Quectel - Programming Carrier Bands and Groups of Bands

[JimHelms]

I prepared an Excel spreadsheet to assist in programming bands and/or a group of bands, on the Quectel modems.

As with all material on this forum, use at your own risk.

I have plans on including other Quectel modems when time permits, as well as a quick tutorial for commonly used AT Commands for these modems.

As this is the first release of this spreadsheet, and I welcome any suggestions and/or corrections.


UPDATED: 03-18-2020

Corrected L Mask and removed optional 0 at end of bands

Quectel Create Custom Bands (3-18-2020).xlsx

[giant22000]

Spreadsheet is much appreciated. One problem I'm having is that every time I change any the band values the output of the band group = #N/A. Any ideas?

[radec]

Spreadsheet is much appreciated. One problem I'm having is that every time I change any the band values the output of the band group = #N/A. Any ideas?

I had that problem as well. But then I put in google drive opened it with google sheets. worked just fine then.

[Riggs1989]

i'm new here and hoping to learn a lot to improve my current setup. i've not figured out how to post or send PMs. wasn't really sure if there was a welcome area for the newbies.

[Didneywhorl]

Hey Riggs. PMs are disabled. Had issues with the system I think.

Also, no real new person intro threads. Just jump right into what your looking for.

Please use the search feature when you can. Ask away as much as you need. We are almost all volunteers here, so we help when we can

[premansh]

Thank you for the information. What is the command to scan for bands available in the area with details like strength, etc? I am used to the MOFI GUI set-up where there is an option for band scanner, band lock, and advance band lock for carrier aggregation. Also, I would like to ask if we can set up 2 bands at a time for carrier aggregation. My current set-up is "WE826-T2 and Quectel E25 modem Using WifiX firmware".

[BillA]

Thank you for the information. What is the command to scan for bands available in the area with details like strength, etc? I am used to the MOFI GUI set-up where there is an option for band scanner, band lock, and advance band lock for carrier aggregation. Also, I would like to ask if we can set up 2 bands at a time for carrier aggregation. My current set-up is "WE826-T2 and Quectel E25 modem Using WifiX firmware".

The Quectel EC25-AF is a modem with no CA (carrier aggregation) available. For 2xCA you could upgrade to an EP/EM06-A or better. You can still lock bands on the EC25-AF, but in my experience it's best to just leave it on auto-scan.

[premansh]

Any suggestion on MODEM (with Tmobile band supported Band 71 especially) which I can replace within my existing set-up for better speed and CA?

[Didneywhorl]

Quectel EM12 is a good choice, but you will also need an mpcie to m.2 key B adapter to use it in the we826

[premansh]

Quectel EM12 is a good choice, but you will also need an mpcie to m.2 key B adapter to use it in the we826

Thank you

[BillA]

Any suggestion on MODEM (with Tmobile band supported Band 71 especially) which I can replace within my existing set-up for better speed and CA?

Very few modems with CA support band 71, and those are in the $300-600 range (Quectel RM500Q, Simcom SIM8200EA, Telit LM960/FN980M). While it's nice to have band 71, it's not the most important band for Tmobile, so I wouldn't worry about it.

[punkguy00017]

As I'm nowhere near my pc and my phone can't open the spread sheet can some please post how to change bands on quectel modem. Currently on band 17 on attnt I get better signal using band 12

[Athens4B]

The Quectel EC25-AF is a low end modem with no CA (carrier aggregation) available. For 2xCA you could upgrade to an EP/EM06-A or better. You can still lock bands on the EC25-AF, but in my experience it's best to just leave it on auto-scan.

Is there a At Command to place the EC25 on auto scan?

[punkguy00017]

Is this any good?

