How to configure LTE Cat M1/NB-IoT Shield with Arduino Uno?

Wireless & IoT Cellular
1

Hello,

i would like to use the LTE Cat M1/NB-IoT Shield with Hologram SIM and Arduino Uno in Germany.

I used the standard-configuration of the Arduino-library “SparkFun_LTE_Shield_Arduino_Library > 00_Register_Operator.”

In the Serial monitor of the Arduino-IDE i can see that i can connect to the Shield but i can not connect to any mobile-network-Operator … i get the message:

“Did not find an operator. Double Check SIM and antenna, reset and try again or try another network”

I tried it at different places near of my University … but i never found an Operator. Ive got no external antenna.

Is it necessary to modify this Adjustment?

const mobile_network_operator_t MOBILE_NETWORK_OPERATOR = MNO_SW_DEFAULT;
const String MOBILE_NETWORK_STRINGS[] = {“Default”, “SIM_ICCD”, “AT&T”, “VERIZON”,
“TELSTRA”, “T-Mobile”, “CT”};

When i search for Operators with my Samsung mobile i find These ones: “Blau”, “Telekom.de” and “Vodafone.de”

Should i add These Operators to the list?

Would be happy About every help :slight_smile:

Regards from Germany

Raphael

2

Hi Raphael,

If you are using the Hologram SIM card with the LTE Shield, you should not need to add any operators to that list. Have you gone through the steps to activate your Hologram SIM card outlined [here? Also, have you gone through all the [Troubleshooting Steps from the Hookup Guide? Specifically the tests with the LTE Shield on the RedBoard/Uno? If not, please test those and let me know what results you get.](LTE Cat M1/NB-IoT Shield Hookup Guide - SparkFun Learn)](https://hologram.io/docs/guide/connect/connect-device/)

3

Hello,

thank you for answer.

I checked the Troubleshooting guide and the communikation between LTE-Shield and Arduino works fine. Thats not the Problem.

I get the following Messages in the Serial monitor when i use “00_Register_Operator”

LTE Shield connected
Setting mobile-network Operator
Set mobile Network Operator to Default
Setting APN
APN succesfully set

I think that I found the reason why my Shield can not find any Operator in Gemany (Karlsruhe):

The Sparkfun LTE Cat M1/NB-IoT Shield supplies ONLY Cat-M1 and NB-IOT

The Hologram SIM supplies ONLY Cat-M1 (and Maybe somewhere NB-IOT)

—> The Shield can only work with Cat-M1

-----> But in Germany there is nearly no Cat-M1 infrastructure … there are only some less test Areas

Regards from Germany

Raphael

4

Ah, good catch! That is too bad CAT-M1 is not available in most of Germany right now. Hopefully, it expands coverage soon but in the meantime, you might be able to use a SIM card from another provider with NB-IoT. It looks like T-Mobile offers a Narrowband IoT plan [here and possibly [Verizon as well although I am not sure if they are available in Germany.](LTE-M & NB-IoT: Powering M2M Solutions for IoT devices | Verizon)](Business IoT Solutions | T-Mobile for Business)