Query Regarding ql_nw_get_cell_info() Response Time

IoT Modules LTE Standard Module
1

Dear Quectel Support Team,

I am currently working on the EC200 platform and using the ql_nw_get_cell_info() API to retrieve cell information.

We are observing that the API takes approximately 3 seconds to return the cell data. This delay is impacting our application performance, and we would like to understand whether this response time is expected behavior.

Could you please clarify:

  1. Is ~3 seconds a normal response time for this API?
  2. Are there any configuration changes or optimization methods to reduce the response time?

Thank you.

2

Dear Roopa,

Thank you for your question.

Based on the current behavior and the underlying implementation (equivalent to the AT+QCELLINFO functionality), a response time of around ~3 seconds when calling ql_nw_get_cell_info() is considered normal when operating in Synchronous Mode.

  1. Expected Response Time
    In Synchronous mode (Mode 0), the module performs an on-demand scan of the serving and neighboring cells before returning the result.
    This process may take a few seconds to complete. Therefore, the ~3 seconds response time you observed is expected behavior.

  2. Methods to Optimize Response Time
    If this delay impacts your application performance, you may consider changing the operating mode of the cell information feature.

Option 1: Timer Mode (Recommended)
Configure the module to Timer Mode (Mode 1).

In this mode, the module periodically refreshes cell information in the background.
When your application calls the API, the module returns cached data immediately, avoiding the scanning delay.

The refresh intervals can be configured using:
– Serving cell refresh interval
– Neighbor cell refresh interval
The default refresh interval is 5 seconds.

Option 2: Asynchronous Mode

Alternatively, you can use Asynchronous Mode (Mode 2).
The API call returns OK immediately.
The actual cell information will be reported later through a URC (Unsolicited Result Code) once the module finishes processing.

  1. Recommendation
    For applications that require fast response and minimal blocking, we recommend using Timer Mode (Mode 1) so that the API retrieves cell information from the background cache instead of performing a real-time scan.
    Please ensure the corresponding configuration (equivalent to AT+QCELLINFO=) is set to the desired mode before querying the cell information.