Sierra Wireless Modems - Programming Carrier Bands

[JimHelms]

I created an Excel spreadsheet to help simplify creating a band and/or a group of bands for the Sierra Wireless modems.

This will allow locking a modem to a particular band, or group of bands, that may preclude one or more bands that are constantly congested on a certain tower.

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

UPDATED: 11-02-2019

[*]Corrected the L Mask's removal of Zeros (Thanks to patman2 for pointing out the error)


UPDATED: 10-29-2019

[*]Updated Verizon's use of Band 13


UPDATED: 10-02-2019

[*]Updated the Comments (instructions) in the Cells
[*]Removed leading 0's from the bands
[*]Extended support for the MR1100 (M1)
[*]Included AT command to remove group of custom bands

UPDATED: 09-25-2019

[*]Corrected MC7455 to include Band 30
[*]Includes Carriers vs Bands vs Modems
[*]Added Frequencies for Selected Bands

Create Custom Bands (11-02-19).xlsx

(63.88 KiB) Downloaded 113 times

Prior to programming a band it is best to use the authorization command:

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"

Once the bands are programmed, a reboot of the modem is required:

Code: Select all

AT!RESET

As a quick tutorial on using the spreadsheet, it is saved to open with two bands already selected to be programmed--Sprint Bands 25 and 41.

You will also notice on the far right top whether the bands selected are included in some more common Sierra modems. This will help avoid attempting to program a band that is not compatible with a specific modem. A review of this selection shows these bands available for MC7455 (and the EM7455 which I just noticed I excluded).

In the example, to program bands 25 and 41 we may first to define and id those bands using the following AT Commands (copy and paste). While it is necessary to define each band individually to create a group, it will allow locking later to a single band that we used in the group :

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!BAND=10,"B25",0,0000000001000000
AT!BAND=11,"B41",0,0000010000000000

Notice on the bottom under CUSTOM BAND GROUP, I named this GROUP of two bands as "Sprint 25-41". Therefore, I need to program this group as well:

Code: Select all

AT!BAND=0F,"Sprint 25-41",0,0000010001000000

NOTE: It is not necessary to program each of the bands individually if only the group of bands are to be used.


In order to set and restrict the modem to using only this GROUP of bands we use the SET GROUP - AT COMMAND:

Code: Select all

AT!BAND=0F

Combining these AT Commands, we get:

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!BAND=10,"B25",0,0000000001000000
AT!BAND=11,"B41",0,0000010000000000
AT!BAND=0F,"Sprint 25-41",0,0000010001000000
AT!BAND=0F
AT!RESET

Now lets assume we want to restrict the modem to only use the band 41 as we defined above. We would use the SET BAND - AT COMMAND that corresponds to Band 41:

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!BAND=11
AT!RESET

Note that these bands are hard coded into the modem and will persist following a modem reboot or swapping it into another device.

In order to reassign the bands or group of bands we must redefine the bands, or restore the modem to OEM, or instruct the modem to receive ALL bands (00)--which may be accomplished with the following command:

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!BAND=00
AT!RESET

One other note is that all the current available bands are included in the spreadsheet. To add a band to a group, Click on the cell under the BAND SELECT and select the band number from the drop down to be included:

At the top of drop down of the BAND SELECTION, there is a blank selection to use when a band is not to be included.

It may also be useful to list what bands are available on a particular Sierra Wireless modem:

Code: Select all

AT!ENTERCND="A710"
AT!BAND=?

We hope to extend the spreadsheet to cover other makes and models of modems. Members are free to submit revisions.

[JimHelms]

Below is a list of the different band combinations for carrier aggregation on the Sierra Wireless EM7565:

