Hi,
We have twenty Vodafone CAT-NB1 SIMs. I’ve checked one of the twenty, connected in turn to each the following:
- HL7692 with 2.23 firmware as it came with
- HL7692 reflashed with 2.27 latest firmware
- HL7800 with 1.7.14 firmware as it came with
- HL7800 reflashed with 4.3.9.0 latest firmware
With all four, using command AT+CNUM to check the phone number, command response is just OK. This is not mentioned as a possible response by either of the below. Fairly minor thing. But to feedback to Sierra.
AirPrime_HL76xx_AT_Commands_Interface_Guide_Rev13_0.pdf
AirPrime - HL78xx - AT Commands Interface Guide - Rev10.pdf
I’ll check with Vodafone whether the twenty are supposed to omit a phone number. Possibly so, as they are intended for NB1 IoT data comms.
I’ve tried also with a Tesco SIM in all four of the bulleted. I see then the response below.
+CNUM: ,"07563824426",161
Best regards,
David
Hi,
When you check CNUM, it will get Subscriber Number in MSISDNs list from your SIM card. If this information is not stored, no data is returned for CNUM.
You can write the number to MSISDNs list using Phonebook command.
Using AT+CPBS to select “ON” storage
Parameters
<storage> "FD" SIM/USIM fixdialing phonebook
"LD" SIM/UICC last dialing phonebook (LD phonebook can't be deleted)
"ON" SIM (or MT) own numbers (MSISDNs) list (reading of this storage may be available through +CNUM also)
"SM" SIM/UICC phonebook (default)
"BL" Blacklist phonebook (delete only)
"EN" SIM emergency-call-codes phonebook (read only)
"AP" Selected application phonebook
"BN" SIM barred-dialing-number (EF_BDN) phonebook (only valid with PIN2)
"SN" SIM service-dialing-number (EF_SDN) phonebook (read only)
And then using AT+CPBW to write number to this phonebook.
After that, you can use AT+CNUM to read Subscriber Number.
HL7692 can do it, but HL7800 can not, because HL7800 does not support phonebook.
You can use HL7692 to set Subscriber Number. After that insert this SIM to HL7800, you can read the number with CNUM command.
Thanks,
Hi Verdung,
Thanks for that. All understood.
Once we program in our choice of phone number, can we then send and receive SMS messages ?
Won’t we get in trouble with Vodafone, if we just choose any phone number we like, and program it in ?
Do you know generally if Cat-NB1 SIMs come without a number ?
Any other SIMs that come without a number ?
For any SIMs that come without a number, can one be added ?
I’ve previously had a google about this, but info is unclear. Perhaps you know.
Thank you,
David
Hi,
The Network providers use CCID and IMSI to authenticate user. These information can not be changed in your SIM. These information will map to the Number (MSISDN) . For some providers, they will write the number in MSISDN list for their SIMs, but some do not. There are several reasons for this, the most notable being:
- Dynamic MSISDN allocation: Prepaid SIMs are sometime allocated an MSISDN when they are first used. This means that the network has a pool of available MSISDNs and allocate them whenever a new prepaid SIM comes online. This means that when the SIMs are shipped they do not have an MSISDN yet, which means you can’t store an MSISDN prior to shipping the SIMs. Some networks ‘expire’ MSISDN allocations after a period of inactivity, especially when their available numbers are running low, and return these numbers to the available pool.
- Mobile Number Portability: Some countries allow mobile subscribers to keep their MSISDN but change networks. This means that the MSISDN will be moved from a SIM that is for 1 network to a SIM that is for another network.
If this list is empty, it does not mean that your SIM don’t have any number. You can insert this SIM to device or phone and make a call or send SMS to others, you will know your SIM’s number, and then you could write this number to MSISDN list
Thanks,
Hi Verdung,
Thanks for your reply there. I knew the bit about CCID and IMSI use to authenticate a user, and that they map to the phone number aka MSISDN. Thank you for detailing reasons for a SIM to lack an MSISDN initially. I was vaguely aware that was possible. And indeed I wondered if it was usual for CAT-NB1 SIMs to lack an MSISDN, given their intended use for data only.
About MSISDN allocation only on first outgoing call, or first outgoing SMS, if the HL7692/7800 sends a test SMS, to someone, is it only the recipient that would see the allocated MSISDN of the HL7692/7800 ? Or can the HL7692/7800 then see internally, what MSISDN it has been allocated ?
Is there a ‘test’ number to which an SMS can be sent, purely to trigger MSISDN allocation ?
