Quectel BC95-GR-TE-B User manual

BC95-GR-TE-B
User Guide
NB-IoT Module Series
Version: 1.0
Date: 2020-11-17
Status: Released
www.quectel.com

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Quectel Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd.
Building 5, Shanghai Business Park Phase III (Area B), No.1016 Tianlin Road, Minhang District, Shanghai
200233, China
Tel: [phone]
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information. All information supplied herein is subject to change without prior notice.
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While Quectel has made efforts to ensure that the functions and features under development are free
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Copyright
The information contained here is proprietary technical information of Quectel wireless solutions co., ltd.
Transmitting, reproducing, disseminating and editing this document as well as using the content without
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the event of a patent grant or registration of a utility model or design.
Copyright © Quectel Wireless Solutions Co., Ltd. 2020. All rights reserved.

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About the Document
Revision History
Version
Date
Author
Description
-
2020-11-10
Glenn GE/
Jerry WANG
Creation of the document
1.0
2020-11-17
Glenn GE/
Jerry WANG
First official release

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Contents
About the Document...................................................................................................................................3
Contents.......................................................................................................................................................4
Table Index...................................................................................................................................................5
Figure Index.................................................................................................................................................6
1Introduction..........................................................................................................................................7
1.1. Safety Information......................................................................................................................8
2Product Concept..................................................................................................................................9
2.1. Key Features .............................................................................................................................9
2.2. Functional Diagram.................................................................................................................. 11
2.3. Interface Distribution Diagram.................................................................................................12
2.4. Arduino Interface Definition.....................................................................................................14
3Operation Procedures.......................................................................................................................15
3.1. Operation Procedures with Single Board................................................................................15
3.1.1. Interface Diagram...........................................................................................................15
3.1.2. Operation Procedures....................................................................................................16
3.2. Operation Procedures with Multi-boards.................................................................................17
3.2.1. Interface Diagram...........................................................................................................17
3.2.2. Operation Procedures....................................................................................................19
3.2.3. Description of Pin Connection........................................................................................19
4Electrical Performance & Reliability................................................................................................21
4.1. Absolute Maximum Ratings.....................................................................................................21
4.2. Operating and Storage Temperatures.....................................................................................21
5Mechanical Dimensions....................................................................................................................23
5.1. Mechanical Dimensions of BC95-GR-TE-B............................................................................23
5.2. Top and Bottom Views of BC95-GR-TE-B...............................................................................24
6BC95-GR-TE-B Kit and Accessories................................................................................................25
6.1. BC95-GR-TE-B Kit...................................................................................................................25
6.2. BC95-GR-TE-B Kit Accessories..............................................................................................26
7Appendix References........................................................................................................................27

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Table Index
Table 1: Key Features of BC95-GR-TE-B.................................................................................................... 9
Table 2: Interfaces of BC95-GR-TE-B........................................................................................................12
Table 3: Pin Connection Between BC95-GR-TE-B and STM32-L476RG MCU........................................19
Table 4: Absolute Maximum Ratings..........................................................................................................21
Table 5: Operating and Storage Temperatures..........................................................................................21
Table 6: Accessories List............................................................................................................................26
Table 7: Related Document........................................................................................................................27
Table 8: Terms and Abbreviations..............................................................................................................27

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Figure Index
Figure 1: Functional Diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B .......................................................................................11
Figure 2: Interface Distribution Diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B......................................................................12
Figure 3: Arduino Interface Definition.........................................................................................................14
Figure 4: Interface Diagram of Using BC95-GR-TE-BAlone.....................................................................15
Figure 5: UART Ports Displayed on PC.....................................................................................................16
Figure 6: Interface Diagram of Using Multi-boards....................................................................................17
Figure 7: STM32 Nucleo-64 Interface Diagram (Top View).......................................................................18
Figure 8: STM32 Nucleo-64 Modification Diagram (Bottom View)............................................................18
Figure 9: ST-LINK Interface Displayed on PC...........................................................................................19
Figure 10: Pin Connection Between BC95-GR-TE-B and STM32-L476RG MCU....................................20
Figure 11: Dimensions of BC95-GR-TE-B (Top View)...............................................................................23
Figure 12: Top View of BC95-GR-TE-B.....................................................................................................24
Figure 13: Bottom View of BC95-GR-TE-B................................................................................................24
Figure 14: BC95-GR-TE-B Kit Assembly...................................................................................................25
Figure 15: BC95-GR-TE-B and Accessories .............................................................................................26

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1Introduction
To help you develop applications with Quectel BC95-GR module conveniently, Quectel supplies a
corresponding development board (BC95-GR-TE-B) to test the module. This document helps you quickly
understand BC95-GR-TE-B interface specifications, electrical and mechanical details and know how to
use it.

