Quectel BG95 BG96 BG77 APN settings

The article is intended to provide some best practices for setting and keeping the APN setting.

This documentation applies to the following products:

• OmniSIM

• Quectel BG95 BG96 BG77

For all other products, please review their respective documentation

An APN (Access Point Name) is the configurable part of the FQDN, representing the end-point address of the 2/3G or 4G tunnel on mobile networks.

The APN needs to be configured in a device to be able to create a data session.

Advised settings

The following settings are advised for use with KORE OmniSIM:

Ensures keeping the populated APN.

AT+QMBNCFG="AutoSel",0

Set the OmniSIM APN as context #1.

AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","data.apn.name"

Read the sections below to understand the above-advised settings.

Background

APNs are sent to the local operator in the Insert Subscriber Date (2/3G) or Update Location Answer (4G). To ensure that the User Equipment can only access the service as defined in the user profile in the HLR/HSS.

An APN is populated according to the following structure:

• APN Network identifier; to access a service on a GGSN/PGW Example: Internet access via Radius for KORE = data.apn.name. KORE APN has to be configured in the device.

• APN Operator identifier; to define the PLMN. This is added in the local MNO SGSN/SGW Example: KORE: MCC=204 MNC=030

Which together looks like this:

data.apn.name.mnc030.mcc204.gprs

As KORE acts as an MVNO, international roaming is organized using roaming sponsor operators. Currently, KORE deploys six or more sponsor operators, e.g. Vodafone NL (mnc=004, mcc-204).

While roaming, the FQDN looks like this:

data.apn.name.mnc004.mcc204.gprs

Vodafone ensures that the data.apn.name is properly routed to the KORE GGSN/PGW.

Many devices have means to populate the APN for the user, avoiding hassle and errors. These features are always built upon the prefix of the IMSI used by the SIM.

So, for example, if a SIM from Vodafone NL is used, the ISMI prefix is 204 004, which maps in the list of the device into:

• APN=live.vodafone.com

• Username=vodafone

• Password=vodafone

This setting will overwrite any earlier populated APN unless otherwise specified.

The Modem Configuration Binaries (MBNs) feature is used to configure in the UE and make it comply with operator requirements.

Check and configure MBN

The section includes the following:

• Check the list of MBNs

• Autoselect feature

• Check and configure the APN

• Set the APN

• Advised settings

The following shows how to read the file list and use the AutoSelect function of MBN.

Check the list of MBNs

Check using the following AT command.

AT+QMBNCFG="List"

The module will return the list of MBNs. An example would be:

Note: The content of the list depends on the device and market.

AT+QMBNCFG="List"
+QMBNCFG: "list",0,1,1,"ROW_Commercial",0x09010801,201911271
+QMBNCFG: "list",1,0,0,"Commercial-Vodafone",0x09011202,202008051
+QMBNCFG: "list",2,0,0,"Commercial-Telefonica",0x09011902,202106221
+QMBNCFG: "list",3,0,0,"Commercial-Rogers",0x09011701,202101271
+QMBNCFG: "list",4,0,0,"Commercial-DT",0x09011102,202007021
+QMBNCFG: "list",5,0,0,"Commercial-TMO",0x09010502,202105061
+QMBNCFG: "list",6,0,0,"Non_VoLTE-ATT",0x09010300,201910241
+QMBNCFG: "list",7,0,0,"IMSless-Verizon",0x09010100,201911071

Autoselect feature

Check using the following AT command.

AT+QMBNCFG="AutoSel"

The module will reply with one of the following modes:

0. Disable
1. Enable

Set the Autoselect feature using the following.

AT+QMBNCFG="AutoSel",1

Check and configure the APN

Check the list of APNs by using the following AT command:

AT+CGDCONT?

The module will return the list of APNs. An example would be:

+CGDCONT: 1,"IP","live.vodafone.com","0.0.0.0",0,0,0
+CGDCONT: 1,"IP","ims","0.0.0.0",0,0,0

Set the APN

Set the APN using the following command:

AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","data.apn.name"

Alternatively, the APN can also be set using (BG95, BG77)

AT+QICSGP=1,"IP","data.apn.name"

The command will give you the option to add a username/password.