AT+QMBNCFG=“DEACTIVATE”

AT+QMBNCFG=“autosel”,0

reboot module, then try these command again：

AT+CGDCONT?

AT+CGCONTRDP

AT+COPS?

AT+CIMI

AT+QCSQ

AT+QMBNCFG="LIST‘

AT+QCFG=“emmcause”

5

Problem solved. For some reason this sim takes longer to become available than any other sim I’ve tested with. I increased my timeouts and now it is communicating correctly.

Thanks for the responses!

6

OK ， congratulation，
It really need very long time to searching NB network first time