Signal Information

Code: Select all

Network :
FDD LTE
 CSQ :21
 Signal Strength :67%
 RSSI :-71 dBm
 ECIO :-17 (RSRQ) dB
 RSCP :-106 (RSRP) dBm
 Connection Monitoring Status :Disabled

Cell Information
MCC MNC :313 100
RNC/eNB ID : EC08 (650248)
LAC/TAC :247 (4679)
Cell ID :0F (15)
 
LTE Band :
B12 (Bandwidth 10 MHz Down | 10 MHz Up) aggregated with:
B2 (Bandwidth 20 MHz)
B4 (Bandwidth 10 MHz)
 
Channel :5110, 700, 2000
 
Maximum Qos :

[BillA]

Is there a At Command to place the EC25 on auto scan?

On most Quectel modems try this command for auto-scan.
After sending the AT command, make sure you get an "OK" response and restart the router by powering it off and on.

Code: Select all

AT+QCFG="nwscanmode",0,1

All other scan modes:
AT+QCFG="nwscanmode",<scan_mode>,1
0 - Auto
1 - n/a
2 - WCDMA only
3 - LTE only
4 - TD-SCDMA only
5 - UMTS only
6 - CDMA only
7 - HDR only
8 - CDMA and HDR only

[spicyname]

hi im trying to figure out how to CA on both 4 and 66 im on an ep06-A i know how to do one but not combine them in the AT code, thanks

[JimHelms]

NOTE that this is a tutorial on bands. ALL other questions should be submitted under the proper heading and topic.

[Didneywhorl]

hi im trying to figure out how to CA on both 4 and 66 im on an ep06-A i know how to do one but not combine them in the AT code, thanks

Just add the numbers together

[mezmerizz0454]

I was trying this out and was able to switch band groups fine but it could not put the modem back to the OEM settings.
I did the AT+QCFQ="band" and got his back for OEM settings
+QCFG: "band",0x8f0,0x20000a7e03b0f38df,0x0
so after messing with a few groups of bands i went to put it back to the OEM with this command
AT+QCFG="band",0x8f0,0x20000a7e03b0f38df,0x0
and got an error and it wont take the OEM setup now...
does my command look right?

[Didneywhorl]

Try:

Code: Select all

AT+QCFG="band",0,20000a7e03b0f38df

[mezmerizz0454]

worked great thx for the info

[lawnmowerman]

I used the Excel doc from the tutorial to generate following AT command to set the Quectel EP06 to look for B4, B13, and B66, in that order:

AT+QCFG="band"
+QCFG: "band",0x260,0x20000000000001008,0x1

Does that mean it will always use B4 as primary/preferred band? This is what I want. What I don't want is for the modem to drop B4 and only select B13, or use B13 as primary and aggregate with B4. I want it to always select B4 as primary and aggregate with B13 and/or B66 as secondary.

When using OEM band configuration, modem will sometimes select B13 as primary, since B13 is strongest signal - but it's also slower speeds

[lawnmowerman]

Does that mean it will always use B4 as primary/preferred band?

Well, the answer appears to be no. I noticed my internet was slower than usual, checked and found that the modem had selected B13, occasionally aggregating with B4, but definitely using B13 as primary. Sent AT command to lock onto B4 and got back my high speeds...

[megaplow]

Is there a list of all the AT commands needed to set up the EM12g? I am looking to set up a EM12 on PagePlus.
I looked at the spreadsheet posted above and decided quickly that I was in over my head. I do not want to brick the modem.

Aside from the full list of commands, which bands are required for PagePlus/verizon?

[BillA]

Is there a list of all the AT commands needed to set up the EM12g? I am looking to set up a EM12 on PagePlus.
I looked at the spreadsheet posted above and decided quickly that I was in over my head. I do not want to brick the modem.

Aside from the full list of commands, which bands are required for PagePlus/verizon?

Is there a list of all the AT commands needed to set up the EM12g? I am looking to set up a EM12 on PagePlus.
I looked at the spreadsheet posted above and decided quickly that I was in over my head. I do not want to brick the modem.

Aside from the full list of commands, which bands are required for PagePlus/verizon?

