US Robotics Courier USR3500 User manual

Courier M2M 3G Cellular Modem
USR3500
Getting Started
R24.0796.00

Important Notice
Due to the nature of wireless communications, transmission and reception of data can
never be guaranteed. Data may be delayed, corrupted (i.e., have errors) or be totally
lost. Although significant delays or losses of data are rare when wireless devices are
used in a normal manner with a well-constructed network, the modem should not be
used in situations where failure to transmit or receive data could result in damage of any
kind to the user or any other party, including but not limited to personal injury, death, or
loss of property. Neither Sierra Wireless nor USRobotics accepts any responsibility for
damages of any kind resulting from delays or errors in data transmitted or received
using the modem, or for failure of the modem to transmit or receive such data.
Safety and Hazards
Do not operate the modem in areas where cellular modems are not advised without
proper device certifications. These areas include environments where cellular radio can
interfere such as explosive atmospheres, medical equipment, or any other equipment
which may be susceptible to any form of radio interference. The modem can transmit
signals that could interfere with this equipment. Do not operate the modem in any
aircraft, whether the aircraft is on the ground or in flight. In aircraft, the modem MUST
BE POWERED OFF. When operating, the modem can transmit signals that could
interfere with various onboard systems.
Note: Some airlines may permit the use of cellular phones while the aircraft is on the ground and the door is
open. Modems may be used at this time.
The driver or operator of any vehicle should not operate the modem while in control of a
vehicle. Doing so will detract from the driver or operator’s control and operation of that
vehicle. In some states and provinces, operating such communications devices while in
control of a vehicle may be an offence.
Limitations of Liability
This manual is provided “as is”. Neither Sierra Wireless nor USRobotics makes any
warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including any implied warranties of
merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement. The recipient of the
manual shall endorse all risks arising from its use.
The information in this manual is subject to change without notice and does not
represent a commitment on the part of Sierra Wireless or USRobotics. EACH OF
SIERRA WIRELESS AND USROBOTICS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES
SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ANY AND ALL DIRECT, INDIRECT,
SPECIAL, GENERAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY
DAMAGES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF PROFITS OR REVENUE
OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR REVENUE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OR

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INABILITY TO USE ANY SIERRA WIRELESS PRODUCT, EVEN IF SIERRA
WIRELESS AND/OR USROBOTICS AND/OR THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES
HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES OR THEY ARE
FORESEEABLE OR FOR CLAIMS BY ANY THIRD PARTY.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall Sierra Wireless or USRobotics and/or
their respective affiliates aggregate liability arising under or in connection with the Sierra
Wireless/ USRobotic product, regardless of the number of events, occurrences, or
claims giving rise to liability, be in excess of the price paid by the purchaser for the
Sierra Wireless /USRobotics product.
Customer understands that neither Sierra Wireless nor USRobotics is providing cellular
or GPS (including A-GPS) services. These services are provided by a third party and
should be purchased directly by the Customer.

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SPECIFIC DISCLAIMERS OF LIABILITY: CUSTOMER RECOGNIZES AND
ACKNOWLEDGES SIERRA WIRELESS IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR AND SHALL
NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY DEFECT OR DEFICIENCY OF ANY KIND OF
CELLULAR OR GPS (INCLUDING A-GPS) SERVICES.
Patents
This product may contain technology developed by or for Sierra Wireless, Inc.
This product includes technology licensed from QUALCOMM®.
This product is manufactured or sold by Sierra Wireless, Inc. or its affiliates under one
or more patents licensed from InterDigital Group and MMP Portfolio Licensing.
Copyright
© 2014 USRobotics. All rights reserved.
Trademarks
USRobotics®, CourierTM and the USRobotics logo are registered trademarks of
USRobotics.
Sierra Wireless®, AirPrime®, AirLink®, AirVantage®and the Sierra Wireless logo are
registered trademarks of Sierra Wireless.
Windows®is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
QUALCOMM®is a registered trademark of QUALCOMM Incorporated. Used under
license.
Other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contact Information
Web:
http://www.usr.com/contact
Consult our website for up-to-date product descriptions, documentation, application
notes, firmware upgrades, and troubleshooting tips: http://www.usr.com/support/3500

