BG96 Network Searching

Scheme Introduction

LTE Module Series

Rev. BG96_Network_Searching_Scheme_Introduction_V1.0

Date: 2017-07-17

www.quectel.com
 LTE Module Series
BG96 Network Searching Scheme Introduction

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About the Document

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History

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Revision Date Author Description

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1.0 2017-07-17 Walker HAN Initial

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Contents

About the Document ................................................................................................................................... 3

Contents ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 5
1.1. Supported Network Systems and Frequency Bands ................................................................ 5
1.2. Cell Reselection/Handover/Redirection .................................................................................... 5

2 Network Searching Related AT Commands...................................................................................... 6

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2.1. AT+QCFG="nwscanseq" Configure Network Search Sequence ........................................... 6
2.2. AT+QCFG="nwscanmode" Configure Network System to be Searched ............................... 7

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2.3. AT+QCFG="iotopmode" Configure Network Category to be Searched under LTE Network
System ................................................................................................................................................. 7
2.4. AT+QCFG="band" Configure Preferred Bands to be Searched ............................................ 8

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3 Network Searching/Registration Procedure ................................................................................... 11

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1 Introduction
This document introduces the supported network systems and frequency bands of BG96 module, and
also describes its network searching scheme through illustrating related AT commands and network
searching/registration procedure.

1.1. Supported Network Systems and Frequency Bands

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Quectel BG96 module supports three network systems: LTE Cat.M1, LTE Cat.NB1 and EGPRS. The

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default network searching sequence is: LTE Cat.M1  LTE Cat.NB1  EGPRS.

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The following table lists the supported frequency bands of BG96.

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Table 1: Frequency Bands of BG96 Module

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Network System Frequency Band

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LTE-FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B8/B12/B13/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28
LTE Cat.M1
LTE-TDD: B39

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LTE Cat.NB1 LTE-FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B8/B12/B13/B18/B19/B20/B26/B28

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EGPRS GSM850, EGSM900, DCS1800, PCS1900

1.2. Cell Reselection/Handover/Redirection

 Under LTE Cat.M1 network

BG96 supports intra-frequency/inter-frequency cell reselection/handover/ redirection, and also supports

IRAT reselection/handover/redirection.

 Under LTE Cat.NB1 network

BG96 only supports intra-frequency/inter-frequency cell reselection/handover/redirection, but not IRAT

reselection/handover/redirection.

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2 Network Searching Related AT

Commands
In order to optimize network searching/registration time, related AT commands can be used to set the

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network search sequence, network system to be searched, network category to be searched under LTE
network system, and preferred frequency bands to be searched.

2.1. AT+QCFG="nwscanseq"

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Configure Network Search Sequence

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The command specifies the sequence of searching network. The configuration is valid immediately after
setting.

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AT+QCFG="nwscanseq" Configure Network Search Sequence
Write Command Response
AT+QCFG=“nwscanseq”[,<scanseq>] If <scanseq> is omitted, return the current configuration:

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+QCFG: “nwscanseq”,<scanseq>

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OK

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If <scanseq> is not omitted, configure the network search

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sequence:
OK
ERROR

If there is an error related to ME functionality:

+CME ERROR: <err>
Maximum Response Time 300ms

Parameter

<scanseq> Number format. Network search sequence.

(e.g.: 020301 stands for LTE Cat.M1  LTE Cat.NB1  GSM)
00 Automatic (LTE Cat.M1  LTE Cat.NB1  GSM)
01 GSM

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02 LTE Cat.M1
03 LTE Cat.NB1

2.2. AT+QCFG="nwscanmode" Configure Network System to be

Searched

The command specifies the network system to be searched. The configuration is valid immediately after

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setting.

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AT+QCFG="nwscanmode" Configure Network System to be Searched
Write Command Response
AT+QCFG=“nwscanmode”[,<scanmod

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If <scanmode> is omitted, return the current configuration:

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e>] +QCFG: “nwscanmode”,<scanmode>

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OK

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If <scanmode> is not omitted, configure the network system

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to be searched:
OK
ERROR

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If there is an error related to ME functionality:
+CME ERROR: <err>

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Maximum Response Time 300ms

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Parameter

<scanmode> Number format. Network system to be searched.

0 Automatically
1 GSM only
3 LTE only

2.3. AT+QCFG="iotopmode" Configure Network Category to be

Searched under LTE Network System

The command specifies the network category to be searched under LTE network system. The
configuration is valid immediately after setting.