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1.1. Safety Information
The following safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation, such as usage, service
or repair of any cellular terminal or mobile incorporating the module. Manufacturers of the cellular terminal
should notify users and operating personnel of the following safety information by incorporating these
guidelines into all manuals of the product. Otherwise, Quectel assumes no liability for customers’ failure to
comply with these precautions.
Full attention must be paid to driving at all times in order to reduce the risk of an
accident. Using a mobile while driving (even with a handsfree kit) causes
distraction and can lead to an accident. Please comply with laws and regulations
restricting the use of wireless devices while driving.
Switch off the cellular terminal or mobile before boarding an aircraft. The operation
of wireless appliances in an aircraft is forbidden to prevent interference with
communication systems. If there is an Airplane Mode, it should be enabled prior to
boarding an aircraft. Please consult the airline staff for more restrictions on the use
of wireless devices on an aircraft.
Wireless devices may cause interference on sensitive medical equipment, so
please be aware of the restrictions on the use of wireless devices when in
hospitals, clinics or other healthcare facilities.
Cellular terminals or mobiles operating over radio signal and cellular network
cannot be guaranteed to connect in certain conditions, such as when the mobile bill
is unpaid or the (U)SIM card is invalid. When emergency help is needed in such
conditions, use emergency call if the device supports it. In order to make or receive
a call, the cellular terminal or mobile must be switched on in a service area with
adequate cellular signal strength. In an emergency, the device with emergency call
function cannot be used as the only contact method considering network
connection cannot be guaranteed under all circumstances.
The cellular terminal or mobile contains a transceiver. When it is ON, it receives
and transmits radio frequency signals. RF interference can occur if it is used close
to TV sets, radios, computers or other electric equipment.
In locations with explosive or potentially explosive atmospheres, obey all posted
signs and turn off wireless devices such as mobile phone or other cellular
terminals. Areas with explosive or potentially explosive atmospheres include
fuelling areas, below decks on boats, fuel or chemical transfer or storage facilities,
and areas where the air contains chemicals or particles such as grain, dust or
metal powders.

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2Product Concept
BC95-GR-TE-B is an NB-IoT development board which supports Arduino interfaces. Designed in
70.0 mm × 74.0 mm × 1.6 mm form factor, BC95-GR-TE-B can be used to develop and debug
applications which communicate with mobile network operators’ infrastructure equipment through NB-IoT
radio protocols (3GPP Rel-13 and Rel-14).
2.1. Key Features
Table 1: Key Features of BC95-GR-TE-B
Features
Details
Power Supply
USB interface:
Supply voltage: 4.75-5.25 V
Typical supply voltage: 5.0 V
Arduino interface:
Supply voltage: 4.75-5.25 V
Typical supply voltage: 5.0 V
External power supply interface:
Supply voltage: 5.0 V
Transmitting Power
23 dBm ±2 dB
Temperature Range
⚫Operating temperature: -25 °C to +75 °C 1)
⚫Extended temperature: -40 °C to +85 °C 2)
⚫Storage temperature: -40 °C to +90 °C
USIM Interface
Supports 1.8/3.0 V external USIM card
UART Switch
Switches communication objects of the main UART of the BC95-GR
module
USB-UART Interface
Currently supports two UART ports:
Main UART (USB Serial Converter A):
⚫Transmits data (including AT commands)
⚫The default baud rate is 9600 bps
Debug UART (USB Serial Converter C):
⚫Obtains underlying logs through software debugging with
CoolWatcher, a debugging tool

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⚫Upgrades software with QFlash
⚫The default baud rate is 921600 bps
Arduino Interfaces
Connect with STM32 Nucleo-64 development board
RESET Button
Resets the BC95-GR module
Physical Characteristics
Size: (70.0 ±0.15) mm ×(74.0 ±0.15) mm ×(1.6 ±0.15) mm
Firmware Upgrade
Upgrades firmware via Debug UART and DFOTA
Antenna Interface
Connects to an antenna pad with 50 Ω impedance control
SMS*
Text and PDU mode
1. 1) Within the operating temperature range, the module meets 3GPP specifications.
2. 2) Within the extended temperature range, the module keeps the ability to establish and maintain
functions such as SMS and data transmission, without any unrecoverable malfunction. Radio
spectrum and radio network will not be influenced, while one or more specifications, such as Pout,
may undergo a reduction in value, exceeding the specified tolerances of 3GPP. When the
temperature returns to the operating temperature range, the module will meet 3GPP specifications
again.
3. “*” means under development.
NOTES

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2.2. Functional Diagram
The following figure shows the functional diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B.
BC95-GR
U101
VDD_EXT
Micro USB
J301 USB-UART
Bridge
U301
Switch
J302
J308
DC-DC
U201
USIM
J303
RF
J304
J306
Arduino
LDO U202
Voltage-
level
Translator
U303
Power
J206
Figure 1: Functional Diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B

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2.3. Interface Distribution Diagram
The following figure shows the interface distribution diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B.
J308
J102
J106
J206
J302
J307
S102
J303
J304
J301
D203
J306
J103
D304
J305
J111
Figure 2: Interface Distribution Diagram of BC95-GR-TE-B
The table below lists the interfaces of BC95-GR-TE-B with descriptions.
Table 2: Interfaces of BC95-GR-TE-B
Interface
Reference No.
Description
Power Supply Interfaces
J301
USB power supply interface
J306
Arduino power supply interface