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Document History
Version
Date
Updates
1.0
9/25/13
Creation
1.1
11/1/2013
First review edits

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Contents
CONTENTS ...............................................................................................................6
LIST OF FIGURES.....................................................................................................9
LIST OF TABLES....................................................................................................10
1. OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................11
2. PACKAGING......................................................................................................12
2.1. Contents....................................................................................................12
2.2. Accessories...............................................................................................12
2.2.1. Antenna.............................................................................................12
2.2.2. Serial Data Cable..............................................................................13
2.2.3. Two Mounting Brackets.....................................................................13
2.2.4. Power Supply....................................................................................14
3. HARDWARE.......................................................................................................16
3.1. Overall Dimensions ...................................................................................16
3.2. Connections ..............................................................................................17
3.3. Interfaces...................................................................................................17
3.3.1. External Interfaces............................................................................17
3.3.2. Internal Expansion Interface .............................................................17
3.4. Environmental Compliance........................................................................18
3.4.1. RoHS Directive Compliant ................................................................18
3.4.2. Disposing of the Product...................................................................18
4. FEATURES ........................................................................................................19
4.1. Features....................................................................................................19
4.2. Supported Bands.......................................................................................20
4.3. Expansion Interface...................................................................................20
4.4. Over-Voltage and Over-Current Protection ...............................................21
4.4.1. Power Supply Input...........................................................................21
4.4.2. Electrostatic Discharge .....................................................................21
4.4.3. Main Serial Port ................................................................................21
5. USING THE USR3500........................................................................................22
5.1. Mounting the USR3500.............................................................................22

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5.2. Setup.........................................................................................................23
5.2.1. Inserting the SIM Card......................................................................24
5.2.2. Extracting the SIM Card....................................................................25
5.3. Operational Status.....................................................................................26
6. COMMUNICATING WITH THE USR3500..........................................................28
6.1. Communications Testing...........................................................................28
6.2. Verifying the Received Signal Strength.....................................................29
6.3. Verifying the Network Registration ............................................................29
6.4. Checking the Band Selection ....................................................................30
6.5. Switching Bands........................................................................................31
6.6. Checking the PIN Code Status..................................................................33
6.7. Echo Function ...........................................................................................33
6.8. Enabling/Disabling the Flash LED.............................................................33
6.9. Firmware Upgrade Procedure...................................................................34
6.10. Main AT Commands for the USR3500....................................................34
6.11. IP Data Connection .................................................................................35
7. TROUBLESHOOTING THE USR3500...............................................................36
7.1. No Communications with the USR3500 through the Serial Port................36
7.2. Receiving “ERROR” ..................................................................................37
7.3. Receiving “NO CARRIER”.........................................................................37
8. USR3500 ACCESSORIES .................................................................................40
8.1. Optional Accessories.................................................................................40
8.1.1. 6-wire Cable Accessory ....................................................................40
8.1.2. GPS Antenna....................................................................................41
9. SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................42
9.1. General Safety ..........................................................................................42
9.2. RF Safety ..................................................................................................44
9.2.1. General.............................................................................................44
9.2.2. Exposure to RF Energy.....................................................................44
9.2.3. Efficient Modem Operation................................................................44
9.3. Vehicle Safety ...........................................................................................44
9.4. Care and Maintenance..............................................................................45
9.5. Your Responsibility....................................................................................45

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10.REFERENCE DOCUMENTS..............................................................................46
10.1. Firmware Documentation ........................................................................46
10.2. Ethernet Card Documentation.................................................................46
10.3. Firmware Upgrade Documentation..........................................................46
11.LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...............................................................................47
12.PRODUCT LABELING.......................................................................................50

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List of Figures
Figure 1. Mounting Bracket Dimensions................................................................13
Figure 2. USR3500................................................................................................16
Figure 3. Mounting Brackets..................................................................................22
Figure 4. Mounting the Modem..............................................................................22

