The first look for 5G NB-IOT with nRF9160

Testing the nRF9160 Development Kit on the 5G NB-IoT network in Hong Kong is an important step in ensuring the device’s performance in real-world scenarios. This process aims to identify any potential issues and address them before launching the device in the market.
We recently received the nRF9160-DK board from Nordic, which is the first low power 5G supported IoT module they provide. Our team has been evaluating the board’s performance under the Hong Kong 5G NB-IoT network, and we have been impressed with its reliability and efficiency.

During our testing, CSL provided us with an NB-IoT SIM card, and their support was excellent. We configured the nRF9160 to run in NB-IoT mode and searched for networks in our working area. We were pleased to see CSL and CM Mobile nearby. After connecting and completing network registration, we checked the nRF-cloud for any feedback from the nRF9160-DK.
We were impressed to see that the button press status updated immediately, and the GPS information located us to Kwun Tong, even though we were indoors without GNSS GPS signal. The information was coming from the service provider’s A-GPS, which allowed us to test the module’s ability to provide location tracking without the need for a GPS signal.

We then disconnected the DK and made the board work standalone to test the speed for cool boot. We were pleased to see that the time taken was only 20 seconds from power up to update 1st button press to the cloud. This is an excellent feature for IoT devices, as it allows them to quickly connect to the network and start transmitting data.
Overall, the nRF9160-DK board has proven to be a reliable and efficient device for testing 5G NB-IoT in Hong Kong. We look forward to continuing our evaluation and exploring more of its capabilities.

nRF9160-DK

Sim card: CSL NB-IOT sim

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