How to get your nuSIM dev-kit online?

afzal_m

If you’re one of the lucky ones who received a nuSIM dev-kit from my colleagues Mona Parsa and Stefan Kaliner, you’re at the right place to find out how to get this super cool dev-kit online without a plastic simcard!

STEP 1: GET YOUR STARTERKIT PROJECT
Before using the dev-kit, you’ll need a starterkit project environment.

Sign-up for it by using this link.
When you’re asked about where to send the simcard select the checkbox of I already have simcards

STEP 2: GET YOUR DEV-KIT ONLINE

Go to your project
Register the IMEI of your device
Attach to the network by using cdp.iot.t-mobile.nl as APN and 172.27.131.100 as gateway for a ping test or to send your uplink messages
Your uplink payload should appear in the ‘device management’ tab of your project page
If you do not know how to attach to the network, check out the AT-commands below

AT-COMMANDS TO ATTACH TO THE NETWORK

Switch-off the radio module

AT+CFUN=1

Configure basic connectivity parameters

AT+NCONFIG="AUTOCONNECT","TRUE" (this doesn't work)
AT+NCONFIG="CR_0354_0338_SCRAMBLING","TRUE"
AT+NCONFIG="CR_0859_SI_AVOID","TRUE"

Set the APN

AT+CGDCONT=0,"IP","cdp.iot.t-mobile.nl"

Set the band

AT+NBAND=8,20

Select the Operator

AT+COPS=1,2,"26201"

Telekom Germany = 26201
T-Mobile Netherlands = 20416
T-Mobile Poland = 26002
Or use the PLMN ID of any other operator within our NB-IoT roaming footprint

Reboot to save the settings

AT+NRB

After restart (OK)
Turn on some informative feedback to see the connection process
and reinitialize

AT+CMEE=1;+CSCON=1;+CEREG=5
AT+COPS=1,2,"26201"

After not more than 30 seconds, your device should be attached to the network.
Now you can proceed with registering the IMEI number of the module in your starterkit-project and send your Hello World uplink message!

To follow the AT-commands below, it is important that you register the IMEI as UDP.

AT-COMMANDS TO SEND YOUR UPLINK

Open local UDP-socket

AT+NSOCR="DGRAM",17,7000,1

Send your uplink-message (2x)

AT+NSOST=0,"172.27.131.100",15683,11,"48656c6c6f20576f726c64"

Make sure to send it twice, in order to see your message in your starterkit project.

That’s it!

Feel free to reach out in case of any questions!

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m very exciting topic:) I haven’t got nusim devkit, but I’m very interested in the topic. Would it work on some specific modules, if yes on which ones? And when would we expect availability?
Thanks!

afzal_m

@Sergey-Vladimirov thx for your enthusiasm!

For now only Quectel and Telit are “nuSIM - ready”. But soon more module vendors will be ready as well.

Check out: https://iotcreators.com/en/nusim/

PS. you also sent an e-mail with another question and we’re trying to get back to you but it looks like your inbox is not accepting new messages

rogierlodewijks

Hi Afzal,

Following your guide to get my T-Mobile nuSIM kit online, but run into some issues with the AT+CGDCONT and AT+COPS commands. Also I noticed standard commands like ATE1 and ATI don’t seems to work, but that might be a ‘feature’ of the custom nuSIM firmware(?).

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

Here’s a log of my terminal:

AT+NRB
REBOOTING

Boot: Signed
Security B.. Verified
Protocol A.. Verified
Apps A...... Verified

REBOOT_CAUSE_APPLICATION_AT
Neul
OK
AT+CFUN=0
OK
AT+NCONFIG="AUTOCONNECT","TRUE"
OK
AT+NCONFIG="CR_0354_0338_SCRAMBLING","TRUE"
OK
AT+NCONFIG="CR_0859_SI_AVOID","TRUE"
OK
AT+CGDCONT=0,"IP","cdp.iot.t-mobile.nl"
ERROR
AT+NBAND=8,20
OK
AT+COPS=1,2,"20416"
ERROR
AT+CFUN=1
OK

afzal_m

@rogierlodewijks thanks for the heads up

I will come back with the correct commands tomorrow

rogierlodewijks

Any news yet? No pressure, but I’m very curious

afzal_m

Not yet, sorry.

Super frustrating… I know that we just need to do some minor changes in both AT commands. But I can’t remember what exactly.