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Overview
List of Tables
Table 1. Included contents with the USR3500.......................................................12
Table 2. Antenna Description ................................................................................12
Table 3. Serial Data Cable Description..................................................................13
Table 4. Power Supply Description........................................................................14
Table 5. USR3500 Physical Dimensions...............................................................16
Table 6. USR3500 Basic Features........................................................................19
Table 7. Basic AT Commands to Use with the USR3500......................................29
Table 8. <rssi> Value Description..........................................................................29
Table 9. AT+CREG? Main Reponses....................................................................29
Table 10. AT+WMBS? Main Reponses..................................................................30
Table 11. AT+WUBS? Main Reponses..................................................................30
Table 12. AT+WWSM? Main Reponses.................................................................31
Table 13. AT+WMBS Band Selection ....................................................................31
Table 14. AT+WUBS Band Selection.....................................................................32
Table 15. AT+WWSM Cellular Network Setting.....................................................32
Table 16. AT+CPIN Main Responses ....................................................................33
Table 17. Main AT Commands used for the USR3500 ..........................................34
Table 18. No Communications with the USR3500 Through the Serial Port ...........36
Table 19. Receiving a “No Carrier” Message .........................................................38
Table 20. Extended Error Codes............................................................................38
Table 21. 6-wire Cable Accessory Description.......................................................40
Table 22. 6-Wire Cable Accessory Color Coding...................................................40
Table 23. GPS Antenna Description.......................................................................41

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Overview
1. Overview
The USR3500 is a programmable modem bundled with our USRobotics Courier M2M
Open AT application. The USR3500 industrial grade USB and serial modem supports
penta-band 3G HSPA+ with dual antenna receive diversity and quad band 2G
GSM/GPRS/EDGE. It offers audio capabilities, GPS, digital I/O, and an expansion card
interface that accepts an Ethernet adaptor card (available separately).
The Courier M2M Open AT application is a robust software platform that enables the
modem to communicate with remote servers and hosts without the need of an intelligent
host controlling the modem. Key features include cellular module control, bearer
management, device management, GPS device control, and asset tracking
functionality.
The USR3500 is capable of integrating with many leading cloud application and
management services. Refer to http://www.usr.com/support/3500 for details.
For information regarding programming capabilities available through the Courier M2M
application, refer to the Courier M2M Application Guide at
http://www.usr.com/support/3500.

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Packaging
2. Packaging
2.1. Contents
The table below summarizes the list of items delivered with the USR3500.
Table 1. Included contents with the USR3500
Standard Package
Penta Band Antenna
Universal Power Supply
Serial Data Cable
Mounting Brackets
Quick Installation Guide
2.2. Accessories
This section describes the standard accessories included with the USR3500.
2.2.1. Antenna
Table 2. Antenna Description
Antenna Size W x L x H (18.4 x 8.0 x 49.5mm)
Frequency Range supported: 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 /
2100 MHz
Connector SMA (Male)
Refer to Chapter 8 USR3500 Accessories for more information.

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Packaging
2.2.2. Serial Data Cable
Table 3. Serial Data Cable Description
Length: 1.5M
Connection: DB9F (PC) to HD15M
2.2.3. Two Mounting Brackets
Please refer to section 5.1 Mounting the USR3500 for more information regarding the
mounting brackets.
Figure 1. Mounting Bracket Dimensions

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Packaging
2.2.4. Power Supply
Table 4. Power Supply Description

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Packaging
Input Voltage 100-240VAC
Output Voltage 12VDC
Output Current 2.08A, No Minimum Load required
Output Power (Rated) 25W MAX

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Hardware
3. Hardware
3.1. Overall Dimensions
Table 5. USR3500 Physical Dimensions
Length
89 mm
Width
60 mm
Thickness
30 mm
Weight
125g
Figure 2. USR3500

