Cannot register to Softbank and KDDI network with EC25JFA

Technical Subjects
1

We are trying to use EC25JFA modules with Softbank and KDDI. The module never wants to register into those networks, but the modules work with docomo.

ati
Quectel
EC25
Revision: EC25JFAR06A06M4G

AT+QGMR?
EC25JFAR06A06M4G_01.009.01.009

is what the firmware revision.

By searching network with AT commands, AT+COPS=? then we get:

+COPS: (1,“SoftBank”,“SoftBank”,“44020”,7),(1,“440 00”,“440 00”,“44000”,7),(1,“441 00”,“441 00”,“44100”,7),(1,“440 05”,“440 05”,“44005”,7),(3,“JP DOCOMO”,“DOCOMO”,“44010”,2),(3,“Rakuten”,“Rakuten”,“44011”,7),(3,“JP DOCOMO”,“DOCOMO”,“44010”,7),(3,“KDDI(au)”,“KDDI(au)”,“44051”,7),(1,“44054”,“44054”,“44054”,7),(3,“44050”,“44050”,“44050”,7),(3,“440 52”,“440 52”,“44052”,7),(0-4),(0-2)

As the network we are trying to use in this test was Softbank, sending a command AT+COPS=1,2,“44020” gave me an error

AT+COPS=1,2,“44020”
+CME ERROR: 30

This error from the AT command manual says: No network service.

Other people who posted in this thread seemed to get a firmware . Is there any solution for this?

2

Dear Shotaro_Umezawa,

Thank you for reaching out.

The firmware you are currently using EC25JFAR06A06M4G_01.009.01.009
is confirmed to work with docomo, but for SoftBank and KDDI the EC25-J requires a specific operator-compatible firmware and MBN configuration. If this is not aligned with the latest profile for SoftBank/KDDI, the module can see the network in AT+COPS=? but PLMN selection (AT+COPS=1,2,"44020") will fail with +CME ERROR: 30 (No network service), exactly as you are seeing.

To move forward, please do the following on one module with a SoftBank SIM inserted:

  1. Check basic network status
AT+CPIN?          // should be: +CPIN: READY  
AT+CSQ            // check signal quality  
AT+CREG? / AT+CEREG?  
AT+CEER           // extended error if registration fails
  1. Check available MBN profiles
AT+QMBNCFG="list"
  1. Manually select the SoftBank profile (if present)
AT+QMBNCFG="select","Commercial-SBM"  
AT+QCFG="ims",1,0  
AT+CFUN=1,1        // reboot the module

After reboot, let the module try automatic registration first:

AT+COPS=0  
AT+CREG?

If the module still cannot register on SoftBank/KDDI after selecting the correct MBN profile, then we would have to proceed with further analysis on the logs. I will guide you through the further process.

Kindly share the outcome with us.
Thank you.

Best regards,
Aghelan

3

Thank you for letting me know. We have two modules here. After contacting you here, one module suddenly started working. All we did was to leave the module power on, connected to PC with a valid softbank SIM card.
The other module though, does not work…

Here is what I see:

AT+CPIN?

+CPIN: READY

AT+CSQ

+CSQ: 0,99

AT+CREG?

+CREG: 0,2

AT+CEREG?

+CEREG: 0,2

AT+CEER

+CEER: 5,27

AT+QMBNCFG=“list”

+QMBNCFG: “List”,0,0,0,“ROW_Generic_3GPP”,0x05010824,202307171
+QMBNCFG: “List”,1,0,0,“Commercial-KDDI”,0x05010727,202203071
+QMBNCFG: “List”,2,1,1,“Commercial-SBM”,0x05011C22,201811091
+QMBNCFG: “List”,3,0,0,“Commercial-DCM_VoLTE”,0x05010D01,202211091

AT+QCFG=“ims”,1,0 showed

0

and AT+CFUN=1,1 causes reboots, and AT+COPS=0 returns 0, and AT+CREG? returns

+CREG: 0,2

and do nothing. Windows still says the module is out of service.

Thank you for your help in advance.

4

The IoT device I am working on has put some kind of strange configuraiton and I did not get correct answerback from the module.

Here is what I am seeing:

AT+QMBNCFG=“list”

+QMBNCFG: “List”,0,0,0,“ROW_Generic_3GPP”,0x05010824,202307171
+QMBNCFG: “List”,1,0,0,“Commercial-KDDI”,0x05010727,202203071
+QMBNCFG: “List”,2,1,1,“Commercial-SBM”,0x05011C22,201811091
+QMBNCFG: “List”,3,0,0,“Commercial-DCM_VoLTE”,0x05010D01,202211091
OK

AT+QMBNCFG=“select”,“Commercial-SBM”

OK

AT+QCFG=“ims”,1,0

ERROR

AT+CFUN=1,1

OK

Thank you

5

Dear Shotaro_Umezawa,

Thank you for the detailed update and test results.

I’ve sent you an email with further debugging steps based on your latest results.

Kindly check your inbox.

Best regards,
Aghelan