Hence, I want to try it out myself again. However, I have problems connecting the devkit to my computer. Will try a macbook now…

Will get back to you tomorrow again.

afzal_m

No luck so far, today I will handover my devkit to our devkit-master @Eric-Barten. I am very sure that he well find the solution.

rogierlodewijks

@afzal_m said in How to get your nuSIM dev-kit online?:

I will handover my devkit to our devkit-master

Go Eric go!

Eric Barten

@rogierlodewijks and @afzal_m
Thanks for the honors and the devkit.
First of all; indeed you cannot turn on the echo using the standardised commands also I have found no alternative.
So sharing logs is more difficult.

I think the example above has a small error in the order of things.
Due to AT+CFUN=0 (which is switch off phone functionality)
You cannot issue at+cops and at+cgdcont commands

So the correct order is;
AT+CMEE=1;+CSCON=1;+CEREG=5 (turn on some informative feedback)
AT+CFUN=1
AT+COPS=1,2,“20416”
AT+CGDCONT=1,“IP”,“cdp.iot.t-mobile.nl”

See if we are searching for a network
AT+COPS? (If answer is 2 we are still searching)
AT+CSQ (if first number is unequal to 99 we have a radiosignal)

And then wait for:
+CSCON:1 (RRC Connected)
+CEREG:5,5,###### (Registered roaming)

(I have updated the example above)

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m thanks for the nuSIM devKit!
Unfortunately having a trouble to connect to it. PC recognises 4 serial ports Channels A-D. But none of them react on AT commands. I used BC95-G-TE-B-KIT manual to connect, but no luck. Is there something specific about this board?

Cheers!

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m nevermind, unlike on all other Quectel EVBs the baudrate is 9600 for this KIT.

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m for those who are struggling with the last part

These two commands

AT+NSOCR="DGRAM",17,7000,1
AT+NSOST=0,"172.27.131.100",15683,11,"48656c6c6f20576f726c64"

Should be used without double quotes:

AT+NSOCR=DGRAM,17,7000,1
AT+NSOST=0,172.27.131.100,15683,11,"48656c6c6f20576f726c64"

and voila it works like magic

Sergey Vladimirov

AT+NSOCR=DGRAM,17,7000,1
AT+NSOST=0,172.27.131.100,15683,11,48656c6c6f20576f726c64

afzal_m

Ah sorry! I had this problem as well the last Monday but I forgot to change the post. Will change it now.

Thanks a lot @Sergey-Vladimirov!!

So please tell me, how does it feel to connect a device to a mobile network without a physical sim-card?

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m its pretty amazing i have to say, you have no idea how many sims i have soldered in the last 6 years
now just hope you spread it onto the whole line of modules

rogierlodewijks

Hi Guys,

Just chiming in to say my kit is working as well. Pretty cool stuff, thanks for helping out!
Will move on writing an integration with our back-end service and build something

I Have a lot of questions on the BC95 module (specifically this nuSIM version) so expect to be bothered with those on some other forum thread…

Cheers!

rogierlodewijks

One more question that, I think fits into this thread (as it helps to get started using this module/kit):

So we can send uplinks using UDP via the T-Mobile CDP. Is this the only way to communicate using the BC-95 (nuSIM) module? What about non-ip or coap? (I already read that UDP comms is only possible via the CDP, not directly to any server.)

Downlink payloads are supported, and need to be scheduled on the CDP via the API.

What about “bulk transfers” (i.e. few kiB’s upto ~100kiB up or down), is this in any way possible using this tech? If yes, does the CDP support this?

afzal_m

@Sergey-Vladimirov said in How to get your nuSIM dev-kit online?:

now just hope you spread it onto the whole line of modules

Yeah! Telit is coming soon with their nuSIM module. Others are working on it as well. But it will also help if you also push your module supplier a little bit.

afzal_m

@rogierlodewijks

For non-ip we have to change some settings on your sim profile and CoAP is already possible. However, you’ll need to use the Neul Messaging flavour of CoAP which is supported by both our network and your Quectel BC-95.

And yes, our Service Capability Server (or CDP) also supports buffering capabilities for bulk transfers.

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m trust me Ive been pushing for it since I discovered that simcom had it last year but our choice of supplier for modules goes to Quectel so far.

afzal_m

@Sergey-Vladimirov said in How to get your nuSIM dev-kit online?:

@afzal_m trust me Ive been pushing for it since I discovered that simcom had it last year but our choice of supplier for modules goes to Quectel so far.

Then I have some great news. Currently you’re testing with a BC-95… but the BG-95 also supports nuSIM as of now.

Sergey Vladimirov

@afzal_m Sounds good, how about BG600? - it has a similar FW to BG95/96