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J206
External power supply interface
USB-UART Interface
J301
Supports two UART ports
USIM Interface
J303
Micro USIM card connector
Arduino Interfaces
J305, J306,
J307, J308
Standard Arduino interfaces
RF Antenna Interface
J304
RF SMA connector
UART Switch
J302
Switches the communication objects of BC95-GR’s
main UART: “MAIN UART TO USB” or “MAIN UART TO
MCU”
RESET Button
S102
Resets the BC95-GR module
Power Indicator
D203
Indicates the power status
Network Indicator
D304
Indicates the network status
Test Points
J102, J103,
J106, J111
Test the basic functionalities of the BC95-GR module

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2.4. Arduino Interface Definition
The following figure shows the Arduino interface definition of BC95-GR-TE-B.
MCU_TX
MCU_RX
GND
RESET_N
+5V
GND GND
RI
Figure 3: Arduino Interface Definition
hy

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3Operating Procedures
This Chapter mainly illustrates the two operating procedures of BC95-GR-TE-B:
⚫You can use BC95-GR-TE-B alone to upgrade firmware and debug BC95-GR-based NB-IoT
applications;
⚫You can also use it together with an STM32 Nucleo-64 development board via the Arduino interface
to develop STM32-based NB-IoT applications.
3.1. Single Board
This section elaborates the operating procedure of using the BC95-GR-TE-B alone.
3.1.1. Interface Diagram
J301
J304
J303
S102
J302
Figure 4: Interface Diagram of Using BC95-GR-TE-B Alone

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3.1.2. Operating Procedure
1. Install a USB-UART driver. You can download it from the following address:
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm .
2. Insert a Micro USIM card into J303, and choose an appropriate USIM card according to different
hardware versions of the BC95-GR module.
3. Connect a rod antenna with the SMAconnector on J304 (RF antenna connector).
4. Switch J302 (UART Switch) to “MAIN UART TO USB” state.
5. Connect J301 to a PC via a Micro USB cable. When BC95-GR-TE-B is connected to the computer,
UART information is shown on the “Device Manager” of the PC. “USB Serial Port (COM154)”
(corresponding to “USB Serial Converter A”) is connected to the main UART of BC95-GR and can be
used for AT command communication and data transmission. “USB Serial Port (COM156)”
(corresponding to “USB Serial Converter C”) is connected to the debug UART of BC95-GR and can
be used for debugging, debug log output and firmware upgrade. For details of port configuration, see
document [1].
Figure 5: UART Ports Displayed on PC
In this procedure, you can use S102 to reset the module.
NOTE

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3.2. Multi-boards
This section elaborates the operating procedure of using the BC95-GR-TE-B in conjunction with an
STM32 Nucleo-64 development board.
3.2.1. Interface Diagram
J308
J301
J305
J303
J304
S102
J306 J307
J302
Figure 6: Interface Diagram of Using Multi-boards

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Figure 7: STM32 Nucleo-64 Interface Diagram (Top View)
Figure 8: STM32 Nucleo-64 Modification Diagram (Bottom View)
CN6
CN5
CN8
CN9
CN1
CN2
2J2
03
JP6
JP5
SB62
SB13 SB14
SB63

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3.2.2. Operating Procedure
1. Install a driver for the STM32 Nucleo-64 development board. You can download it from the following
address:
http://www.st.com/content/st_com/en/products/evaluation-tools/product-evaluation-tools/mcu-eval-to
ols/stm32-mcu-eval-tools/stm32-mcu-nucleo/nucleo-l476rg.html.
2. Install a USB-UART driver. You can download it from the following address:
http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm .
3. Remove two 0-ohm resistors of SB13 and SB14 with soldering iron, and solder them onto SB62 and
SB63 respectively.
4. Short-circuit pin 1 and pin 2 of CN2, pin 3 and pin 4 of CN2, pin 1 and pin 2 of JP5, and pin 1 and pin
2 of JP6 respectively.
5. Insert a Micro USIM card into J303, and choose an appropriate USIM card according to hardware
versions of BC95-GR module.
6. Connect a rod antenna with SMA connector on J304 (RF antenna connector).
7. Switch J302 (UART Switch) to the “MAIN UART TO MCU” state.
8. Connect the Arduino interfaces to the STM32 Nucleo-64 development board by connecting J305,
J306, J307 and J308 of BC95-GR-TE-B to CN5, CN6, CN8 and CN9 respectively.
9. Connect CN1 of the STM32 Nucleo-64 development board to a PC via a Mini USB cable. When the
BC95-GR module is powered on, device information is shown on the “Device Manager” of the PC.
Figure 9: ST-LINK Interface Displayed on PC
3.2.3. Description of Pin Connection
The table below shows the pin connection between BC95-GR-TE-B and STM32-L476RG MCU.
Table 3: Pin Connection Between BC95-GR-TE-B and STM32-L476RG MCU
No.
MCU
(Morpho)
Arduino
BC95-GR-TE-B
Description
1
PA2
D1
CN9-2
MCU_TX
Connects to the RX of the
main UART