[Ovmsdev] 3G / 2G fallback on SIM5360 Europe?

Chris van der Meijden chris at arachnon.de
Wed Aug 5 00:21:51 HKT 2020


Still digging on the subject ...
Today I took my original Fasttech OVMS v2 antenna out of my Nissan Leaf
and connected it to the OVMS v3 in our VW e-Up. And surprise, surprise
I got direct connection over the SIM to the network.
The VW antenna gives me -101 dBm, the Fasttech antenna gives me -91
dBm.
So I took a look at the frequencies ...
The old fasttech antenna has a frequency range of 824-960 / 1710-1990.

o2 (my SIM card provider) uses GSM 900 and GSM+LTE 1800 for 2g (4g LTE
cannot be used on the SIM5360) and uses UMTS 2100 for 3g.
Now I have two theories on what make things go wrong with the VW
antenna, but work with the fasttech antenna:
1. My home made sma / fakra adapter cable to the VW antenna is bad
(could be, but in the city it connects)
2. Because 3g on 2100 mHz is not available through the fasttech
antenna, OVMS v3 is forced to 2g and everything runs fine.
Any corrections on the second theory are welcome. I'm guessing ...
I will buy an other sma 2g/3g antenna just to get rid of the problem,
but will also continue thinking on this one.
Greetinx
Chris


Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 12:31 +0200 schrieb Chris van der Meijden:
> Hi Michael
> 
> yeah, economical visionaries are always a lot of fun :-))
> 
> I read that "GSM voices services" line too and checked on that with
> my mobile phone. I restricted the connection of the phone with
> *#*#4636#*#* to "GSM auto (PRL)" and it connects to EDGE. So data
> over GSM is available ...
> 
> Still mysterious. Will dig some more ...
> 
> Greetinx
> 
> Chris
>  
> 
> Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 12:21 +0200 schrieb Michael Balzer:
> >     Chris,
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     we don't tell the modem to restrict itself in any way. Bugs in
> > the
> >     modem firmware are likely, but I think a serious bug like this
> > would
> >     have been solved early.
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     I've read the pilot description now, and you need to pay
> > attention
> >     to this section:
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     
> > > statt der üblichen drei Dienste LTE, UMTS
> > >       und GSM kommen in Kirchfarrnbach "nur" LTE 800 und LTE 900
> > > für die
> > >       Datenversorgung sowie GSM für Sprachdienste und SMS zum
> > > Einsatz.
> > >       Auf UMTS haben die Funknetzplaner hier verzichtet, weil
> > > bereits
> > >       LTE und GSM alle Anforderungen der Bevölkerung erfüllen.
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     …translated…
> > 
> >     
> > > Instead of the usual three services LTE,
> > >       UMTS and GSM, "only" LTE 800 and LTE 900 are used in
> > >       Kirchfarrnbach for data supply as well as GSM for voice
> > > services
> > >       and SMS. The radio network planners have dispensed with
> > > UMTS here
> > >       because LTE and GSM already meet all the requirements of
> > > the
> > >       population.
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     So you have neither UMTS nor EDGE. GSM is only available for
> > voice
> >     streams and SMS. Data is only available via LTE.
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     Your only option is to tell them they're a bunch of …
> > outstanding
> >     economical visionaries, who could possibly consider rethinking
> > their
> >     IoT compatibility ;-)
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     Regards,
> > 
> >     Michael
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     Am 03.08.20 um 11:33 schrieb Chris van
> >       der Meijden:
> > 
> >     
> > 
> >     
> > >       
> > >       I did some more reading on the SIM5360 and also digged a
> > > bit
> > >         through the simcom source. Found loads of AT-commands
> > > there :-)
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       I could not find an AT command to restrict the selection to
> > >         2g. Perhaps I did not look deep enough, but if someone
> > > knows the
> > >         command ...
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       I'm still thinking why the automatic fallback to 2g does
> > > not
> > >         happen. 
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       - The transmitter offers only 2g (GSM 900 mHz) and LTE (800
> > >         or 1800). No 3g.
> > >       - I have a signal strength of -110 to -100 dBm
> > >       - AT+COPS? gives me an empty response.
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       Could it be possible, that somewhere in the code something
> > >         like
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       - I don't have 3g
> > >       - I do have LTE
> > >       - Lets try LTE
> > >       - I see LTE
> > >       - I have no hardware for LTE
> > >       - OK, don't do anything
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       happens? So somehow fallback to 2g never happens?
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       Just guessing around ...
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       Regards
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       Chris
> > >        
> > >       
> > > 
> > >       
> > >       Am Montag, den 03.08.2020, 10:10 +0800 schrieb Mark
> > >         Webb-Johnson:
> > >       
> > > > The SIM5360E should auto-switch between 2G
> > > >         and 3G. It supports the following frequency bands:
> > > >         
> > > > 
> > > >         
> > > >         
> > > >           GSM/GPRS/EDGE
> > > >               850/900/1800/1900MHz;
> > > >           UMTS/HSPA+
> > > >               900/2100MHz
> > > >         
> > > >         
> > > > 
> > > >         
> > > >         There are SIMCOM options/commands to restrict the
> > > >           selection, but the default is automatic.
> > > >         
> > > > 
> > > >           Regards, Mark
> > > >           
> > > > 
> > > >             
> > > > >               On 2 Aug 2020, at 6:40 PM, Chris van der
> > > > >                 Meijden <chris at arachnon.de>
> > > > >                 wrote:
> > > > >               
> > > > >               
> > > > >                 
> > > > >                 
> > > > >                   Hey Michael
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   Thanx for the help :-)
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   The AT commands are working now, but as
> > > > >                     expected no connection at all. So also no
> > > > > fallback
> > > > >                     to 2g. Or no GPRS offered on 2g ...
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   Here some (German) information on the
> > > > >                     "site lite" transmitters:
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   https://www.telekom.com/de/blog/netz/artike
> > > > > l/standort-light-pilotprojekt-552152
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   I also did not find any AT command for
> > > > >                     the SIM5360 to force 2g. I will play a
> > > > > bit around
> > > > >                     with the modem in the next days. Will
> > > > > also try
> > > > >                     congstar, I do have a congstar SIM laying
> > > > > around
> > > > >                     here ...
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   Greetinx
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   Chris
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   
> > > > > 
> > > > >                   
> > > > >                   Am Sonntag, den 02.08.2020, 10:59 +0200
> > > > >                     schrieb Michael Balzer:
> > > > >                   
> > > > > >  Chris,
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     how to send modem commands and read the
> > > > > > responses:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     OVMS# log level debug simcom
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Logging level for simcom set to
> > > > > >                       debug
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     OVMS# simcom cmd AT+COPS?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     SIMCOM command has been sent.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164488782) simcom: tx mcmd ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=10  : AT+COPS?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164488792) simcom: rx line ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=23  : +COPS: 0,0,"congstar",2
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164488802) simcom: rx line ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=2   : OK
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Now let's see if we have 3G:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     OVMS# simcom cmd AT+CPSI?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     SIMCOM command has been sent.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164693462) simcom: tx mcmd ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=10  : AT+CPSI?
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164693482) simcom: rx line ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=85  : +CPSI:
> > > > > >                       WCDMA,Online,262-
> > > > > > 01,0x16C3,7824927,WCDMA IMT
> > > > > >                       2000,454,10836,0,7.5,104,18,8,500
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     D (164693482) simcom: rx line ch=4
> > > > > >                       len=2   : OK
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Yes. Well, no surprise, Telekom network
> > > > > > :-).
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     The SIM5360 is supposed to
> > > > > > automatically fall back
> > > > > >                     to 2G if 3G isn't available. On a quick
> > > > > > browse
> > > > > >                     through the manual, I didn't find a
> > > > > > command to force
> > > > > >                     2G, just one to lock to a specific 2G
> > > > > > cell… you
> > > > > >                     could do that depending on your
> > > > > > location, but maybe
> > > > > >                     you should first inspect your modem
> > > > > > status now.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Regards,
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Michael
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     Am 02.08.20 um 09:39
> > > > > >                       schrieb Chris van der Meijden:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > >                     
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Hi all
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       I'm trying to understand some
> > > > > > >                         principals of the SIM connection
> > > > > > > methods of
> > > > > > >                         OVMS.
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Reason is that I recently moved
> > > > > > > from
> > > > > > >                         "the big city" Munich to the very
> > > > > > > much rural
> > > > > > >                         village Thalham. In Thalham we
> > > > > > > have so called
> > > > > > >                         "lite" mobile transmitters. These
> > > > > > > transmitters
> > > > > > >                         are installed, as far as I
> > > > > > > understood, to safe
> > > > > > >                         money and to prepare the
> > > > > > > transition of the
> > > > > > >                         providers to 4g / 5g. They are
> > > > > > > forcing the
> > > > > > >                         frequencies towards the 4g band
> > > > > > > with those.
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       So these transmitters seem to offer
> > > > > > >                         only 2g and 4g, but no more 3g
> > > > > > > (really ???).
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       I don't have any network connection
> > > > > > >                         with the SIM in my OVMS here in
> > > > > > > Thalham. In the
> > > > > > >                         next village Zolling I have
> > > > > > > connection. In
> > > > > > >                         Zolling they don't have the
> > > > > > > "lite" transmitters,
> > > > > > >                         but still have full 3g support.
> > > > > > > The antenna of
> > > > > > >                         my OVMS is working well (-100 dBm
> > > > > > > to -70 dBm).
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Now my questions ...
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Does OVMS have a fallback on
> > > > > > > SIM5360
> > > > > > >                         Europe to 2g (EDGE) if 3g is not
> > > > > > > available?
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       I also did some reading in the
> > > > > > > modem
> > > > > > >                         documentation and tried to send
> > > > > > > some AT
> > > > > > >                         commands. Goal is to try to force
> > > > > > > the SIM into
> > > > > > >                         2g mode. I tried i.e.
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       simcom muxtx 2 AT+COPS?
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       to get some information from the
> > > > > > >                         SIM, but I don't get an answer on
> > > > > > > that command
> > > > > > >                         at all. No matter what channel I
> > > > > > > try. Am I
> > > > > > >                         missing something there?
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Thanx for input.
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Regards
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > >                       Chris
> > > > > > >                       
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > >                       
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