One way to force the modem to a primary band, is by locking to a single band, but of course you'd lose the CA capability. Once you lock it to more than one band, then the tower decides which one is used as the primary/secondary. On some modems you could use "cell-ID" to specify the primary/secondary (PCC/SCC) bands, but it's not easy since you have to get the cell-ID's among other items. Also, if the local towers are changed/upgraded, you will lose signal completely till you reprogram the cell-ID list. In my experience it's best to leave it on auto-scan, and use a high gain parabolic grid antenna aimed at the best tower.


PagePlus uses Verizon bands as you can see below:

US 4G-LTE bands ("*" = Primary bands)
ATT = *2, 4, 5, 12, 14, 17, 29, 30, 46, 66
TMO = 2, *4, 5, 12, 46, 66, 71
VZW = 2, 4, 5, *13, 66 *** PagePlus bands ***
SPR = *25, 26, 41

US 5G-NR Bands/(frequencies)
sub-6Ghz is used primarily by ATT and Tmobile (bands are designated by the lower case letter "n")
n2 (1,900Mhz), n5 (850MHz), *n41 (2,500MHz), n66 (AWS-3), *n71 (600MHz)

mmWave is used primarily by Verizon (bands are designated by the upper case letter "N")
N260 (39GHz), N261 (28GHz)


US 5G bands/(Frequencies)
sub-6Ghz is used primarily by ATT and Tmobile (bands are designated by the lower case letter "n")
n2 (1,900Mhz), n5 (850MHz), *n41 (2,500MHz), n66 (AWS-3), *n71 (600MHz)


mmWave is used primarily by Verizon (bands are designated by the upper case letter "N")
N260 (39GHz), N261 (28GHz)

[megaplow]

@BillA,
Thanks for the info! You mentioned auto-scan, that seems a lot easier than using the specific band commands. The spreadsheet came up with the following commands:

Band 2 = AT+QCFG="band",0,2
Band 4 = AT+QCFG="band",0,8
Band 5 = AT+QCFG="band",0,10
Band 13 = AT+QCFG="band",0,1000
Band 66 = AT+QCFG="band",0,20000000000000000

It also had mention of a group, would this single command replace the five above?

AT+QCFG="band",0,2000000000000101a

This router setup is going to be mobile. Is there a list of commands available for disabling roaming and other items to get modem to play nice?

[Tuna8er]

Thanks, this info and thread was very helpful. Especially, the command for each band by megaplow. Been looking for days for the different band lock commands. Now just need to get a77 and 7-mobiles commands. ,(The other bands from other carriers, and n bands, plus nm bands. Suppossedly, any EM12 modem or better will get n and nm bands).

[Adm1jtg]

Well, the answer appears to be no. I noticed my internet was slower than usual, checked and found that the modem had selected B13, occasionally aggregating with B4, but definitely using B13 as primary. Sent AT command to lock onto B4 and got back my high speeds...

I had issues like yours and also use an ep06. You say band 4 is strongest, band 4 is just a subset of 66. Said another way band 66 should in almost all cases be at least equal to or better then band 4.

Why am I saying all this, because the solution I came up with was as follows:
Lock the modem to band 66 ONLY
The EP06 will CA to band 66 from band 66
Mine now connects at band 66 (20 mhz) and then when needed will CA to band 66 (10 mhz)
This way I use my strongest download band and still benefit from CA as well
Best of both worlds

[KLani]

Hello - is it possible to add more bands to this spreadsheet? I have noticed that the EG25-G supports more bands than I can put in this spreadsheet to re-create the default band configuration for that modem.

[JimmyM]

I just downloaded the spreadsheet
When I put in band 12, it shows that it isn't used by T-Mobile. It definitely is.
Just FYI

[Didneywhorl]

Yeah, the spreadsheet was made a long while back. It works as is, just has old messages like that. New modems don't need it anymore so it became kind of low priority to change or update for the creator.