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Hardware
3.2. Connections
10-pin Micro-Fit Power Supply Connector
USB Interface
15-pin Sub-D Serial Interface
SIM Interface
Antenna Interface
SMA Main
SMA Diversity
GPS
3.3. Interfaces
3.3.1. External Interfaces
Power Supply
3V/1V8 SIM Interface
USB Device Interface
Serial Port (UART1)
ON/OFF
1 Interrupt (multiplexed in the Microfit connector)
Reset
Audio Interface
2 GPIOs
LED Status Indicator
3.3.2. Internal Expansion Interface
1 Secondary Serial Port (UART2)
6 GPIOs
2 SPI Bus
1 ADC
1 PCM
1 Interrupt
Reset access to the embedded module
2.8V supply from the USR3500

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Hardware
4V supply from the USR3500
2.8V Digital supply from the embedded module
1.8V Digital supply from the embedded module
Access to 4.75 to 32V DC-IN
3.4. Environmental Compliance
3.4.1. RoHS Directive Compliant
The USR3500 is compliant with RoHS Directive 2011/65/EC which
sets limits for the use of certain restricted hazardous substances.
This directive states that “from 1st July 2006, new electrical and
electronic equipment put on the market does not contain lead,
mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated
biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)”.
3.4.2. Disposing of the Product
This electronic product is subject to the EU Directive 2002/96/EC for
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). As such, this
product must not be disposed of at a municipal waste collection point.
Please refer to local regulations for directions on how to dispose of this
product in an environmental friendly manner.

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4. Features
This section details the features available on the USR3500.
4.1. Features
Refer to the table below for the list of basic features available on the USR3500.
Table 6. USR3500 Basic Features
Features
Description
Courier M2M Open
AT Application
AT command programmable
Allows standalone operation
Platform for embedded applications
HTTP
SMS
Email
GPS
Standard
850MHz / 900 MHz
E-GSM compliant
Output power: class 4 (2W)
Fully compliant with ETSI GSM
phase 2 + normal MS
1800 MHz / 1900MHz
Output power: class 1 (1W)
Fully compliant with ETSI GSM
phase 2 + normal MS
GPRS
Class 10
Class 12
PBCCH support
Coding schemes: CS1 to CS4
Compliant with SMG31bis
Embedded TCP/IP stack
EGPRS
Class 10
Class 12
PBCCH support
Coding schemes: MCS1 to MCS9
Compliant with SMG31bis
Embedded TCP/IP stack
Interface
RS232 (V.24/V.28) Serial interface supporting:
Baud rate (bits/s): 300, 600, 1200, 2400, 4800, 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600,
115200, 230400, 460800 and 921600
Autobauding (bits/s): from 1200 to 921600
2 General Purpose Input/Output gates (GPIOs) available
1.8 V / 3 V SIM interface
AT command set based on V.25ter and GSM 07.05 & 07.07

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Features
Features
Description
SMS
Text & PDU
POINT TO POINT (MT/MO)
Cell broadcast
Data
Data circuit asynchronous
Transparent and Non Transparent modes
Up to 14,400 bits/s
MNP Class 2 error correction
V42.bis data compression
UMTS Data
Transfer
BAND I, II, V, VI, VIII (2100/1900/850/800/900) up to 384kbits/s
HSXPA
BAND I, II, V, VI, VIII (2100/1900/850/800/900)
HSDPA Cat 10 up to 14.4Mbits/s
HSUPA Cat 6 up to 5.76Mbits/s
Audio
Echo cancellation
Noise reduction
Full Rate, Enhanced Full Rate, Half Rate operation and Adaptive Multi-Rate
(FR/EFR/HR/AMR)
Dual Tone Multi Frequency function (DTMF).
4.2. Supported Bands
The USR3500 is a quad band EGSM900/DCS1800/GSM850/PCS1900 that also
supports penta band UMTS/HSPA (WCDMA-FDD) 2100/1900/850/800/900 (Band I, II,
V, VI and VIII). Band selection is done automatically without having to switch manually
using AT commands.
Refer to sections 6.4 Checking the Band Selection and 6.5 Switching Bands for more
information regarding switching bands.
4.3. Expansion Interface
The USR3500 offers a 50-pin expansion interface. It is an additional interface for
customers who wish to expand their application features by simply plugging in a card
through the mating connector of the interface.
Refer to the Reference Guide at http://www.usr.com/support/3500 for more information
about the expansion card supported by the USR3500.