Getting started with SpaceX over One.NZ

May 2025:

At this point in time, there is a BETA version of firmware (FW) that loads the EG21-G (EG21GGB-128-SGNS order code) with the necessary FW and configuration according to One.NZ specification.

Once you have the module, then basic tools to connect to EG21-G and send AT commands from a Windows serial terminal:

Documentation:  EG21-G

Windows USB Driver: Quectel_LTE&5G_Windows_USB_Driver_V2.2.4.zip //required for FW upgrade.

Quectel Windows serial terminal QCom (optional, you can use puTTY or terraterm etc if you are used to that):
QCOM_V1.6.rar

The BETA FW to load for One.NZ:
EG21GGBR07A11M1G_BETA250319_30.203.30.203.zip                // this contains the One.NZ MBN file
FW upgrade tool, Windows App: QFlash_V7.3_EN.zip, Linux: QFirehose_Linux_and_Android_V1.4.21.zip

After the FW is loaded and booted up with the One.NZ SIM in place, the command should show the following response:

AT+QMBNCFG=”list”
  :

 :

+QMBNCFG: “List”,23,1,1,”OneNZ_VoLTE”,0x0580EE01,202411081    // the 1,1 indicates that this config is active. See the software IMS application note for more details of this command.

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Note, the One.NZ SIM allows network service to both the terrestrial (network ID MCC-MNC=53001) and SpaceX satellites (network ID MCC-MNC=53013). If there is no terrestrial available then it shall search for satellite service. Both networks are present in LTE band 3 (B3).

Some Configuration AT commands for testing:

AT+CEREG=2 //Enable URC to indicate change in network registration status.

AT+QFPLMNCFG=”List”,”53001″ //for initial testing of satellite access, then put terrestrial ID into the forbidden network list (FPLMN). For later deployment then do not use this if you wish to access terrestrial One.NZ service.

AT+QCFG=”nwscanmode”,3,1 // lock to LTE only

AT+QCFG=”servicedomain”,1,1 //lock to PS service only

AT+QCFG=”band”,bff,4,0 // lock to B3 only. For later deployment you may wish to access other bands of terrestrial One.NZ.

These AT commands above are persistent and only need to be executed once.

AT+COPS=1,2,”53013”          // Manual network selection of satellite network only. Give it a minute for the network scan to coincide with a satellite flying into range. For later deployment you may wish to set AT+COPS=0 for automatic connection to terrestrial network.

If you are having issues getting a satellite connection, then try:
AT+COPS=? // scan for and list all detected networks. It may take a minute or two to scan all available networks and detect if there is satellite (53013). Try a few times in case need to wait for next satellite to fly into range.

Remember to test outside in open sky conditions to maximise the chance of direct connection to satellite that may take minutes to fly into range.

Note – the satellite may be only in range for a minute or less at a time, so your application needs to be tolerant of constantly breaking data connection.

Other useful commands:
AT+QCSQ                                                     // print out all the LTE signal strength parameters
EC2X_BG9X_ATC_AT+QCSQ.PDF

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Note at this time of update, the only module approved for One.NZ SpaceX is the module above: i.e. EG21GGB-128-SGNS. if at some later date this EG21GLGD-128-SGNS is approved:

General Notes:

• For initial testing, city areas such as Auckland Metro area has good terrestrial One.NZ coverage so partly due to the noise floor being a bit higher, it’s not as easy to test connection to SpaceX. Driving out of normal Metro terrestrial coverage to country areas, users report that it’s easier to connect to SpaceX with just the normal diapole type antenna e.g. the Quectel development kit standard antenna.
• If you need to test SpaceX connection in the city areas, then a user has found the following command can help:
  AT+QNWLOCK=”common/lte”,1,1925,0 //lock the frequency to the specific SpaceX frequency (EARFCN). This is only for temporary testing, should be unlocked afterwards. Note this frequency may change later.
• The initial SpaceX testing stage is good for testing your application works well with this satellite connection. After this in deployment you may wish to enable the normal automatic network selection mode where the module can connect to terrestrial (first priority) or satellite depending on network coverage and availability. In this case do not configure the module with the AT commands above that force it to satellite as mentioned above (see the “for later deployment” comments).
• Power consumption shall be higher to the SpaceX satellites compared to terrestrial. Generally for weaker signal scenarios, the RF TX shall be higher during active communication closer to Max. current specified in the HW manual, to make up for the longer distance to the weaker cell.