Code: Select all

AT!LTECA?
Hardware:
12A_30A_66A:12A,30A,66A  13A_66A_66A:13A,66A      13A_66B:13A,66A          
19A_42C:19A              1A_3A_19A:1A,3A,19A      1A_3A_20A:1A,3A,20A      
1A_3A_28A:1A,3A,28A      1A_3A_5A:1A,3A,5A        1A_3A_7A:1A,3A,7A        
1A_3A_8A:1A,3A,8A        1A_42C:1A                1A_5A_7A:1A,5A,7A        
1A_7A_20A:1A,7A,20A      1A_7A_7A:1A,7A           29A_30A_66A:30A,66A      
2A_12A_30A:2A,12A,30A    2A_13A_66A:2A,13A,66A    2A_29A_30A:2A,30A        
2A_2A_12A:2A,12A         2A_2A_13A:2A,13A         2A_2A_5A:2A,5A           
2A_4A_12A:2A,4A,12A      2A_4A_13A:2A,4A,13A      2A_4A_29A:2A,4A          
2A_4A_5A:2A,4A,5A        2A_4A_7A:2A,4A,7A        2A_5A_30A:2A,5A,30A      
2A_5A_66A:2A,5A,66A      2A_66A_66A:2A,66A        2A_66B:2A,66A            
2A_66C:2A,66A            2A_7A_12A:2A,7A,12A      2A_7A_7A:2A,7A           
3A_3A_7A:3A,7A           3A_41A_42A:3A            3A_41C:3A                
3A_42C:3A                3A_7A_20A:3A,7A,20A      3A_7A_28A:3A,7A,28A      
3A_7A_7A:3A,7A           3A_7B:3A,7A              3A_7C:7C,3A              
3C_20A:3A,20A            3C_28A:3A,28A            3C_5A:3A,5A              
3C_7A:3C,7A              41A_42C:41A,42A          41C_42A:41A,42A          
41D:41C                  4A_12A_30A:4A,12A,30A    4A_29A_30A:4A,30A        
4A_4A_12A:4A,12A         4A_4A_13A:4A,13A         4A_4A_30A:4A,30A         
4A_4A_5A:4A,5A           4A_5A_30A:4A,5A,30A      4A_7A_12A:4A,7A,12A      
4A_7A_7A:4A,7A           5A_30A_66A:5A,30A,66A    5A_66A_66A:5A,66A        
5A_66B:5A,66A            5A_66C:5A,66A            66A_66B:66A              
66A_66C:66A              7B_28A:7A,28A            7C_28A:7C,28A            
12A_30A:12A,30A          12A_66A:12A,66A          13A_46A:13A              
19A_42A:19A              1A_18A:1A,18A            1A_19A:1A,19A            
1A_20A:1A,20A            1A_26A:1A,26A            1A_3A:1A,3A              
1A_41A:1A                1A_42A:1A                1A_5A:1A,5A              
1A_7A:1A,7A              1A_8A:1A,8A              20A_32A:20A              
28A_42A:28A              29A_30A:30A              29A_66A:66A              
2A_12A:2A,12A            2A_13A:2A,13A            2A_28A:2A,28A            
2A_29A:2A                2A_2A:2A                 2A_30A:2A,30A            
2A_46A:2A                2A_4A:2A,4A              2A_5A:2A,5A              
2A_66A:2A,66A            2C:2A                    30A_66A:30A,66A          
3A_19A:3A,19A            3A_20A:3A,20A            3A_28A:3A,28A            
3A_3A:3A                 3A_41A:3A                3A_42A:3A                
3A_5A:3A,5A              3A_7A:3A,7A              3A_8A:3A,8A              
3C:3C                    41A_42A:41A,42A          41C:41C                  
42C:42A                  4A_12A:4A,12A            4A_13A:4A,13A            
4A_28A:4A,28A            4A_29A:4A                4A_30A:4A,30A            
4A_46A:4A                4A_4A:4A                 4A_5A:4A,5A              
4A_7A:4A,7A              5A_30A:5A,30A            5A_46A:5A                
5A_66A:5A,66A            5A_7A:5A,7A              5B:5A                    
7A_12A:7A,12A            7A_20A:7A,20A            7A_28A:7A,28A            
7A_7A:7A                 7B:7A                    7C:7C                    
48C:48A                  48D:48A                  48A_48A:48A              
48A_48C:48A              

