EM7565 lost band 42 support with latest FW

IoT Modules MC/EM Series
1

Hi,

We have an EM7565 module for about year, and we bought it specifically due to band 42 support. It worked on band 42 quite nicely, then I updated the FW to Revision: SWI9X50C_01.08.04.00 dbb5d0 jenkins 2018/08/21 21:40:11, and the modem never ever reregistered on our band 42 network.

After some reading, I found this in an attached document next to the firmware:

em7565_band42
em7565_band42.png797Ă—310 19.8 KB

The band setting in the modem is:

at!band?
Index, Name
00, All bands

I also tried setting it to 06, Europe, does not helped.

This modem is completely useless to us without band 42 support. We are in the EU and have a license to use band 42. So it would be nice if someone can enlighten us how to get the band 42 support back on this modem.

2

Hi,

This is a bit of (recent) history and circumstance.

The unit you got might have been an early prototype with old firmware, because it was it would have had everything enabled on it. In later revisions, when we started commercially shipping product, we had to restrict this band operation because FCC had not moved as fast as had been expected in terms of approving it.

So given the above the following applies.

  • FCC have now approved everything and it is enabled on all units currently being shipped.
  • For older units where it is not enabled there is a windows one click updater which updates the NV items in flash enabling the CBRS (42, 43 and 48) bands. You can get hold of this through your commercial channel (they will raise a ticket to us and we will send it to them, cannot post it on the forums).

Regards

Matt

3

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the info. I contacted the company where we got our modem, so now I am waiting for them.

None the less, I am not sure why this tool cannot be shared on your website, or via this forum?

4

I did some tests to regain the band 42 support, this is where I am now:

  1. First tried to restore the factory state:

AT!ENTERCND=“A710”
AT!IMAGE=0
AT!RESET

This was successful, but still the modem wont register with our network.

  1. Created my own band setup with only band 42 in it:

AT!BAND=10,“B42”,0,0000020000000000
AT!BAND=10
AT!RESET

The modem was registered successfully (01.00.02.00)

  1. Upgraded to 01.05.01.00, after upgrade again there is no band 42 support, creating my own band solved the issue again.

This is where I am now.

I noticed that from 01.05.01.00, I need to go to 01.07.02.00, before I can get to the latest one.

So this is a partial success. Will continue tonight.

@mlw by the way the company said they cannot send the tool you mentioned to me. In case I really need to use, I will need to send the modem back, which I find ridiculous.

MOD:

I continued on my journey, and upgraded to 01.07.02.00.
Of coarse, there was no band 42, but I noticed that AT!IMPREF? returns a “config name mismatch”:
preferred fw version: 01.07.02.00
preferred carrier name: GENERIC
preferred config name: GENERIC_002.004_001
current fw version: 01.07.02.00
current carrier name: GENERIC
current config name: GENERIC_001.028_000

 config name mismatch <--- !!!

In this case, the same firmware version needs to be flashed again, as this indicated some NVRAM compatibility issue.

I reflashed the firmware, and the “config name mismatch” error was gone.

Finally, I flashed the latest (01.08.04.00) firmware, which was a success (no reflash was needed), yet no band 42 support.

Now I set my band profile again (which was lost after the FW upgrades):

AT!BAND=10,"B42",0,0000020000000000
AT!BAND=10
AT!RESET

And after the reset, the modem is now registering on band 42 with the latest firmware.

I would highly recommend this page, as it contains many valuable info for the EM module type:
https://github.com/danielewood/sierra-wireless-modems

5

@dchard,

As I have said the early versions had not restrictions,the later ones require specific bits set in the flash as we had to make sure the bands could not be used to the FCC’s position at that time.

I have messaged you privately to find which company you bought it through as if it was an official channel I need to understand why they think they cannot send it to you (they would not even be aware of it if they did not ask).

Regards

Matt

6

Having just bought an em7565 module via Digikey, I too am now in need of the “one-click updater to enable CBRS”; clearly they must still have old stock if they are still selling the initial versions with this disabled. Please could you just make the CBRS-enable software available via your website, then everyone would be aware of the issue and could check easily, instead of having to run through the diagnosis and delays?