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AT+QCFG="nwscanseq" Configure Network Category to be Searched under LTE

Network System
Write Command Response
AT+QCFG=“iotopmode”[,<mode>] If <mode> is omitted, return the current configuration:
+QCFG: “iotopmode”,<mode>

OK

If <mode> is not omitted, configure the network category to

be searched under LTE network system:

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OK
ERROR

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If there is an error related to ME functionality:

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+CME ERROR: <err>

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Maximum Response Time 300ms

Parameter

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<mode> Number format. Network category to be searched under LTE network system.
0 LTE Cat.M1
1 LTE Cat.NB1

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2 LTE Cat.M1 and LTE Cat.NB1

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2.4. AT+QCFG="band"

e l Configure Preferred Bands to be Searched

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The command specifies the preferred frequency bands to be searched of UE. The configuration is valid
immediately after setting.

AT+QCFG="band" Configure Preferred Bands to be Searched

Write Command
AT+QCFG=“band”[,<gsmbandval>,<ca
tm1bandval>,<catnb1bandval>]
Response
If all configuration parameters are omitted (that is, only
execute AT+QCFG=“band”), return current configuration:
+QCFG:
“band”,<gsmbandval>,<catm1bandval>,<catnb1bandva
l>

OK

If configuration parameters are all entered:

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OK
ERROR

If there is an error related to ME functionality :

+CME ERROR: <err>
Maximum Response Time 300ms

Parameter

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<gsmbandval> A hexadecimal value that specifies the GSM frequency band. If it is set to 0, it
means not to change GSM frequency band. (eg.: a=2(GSM1800)+ 8(GSM1900))

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00000000 No change
00000001 GSM 900MHz
00000002 GSM 1800MHz

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00000004 GSM 850MHz

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00000008 GSM 1900MHz
0000FFFF Any frequency band

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<catm1bandval> A hexadecimal value that specifies the LTE Cat.M1 frequency band. If it is set to 0
or 0x40000000, it means not to change the frequency band. (eg.: 0x15=0x1(LTE

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B1)+0x4(LTE B3)+0x10(LTE B5))
0x1 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND1) LTE B1
0x2 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND2) LTE B2
0x4 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND3) LTE B3

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0x8 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND4) LTE B4

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0x10 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND5) LTE B5

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0x80 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND8) LTE B8

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0x800(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND12) LTE B12
0x1000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND13) LTE B13

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0x20000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND18) LTE B18
0x40000(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND19) LTE B19
0x80000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND20) LTE B20
0x2000000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND26) LTE B26
0x8000000(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND28) LTE B28
0x4000000000(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND39) LTE B39
0x400A0E189F (CM_BAND_PREF_ANY) Any frequency band
<catnb1bandval> A hexadecimal value that specifies the LTE Cat.NB1 frequency band. If it is set to
0 or 0x40000000, it means not to change the frequency band.
0x1 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND1) LTE B1
0x2 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND2) LTE B2
0x4 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND3) LTE B3
0x8 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND4) LTE B4
0x10 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND5) LTE B5
0x80 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND8) LTE B8

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0x800(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND12) LTE B12

0x1000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND13) LTE B13
0x20000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND18) LTE B18
0x40000(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND19) LTE B19
0x80000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND20) LTE B20
0x2000000 (CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND26) LTE B26
0x8000000(CM_BAND_PREF_LTE_EUTRAN_BAND28) LTE B28
0xA0E189F (CM_BAND_PREF_ANY) Any frequency band

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3 Network Searching/Registration
Procedure
The network searching/registration procedure of BG96 is illustrated below:

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1. UE initialization

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Including (U)SIM card recognition and reading of NV related to network searching.

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2. Network mode selection

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Set the network search sequence and the network system to be searched according to network
searching related NV.

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3. PLMN selection

Including automatic and manual modes.

4. ARFCN scan

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LTE EARFCN/UARFCN scan includes system scan and band scan steps.
EGPRS ARFCN scan mainly refers to power scan.

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5. Acquisition

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Refers to cell recognition and downlink synchronization.

6. System information analyze

Refers to system information reading.

7. Cell selection

If the acquired band satisfies the signal strength requirement of UE, then go to the next step (cell
residence) directly. Otherwise continue band scan.

8. Cell camp

Starts cell camp after successful cell selection.

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9. Attach request/location update request

After cell camp, the UE will send the attach request/location update request.

10. Random access

UE performs uplink synchronization (random access) after sending attach request/location update
request.

11. RRC connection request

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12. Network sends attach accept/location update accept

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