Getting started with nrf9160 and hologram

[Seth_K]

I’m trying to get started using an nrf9160 with the hologram sim, and I’m unable to get it connected to the network.

Hardware: nrf9160-DK
Sim is installed correctly and outputs it’s ICCID on the LTE Link Monitor correctly.

I’ve tried setting the APN using the AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","hologram" command. However, I’m just not getting it to be active on the hologram dashboard, nor does the LTE status light change from red.

Any thoughts on what step I’m missing?

[atok]

Don’t know how familiar you are with AT commands, or what you’ve already tried, so sorry in advance if you’ve already run through my suggestions below:

For starters, what do you get with “AT+CEREG?”

Is the RF enabled? What do you get with “AT+CFUN?”

Is the antenna ok? What do you get with “AT+CSQ”. Note no “?” on this one.

Longshot, but could the chip be set for manual register? What do you get when you enter “AT+COPS?”

Also maybe check who is around to connect to and their status, what do you get when you enter “AT+COPS=?”. You’ll have to wait a minute or so to get the reply back from this one.

[Seth_K]

I’m somewhat familiar with AT commands, but I definitely appreciate double checking the basics. Thanks for the help.

AT+CEREG? responds with +CEREG: 5,0
AT+CEREG=? responds with +CEREG: (0,1,2) (this might be the source of the problem)
AT+CFUN is set to 1
AT+CSQ responds with +CSQ: 99,99
AT+COPS=? does search and shows the following:

Worth noting: This 9160-DK was one I had used on a prior project with an iBasis SIM card. I tried putting the iBasis SIM back in, and it lights up the LTE. So I think the antenna should be fine. (It’s the chip antenna that’s part of the DK.)

[Seth_K]

Sorry, forgot to do many of those before adding the APN. (Though I keep hearing mixed messages of “it should just detect it” and “always add ‘hologram’ to the APN”.)

Here’s the output

AT+CGDCONT?
OK
AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","hologram"
OK
AT+CGDCONT?
+CGDCONT: 1,"IP","hologram","",0,0
OK
AT+COPS=?
+COPS: (3,"","","311490",7),(1,"","","310410",7),(1,"","","310260",7),(3,"","","313100",7),(1,"","","311480",7)
OK
AT+COPS?
+COPS: 0
OK
AT+CEREG?
+CEREG: 5,4
OK
AT+CEREG=?
+CEREG: (0,1,2)
OK
AT+CGDCONT?
+CGDCONT: 1,"IP","hologram","",0,0
OK

[Seth_K]

Turns out, I guess I just needed to wait the 24 hours. It decided to come to life on it’s own about 24 hours after I started at it.

[atok]

That’s funny, ok, was just getting ready to suggest trying to manually register it with the COPS command as all looked and sounded like it should register.