7

@pw01

I have messaged the file to you.

Regards

Matt

8

Thanks Matt, appreciate your prompt response, and have used it successfully. Cheers.

9

Hi Matt, I am running in to the same issue for Band 48. Could you message the file to me as well? Thanks much!

10

@chandler.heath

Updater sent

Regards

Matt

11

Thanks much. this was very helpful.

12

Hi

In UK, we use Band 42 and Band 43 for LTE

Can you please send me the patch as I seem to have the same issue where these bands are missing from the EM7565?

Thanks

13

@nitin.shah

Very surprised that this would have happened, might be that you have a really old unit and the update forced it to reset back to the state it was in when it left the factory. I will send you the one click updater to enable the bands separately.

Regards

Matt

14

I bought an older module off ebay for testing… and am in need of that update as well… regards

15

Hello Matt,

We have a bunch of EM7565 modems that were purchased a year ago from DigiKey for use on B48. I guess they are ONS since even with firmware upgrades they don’t recognize the CBRS bands. Is there a way to definitively determine if the modem is in this group?

Could you please share the updater tool with me? There isn’t a Linux tool by chance?

Thanks for your help.

Best Regards.
Allen

16

@allen.harris

Sent you a private message.

Regards

Matt

17

I’ve got exactly same issue: em7565 modem but no band48 present which is a bummer. Upgraded to the latest firmware but it didn’t help.

ati3
Manufacturer: Sierra Wireless, Incorporated
Model: EM7565
Revision: SWI9X50C_01.14.02.00 2e210b jenkins 2020/08/19 14:18:39
IMEI: <CUT>
IMEI SV: 12
FSN: <CUT>
+GCAP: +CGSM,+DS,+ES


OK
at!band=?
Index, Name,                        GW Band Mask     L Band Mask 1    L Band Mask 2    TDS Band Mask    L Band Mask 3    L Band Mask 4
00, All bands                     100600000EC00000 00002100BA0E19DF 0000000000000002 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
01, Europe 3G                     0002000000400000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
02, North America 3G              0000000004800000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
06, Europe                        0002000000400000 00000000000801C5 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
07, North America                 0000000004800000 000001000200185A 0000000000000002 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
08, WCDMA ALL                     100600000EC00000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000
09, LTE ALL                       0000000000000000 00002100BA0E19DF 0000000000000002 0000000000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000

                                                                    0000000000000002 - B66
                                                   0000200000000000 - B46
                                                   0000010000000000 - B41
                                                   0000000080000000 - B32
                                                   0000000020000000 - B30
                                                   0000000010000000 - B29
                                                   0000000008000000 - B28
                                                   0000000002000000 - B26
                                                   0000000000080000 - B20
                                                   0000000000040000 - B19
                                                   0000000000020000 - B18
                                                   0000000000001000 - B13
                                                   0000000000000800 - B12
                                                   0000000000000100 - B9
                                                   0000000000000080 - B8
                                                   0000000000000040 - B7
                                                   0000000000000010 - B5
                                                   0000000000000008 - B4
                                                   0000000000000004 - B3
                                                   0000000000000002 - B2
                                                   0000000000000001 - B1
                                  1000000000000000 - B19 (850)
                                  0004000000000000 - B9 (1700)
                                  0002000000000000 - B8  (900)
                                  0000000008000000 - B6  (800)
                                  0000000004000000 - B5  (850)
                                  0000000002000000 - B4 (1700)
                                  0000000000800000 - B2 (1900)
                                  0000000000400000 - B1 (2100)

OK

any help will be much appreciated, thanks!

18

Hi all, I need a copy of this updater as well, my 7565 goes from band 41 to band 66

19

@lb1 messaged you the updater to enable the CBRS bands.

Regards

Matt

21

I also have a version that has it locked and was purchased from a Chinese ebay vendor. Anyone who can point me to the update file to enable band 46 would be greatly appreciated.