MC7354 SMS working using AT but not MBN

Hi,
I have system in which I have included a Sierra MC7354 module in order to use the SMS (Firmware SWI9X15C_05.05.58.00 Driver 6.12.4277.0005). In order to communicate with the modem, we are using the MBN (Standard from Microsoft, the other option is AT commands).

We have tested this in Canada with SIMs from Bell and Telus (two providers in Canada) and it worked perfectly.
Now, we have sold a system to South Africa and it doesn’t work. They are using a SIM from VodaCom. Although, we are able to send an SMS through AT commands (not MBN) through the COM port in command lines.
So we know that the modem and the SIM are able to send SMS, but when I check with the commands: netsh mbn show SMSConfig interface=“Mobile broadband”, I get: “Does not support SMS”
We have asked the customer to test the SIM card on a cellphone to double check, since it says that it is not supported, and they said that it worked.

I have read on this Forum some people talking about the firmware version 6, but all that I can find on the web site ‘http://source.sierrawireless.com/resources/airprime/software/airprime-mc73xx-fw-package-build-4399/’ is a version 5.

Why would it work for in Canada but not in South Africa or in Mexico, using MBN commands? (In Canada, both AT and MBN works)
Why would it work using At commands, but not MBN?
Would it really help to update to version 6 of the firmware and if so, where can I find this version?

I really need help, the customer is getting impatient.
Thank you

Frederic Rodrigue

Frederic,

Can you tell me why you are looking to use MBIM? The best option with the MC7354 is to use the QMI interface which is software based (rather than parsing AT commands) in the same way that MBIM is intended to be but is far more widely used. MBIM is really only intended for use by the PC OEM guys and you will not be able to get any support from Sierra generically for this. From what I understand it is difficult to work with.

With regards working with QMI on windows, most of the firmware that you need is already installed in the form of drivers and process to pack/unpack the QMI protocol (dll library) when you install skylight. All you then need is the documentation to be able to use the API’s which you will need to ask your commercial channel for as it is not publicly available (there are not many Sierra customers using Windows other than PC OEM’s).

Re the point about firmware on the M73 series, it is not going to make much difference.

  • 4.x - Voice and data using an old Qualcomm baseline (not available any more), firmware for MC7304 only.
  • 5.x - Data only, used on pretty much all of the MC73 series
  • 6.x - Voice and data, only for use on the MC7304

There is only voice on the EU/Asia variants as implementing it on the US version would mean significant additional certification and testing requirements for which there is just no call.

Regards

Matt

Hi,

Thank you very much for the reply and the information. I was not the one who made the choice of communication language, but I know that the intention was to use a standard. I guess as you mentioned it was not the good one, bummer.

My problem is partially fixed. We have bought some MC7304 and shipped them to the customer and it works. So this one is done.
In the meantime, I had an other customer from Mexico this time that have the same type of problem, except that the AT commands doesn’t work, so it is not identical exactly. I am not as confident that the MC7304 will work in Mexico.

Would changing the communication to QMI really make a difference? This is the part where cannot know (internally how it works) but I always though that no matter what communication we choose, in the end it goes through the same process underneath.
Once I know that it was working with Microsoft standard, I would really hope to get a certity that changing it all to QMI would make it work better.

Bear in mind that the Skylight software cannot sens SMS either and that any queries like ‘netsh mbn show SMSconfig interface="name’’ gives -> Does not support SMS

Frederic,

The MC7304 should work on the 3G networks in Mexico but has the wrong bands for LTE.

Re the AT commands, I presume that the units were not configured in MBIM mode?

Regards

Matt

This is not entirely true. Microsoft does offer Visual Studio for developers and recently (since windows 10 being released) it has included api’s for MBN enabled apps and programs that developers might be working on. Most of the documentation for it is available publicly on the microsoft technet website.

And this is the exact problem we’re having. Not all of us work within the constraints of OEM’s, and i have tried going through a few distributors looking for the QMI documentation to use, but the answer i keep getting is that no such documentation is available, or its just for the WinCE /7.0 SDK, which is not what we were looking for… :-/ Were looking for the windows desktop documentation.

Does anyone know if there is any QMI API Documents for Windows desktop platforms out there? Because at this point, its starting to look like MBIM is going to be the best choice for now to work with ,if i want to keep developing with my modems on the newer versions of windows out there. :frowning:

QMI API(SDK) do exist for desktop Windows. But it is only supported for PC OEM:s. So if you start use it don’t expect much help. Unfortunately not many distributors knows that this SDK exist. But it does since I have provided it to one my customers. So you just have to keep pushing your distributor.