Or is there such a thing as ‘send SMS to myself, even though I don’t yet know my number’ ? If there is such a thing, I was wondering if that could be used to learn what MSISDN the HL7692/7800 has been allocated.
Lastly, can someone send an SMS to an HL7692/7800 knowing only the CCID and/or IMSI ? In other words, can an SMS be sent even though an MSISDN has yet to be allocated ? Googling would suggest otherwise, for example here, but perhaps you know otherwise.
Those probably laughable newcomer questions !
Best regards,
David
Hi David,
If you set yourself MSISDN, only you can see this number.
The MSISDN list in your SIM is not sent to Operator, so they don’t know who is that MSISDN. You can not send SMS/call someone with that MSISDN.
The Operator has their own MSISDN list, they will search the MSISDN and CCID in their database.
So, to able to send SMS or make call, you can only send to the number (MSISDN) that the Operator allocated.
Thanks,
Hi Jerdung,
Thank you for your reply there. Makes sense that a user-allocated number would be of little or possible no use.
As mentioned, do you know generally if Cat-NB1 SIMs come without a number ?
Also, would you know the answers to the questions in my previous message in this thread ?
Best regards,
David
Hi,
If your SIM is data only, it does not need a number.
If you buy SIM with SMS or voice service, the operator will assign a number (MSISDN) for your SIM.
So in this case, you can call the “Contact Center” to know the MSISDN if it is not available in your SIM card. And then use CPBS,CPBW to write this number to your SIM.
Thanks,
Hi Jerdung,
Indeed no MSISDN needed if data only, although the company I’m working at are exploring use of an SMS sent to the HL7692/7800, to configure some company-specific settings in the main MCU to which the HL7692/7800 is connected.
Without an MSISDN, sending that SMS will presumably not be possible. Hence I’m interested in the process by which a SIM that lacks an MSISDN, gains one: You said that the network operator would allocate an MSISDN when the HL7692/7800 transmits a first SMS. But to where should the HL7692/7800 send this SMS ? To some ‘test’ or ‘dummy’ phone number, perhaps ? And once that SMS is sent, is it only the recipient of that SMS, that sees the allocated MSISDN ? Or can the HL7692/7800 itself, see the allocated MSISDN ?
Lastly, can someone send an SMS to an HL7692/7800 knowing only the CCID and/or IMSI ? In other words, can an SMS be sent even though an MSISDN has yet to be allocated ? Googling would suggest otherwise, for example here, but perhaps you know otherwise.
Any answers you have to these questions, would be much appreciated. Or indeed, if anyone at Sierra, or on the Forum generally, can contribute any answers, it would be most gratefully appreciated.
Best regards,
David
Hi David,
I did not say that the Operator would allocate an MSISDN when the HL7692/7800 transmits a first SMS.
When you buy a SIM, or register any services with operator, they will provide you the MSISDN, apn …
The parameters such as MSISDN,APN can be changed, but if you change, you CAN Not use the Operator’s service. It means that you must use MSISDN of Operator to send SMS.
For HL series, as I know, we can not send SMS through CCID/IMSI.
For original question, CNUM will display the number, when the MSISDN is written in MSISDN list.
For more details about cellular network, you can raise in other forums so we can classify questions and it will be easy for people to search for solution.
So please check “Solution for this ticket”.
Thanks,
Hi Jerdung,
About your indication that an MSISDN is not allocated when the HL7692/7800 transmits a first SMS, oh that seemed to be what post 4 was saying, and you didn’t correct me when I discussed that in post 5. It’s frustrating to now learn this, as I have proposed within the company that we will need to first send that SMS.
OK, returning then to ask about our twenty Vodafone CAT-NB1 M2M SIMs mentioned in post 1, that return just OK for AT+CNUM, Vodafone did supply us with an MSISDN for each when we purchased. And I’m not aware that we need to register any services the operator (does this mean, something we do by email to their billing department, or something done AT commands ?).
I guess what I’m interested in, is are there a class of SIMs, such as the above maybe, for which it’s not possible to obtain an MSISDSN ?
Your post 9 otherwise all understood, makes sense.
And yes, perhaps this conversation has broadened to a wider topic that the HL Series modules.
Regards,
David
Yes, David.
I’m sorry that we misunderstood somethings. In post 4, there are many reasons that MSISDN is not written in the SIMs. The dynamic MSISDN is belonged to the Operator’s rule ( it does not look like that we set everything that we want )
Thanks so much.
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