Permitted Bands:
12A_30A_66A:12A,30A,66A  13A_66A_66A:13A,66A      13A_66B:13A,66A          
1A_3A_19A:1A,3A,19A      1A_3A_20A:1A,3A,20A      1A_3A_28A:1A,3A,28A      
1A_3A_5A:1A,3A,5A        1A_3A_7A:1A,3A,7A        1A_3A_8A:1A,3A,8A        
1A_5A_7A:1A,5A,7A        1A_7A_20A:1A,7A,20A      1A_7A_7A:1A,7A           
29A_30A_66A:30A,66A      2A_12A_30A:2A,12A,30A    2A_13A_66A:2A,13A,66A    
2A_29A_30A:2A,30A        2A_2A_12A:2A,12A         2A_2A_13A:2A,13A         
2A_2A_5A:2A,5A           2A_4A_12A:2A,4A,12A      2A_4A_13A:2A,4A,13A      
2A_4A_29A:2A,4A          2A_4A_5A:2A,4A,5A        2A_4A_7A:2A,4A,7A        
2A_5A_30A:2A,5A,30A      2A_5A_66A:2A,5A,66A      2A_66A_66A:2A,66A        
2A_66B:2A,66A            2A_66C:2A,66A            2A_7A_12A:2A,7A,12A      
2A_7A_7A:2A,7A           3A_3A_7A:3A,7A           3A_41C:3A                
3A_7A_20A:3A,7A,20A      3A_7A_28A:3A,7A,28A      3A_7A_7A:3A,7A           
3A_7B:3A,7A              3A_7C:7C,3A              3C_20A:3A,20A            
3C_28A:3A,28A            3C_5A:3A,5A              3C_7A:3C,7A              
41D:41C                  4A_12A_30A:4A,12A,30A    4A_29A_30A:4A,30A        
4A_4A_12A:4A,12A         4A_4A_13A:4A,13A         4A_4A_30A:4A,30A         
4A_4A_5A:4A,5A           4A_5A_30A:4A,5A,30A      4A_7A_12A:4A,7A,12A      
4A_7A_7A:4A,7A           5A_30A_66A:5A,30A,66A    5A_66A_66A:5A,66A        
5A_66B:5A,66A            5A_66C:5A,66A            66A_66B:66A              
66A_66C:66A              7B_28A:7A,28A            7C_28A:7C,28A            
12A_30A:12A,30A          12A_66A:12A,66A          13A_46A:13A              
1A_18A:1A,18A            1A_19A:1A,19A            1A_20A:1A,20A            
1A_26A:1A,26A            1A_3A:1A,3A              1A_41A:1A                
1A_5A:1A,5A              1A_7A:1A,7A              1A_8A:1A,8A              
20A_32A:20A              29A_30A:30A              29A_66A:66A              
2A_12A:2A,12A            2A_13A:2A,13A            2A_28A:2A,28A            
2A_29A:2A                2A_2A:2A                 2A_30A:2A,30A            
2A_46A:2A                2A_4A:2A,4A              2A_5A:2A,5A              
2A_66A:2A,66A            2C:2A                    30A_66A:30A,66A          
3A_19A:3A,19A            3A_20A:3A,20A            3A_28A:3A,28A            
3A_3A:3A                 3A_41A:3A                3A_5A:3A,5A              
3A_7A:3A,7A              3A_8A:3A,8A              3C:3C                    
41C:41C                  4A_12A:4A,12A            4A_13A:4A,13A            
4A_28A:4A,28A            4A_29A:4A                4A_30A:4A,30A            
4A_46A:4A                4A_4A:4A                 4A_5A:4A,5A              
4A_7A:4A,7A              5A_30A:5A,30A            5A_46A:5A                
5A_66A:5A,66A            5A_7A:5A,7A              5B:5A                    
7A_12A:7A,12A            7A_20A:7A,20A            7A_28A:7A,28A            
7A_7A:7A                 7B:7A                    7C:7C                    


Prune_ca_combos:
Empty

OK

Likewise, for the Sierra Wireless MC7455:

Code: Select all

Send:AT!LTECA?

Recieve: Hardware:
Recieve: LTEB1: B8, 
Recieve: LTEB2: B2, B5, B12, B13, B29, 
Recieve: LTEB3: B7, B20, 
Recieve: LTEB4: B4, B5, B12, B13, B29, 
Recieve: LTEB5: B2, B4, B30, 
Recieve: LTEB7: B3, B7, B20, 
Recieve: LTEB8: B1, 
Recieve: LTEB12: B2, B4, B30, 
Recieve: LTEB13: B2, B4, 
Recieve: LTEB20: B3, B7, 
Recieve: LTEB25: 
Recieve: LTEB26: 
Recieve: LTEB29: 
Recieve: LTEB30: B5, B12, 
Recieve: LTEB41: B41, 
Recieve: Permitted Bands:
Recieve: Empty
Recieve: Prune_ca_combos:
Recieve: Empty
Recieve: OK

[JimHelms]

UPDATED: 10-02-2019 Create Custom Bands

[*]Updated the Comments (instructions) in the Cells
[*]Removed leading 0's from the bands
[*]Extended support for the MR1100 (M1)
[*]Included AT command to remove group of custom bands

[ocamrazor]

On your spreadsheet it states that verizon doesn't use band 13. Also if I edit the short name for group it generates improper syntax under the "create group from individual bands" row. It looks correct on the spreadsheet but if I copy it out from the row it ends up looking like this

"AT!BAND=0F,""vzw 13,5
"",0,110"

[JimHelms]

Good catch on Verizon's Band 13. The spreadsheet has been updated.

The group command, when copied, seems to work for me:

Code: Select all

AT!BAND=10,"vzw 13,5",0,10

[Sexyjesus]

Very helpful post as always my friend. Curious question I haven't been able to find an answer on as of yet - is there a way to set a "main" band in the group while still using others for CA? B2 on my local tower gives me the highest speeds (20Mhz width), yet also has the weakest signal. Albeit the weak signal, I still generally get the fastest speeds using it as main band.

Currently I set my group to bands 2, 30, and 66 Mhz. When adding bands 5 or 12 (both 5mhz bands) it tends to pick those as main band due to a much stronger signal, bet cutting my speeds by at least half in most cases. Wasn't sure if this was a possibility when playing with CA on my EM7576.

Sidenote - do you generally add these directly in the GUI At! command, or PuTTY? Having to add individual lines in the GUI of the router using GoldenOrb and was just curious if PuTTY allows the full list of commands copied over. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge, its helped me tremendously in my project so far.