Network scan - retrieve additional information

[merewyn.jgreenwood at gmail.com]

Hi Aleksander, thanks for responding so quickly.

I was looking through the source code (e.g. qmicli-nas.c) and it looks like specific sets of information elements* are requested from the network scan, so I was hoping there are actually more information elements available and they could be retrieved by adding them to the requested information elements.

*Information elements requested:
QmiMessageNasNetworkScanOutputNetworkInformationElement
QmiMessageNasNetworkScanOutputRadioAccessTechnologyElement
QmiMessageNasNetworkScanOutputMncPcsDigitIncludeStatusElement

I'm using a SimCom SIM7600G-H which has a Qualcomm MDM9607 chipset, but I haven't been able to find any information on what other network scan information elements might be retrievable from the modem.
I've noticed a few odd things with this modem such as there is no AT command for network scan in the SimCom AT command manual, but it's available through the qmicli...which raises my suspicion that there may be more information hiding under the surface...

Cheers,
John

-----Original Message-----
From: Aleksander Morgado <aleksander at aleksander.es> 
Sent: Monday, 30 August 2021 10:06 PM
To: merewyn.jgreenwood at gmail.com
Cc: libqmi (development) <libqmi-devel at lists.freedesktop.org>
Subject: Re: Network scan - retrieve additional information

Hey John,

>
> I have only recently started trying qmicli/libqmi and I have a suggestion for an enhancement:
>
> The network scan currently retrieves MCC, MNC, Status, Description, RAT, and whether or not the MCC has PCS digits.
>
>
>
> Is it possible to make the network scan retrieve additional information for each detected cell, such as:
>
> band name and/or number
> channel number
> signal strength information
>

Unfortunately we're limited to what the modem replies in the "NAS Network Scan" operation, and I don't think any of that info is given in the responses.

The "NAS Get Cell Location Info" operation gives much more detailed info as the one you suggest, but that applies only to the current network where the module is registered.

--
Aleksander
https://aleksander.es