Important update regarding LTE modem updates

[robert-hh]

@tuftec The RF activity I see is only once ~40 seconds after a hard reset, and consist of a burst of short transmissions in a time frame of 200ms. With a spectrum analyzer you might miss that.

[danielm]

I just want to confirm that I am able to connect to Slovak Telekom NB-IoT network with both FiPy and G01 running Pycom FW release 1.18.1.r1 and Sequans modem firmware version 37781. I did not try version 38729 yet.

[tuftec]

@xykon I have tried the latest firmware release now and I still can not see any RF activity in band 8 and can not get the unit to attach. Vodafone here in Australia have also confirmed that they can not see any attach activity on the network.

We all need a bit more assistance from Pycom and Sequans.

Peter.

[tuftec]

@robert-hh That at least sounds positive.
I will try the bug fixed version in the next few days.

[arneme]

@xykon OK, I will try again to reach her :-)

[robert-hh]

@xykon There is some difference in behavior to the previous version: it now shows RF activity. It still does not attach, but at least there is some communication.

[Xykon]

@robert-hh All I've been told is that it contains various bug fixes compared to the previous version. I haven't yet had any success with this firmware... I keep getting LWM2M/ audit >| lwm2m: error while getting IP addresses and I'm getting the same message in any firmware and both with Vodafone Netherlands and Amarisoft's NB-IoT software. I've prepared trace logs that I've sent to both Vodafone and Sequans for analysis.

[robert-hh]

@xykon said in Important update regarding LTE modem updates:

For everyone else, NB1 firmware 38729 is now available for download at https://software.pycom.io/downloads/sequans2.html with the same updater.elf file as all the other packages.

@Xykon Do you know what has been changed? And did you succeed in testing this version?

[Xykon]

@arneme As a network operator please email bettina(at)pycom.io as we can provide special hardware & software to allow access to the DCP port.

For everyone else, NB1 firmware 38729 is now available for download at https://software.pycom.io/downloads/sequans2.html with the same updater.elf file as all the other packages.

[arneme]

@arneme I can confirm that we have managed to connect the FiPy to our guard band NB-IoT Huawei eNodeB based RAN (Telenor Norway). We do however see some strange signalling behaviour when the FiPy tries to connect to the network. It would help if the documentation could be updated (so that we might be able to get the FiPy to behave correct) or if we could get someone in Pycom or Sequans to discuss this with. We are officially launching a country wide NB-IoT (and Cat M1) network in a few weeks so it would be great if we could get this sorted out asap.

[Jiemde]

@tuftec Here is the sequence I've used for connecting the Gpy to the Orange network in Belgium.```

from network import LTE
import pycom
import time

pycom.heartbeat(False)
​
lte = LTE()
lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=0')
# print("OK line 1")
lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="clearscanconfig"')
# print("OK line 2")
lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="addscanband band=20"')
# print("OK line 3")
lte.send_at_cmd('AT!="disablelog 1"')
# print("OK line 4")
lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","nbiot.iot"')
# print("OK line 5")
lte.send_at_cmd('AT+CFUN=1')
# print("OK line 6")

pycom.rgbled(0xff0000)
	
while not lte.isattached():
	print('Attaching…')
	time.sleep(0.25)

pycom.rgbled(0x0000ff)

lte.connect()

while not lte.isconnected():
	print('Connecting…')
	time.sleep(0.25)

print("lte is connected")

pycom.rgbled(0x008000)

# Print line are just there to verify if the AT command are executed or not

[danielm]

@peterv @robert-hh

This is Sequans modem version info using "showver" command:

FIRMWARE VERSION
Bootloader0 : 5.1.1.0 [33080]
Bootloader1* : 5.1.1.0 [38638]
Bootloader2 : 5.1.1.0 [38638]
NV Info : 1.1,0,0
Software : 6.0.0.0 [37781] by robot-soft at 2018-07-05 20:21:02
UE : 6.0.0.0
COMPONENTS
ZSP0 : 1.0.99-319
ZSP1 : 1.0.99-302

Today I will test the conenctivity again to be sure. NB-IoT network coverage is not nation-wide yet (should be until end of 2018) so I will travel to different city to try it. In the meantime I installed my development FiPy board into custom PCB and housing.

[peterv]

@tuftec I posted my command sequence for Orange Belgium in https://forum.pycom.io/topic/3476/orange-belgium-gpy/7

[tuftec]

@jiemde did you have to do anything special?
What band are you using? What is your connection command sequence?

[Jiemde]

Just successfully connect to NB-IoT network Orange in Belgium with a Gpy in about 14 secondes!
Now can continue to develop the application! :))

[danielm]

@peterv @robert-hh
Thanks, will try that tomorrow and verify current Sequans modem firmware version.

Any ideas how to achieve reasonable power consumption without eDRX and PSM?
I was thinking to put ESP32 to light sleep for 5-10s after sending AT+CFUN=1 and then check if the modem is attached and connected.

[robert-hh]

@danielm
AT+CLAC
returns a list of all supported AT commands,
AT!="help"
returns a list of all Sequans specific commands. These are quite a few, like 400. Since the help list is longer than the buffer, you can get sections of it with:

AT!="help startIdx=nn qty=nn" e.g.
AT!="help startIdx=1 qty = 20" for the first 20 commands.
AT!="help help" shows how to use help

Interesting is the commands which returns the internal file tree, which is structured like a linux file tree. So maybe the device runs an embedded linux.

[peterv]

@danielm AT!="showver"

[danielm]

Pycom FW release on my FiPy is 1.18.1.r1. I used built-in script to upgrade Sequans modem via UART to NB1 firmware version 37781.

>>> node.lte.send_at_cmd("AT+CGMR")
'\r\nUE6.0.0.0\r\n\r\nOK\r\n'

Is there any command for more detailed version information?

[robert-hh]

@danielm Thanks. But, as @tuftec said above, at least the zsp0::npc command does not exist in the new firmware. I could try with the old firmware, which is now available again.