Sierra Wireless HL7800: APN and network setup with an IoT SIM

Updated 27 October 2026

The Sierra Wireless HL7800 is a cellular module for LTE-M and NB-IoT; it also has GNSS. With an IoT SIM, you set the APN, then check that the module is registered, at home or in roaming. The commands below are the standard ones of 3GPP TS 27.007. The HL78xx AT command guide requires a login on the Sierra Wireless developer site. A public Semtech application note names AT+KSELACQ (automatic technology management, recommended) and AT+KSRAT (manual switching) for choosing LTE-M or NB-IoT.

Key facts

Sierra Wireless describes it as	HL7800 LPWA Module (LTE-M and NB-IoT)
Radio technologies	LTE-M, NB-IoT
2G fallback	no
GNSS	yes
Form factor	CF3 LGA, 15 × 18 × 2.4 mm
Variants and regions	Global; carrier certifications listed by the maker include AT&T, Verizon, Rogers, Telus, NTT Docomo, KDDI, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Telstra and Spark
Power saving	PSM: yes; eDRX: yes

The HL78 product pages are on sierrawireless.com, now part of Semtech.

Source: Sierra Wireless, HL7800 product page. Checked 27 October 2026.

Set the APN

The standard 3GPP command defines the APN of PDP context 1:

AT+CGDCONT=1,"IP","<apn>"

Source: 3GPP TS 27.007. Check Sierra Wireless's AT command manual for the context number this module uses.

Replace <apn> with the APN shown in your M2M.global account: the internet APN, or your private APN.

Check that it works

AT+CPIN?        SIM ready? expect +CPIN: READY
AT+CEREG?       LTE registration: stat 1 = home network, 5 = roaming
AT+COPS?        network the module is using
AT+CGDCONT?     APN actually configured

An IoT SIM that works in many countries is often registered in roaming: +CEREG: 0,5 is a valid, working registration. Firmware that waits only for status 1 (home network) never goes online on such a SIM. Status values come from 3GPP TS 27.007.

To save battery, request PSM with AT+CPSMS and eDRX with AT+CEDRXS (3GPP TS 27.007); the network decides which timers it grants.

Networks and shutdowns

LTE-M and NB-IoT run on 4G networks, but not every operator offers them, and roaming on them depends on agreements between operators. Check the coverage by country before you deploy.
No 2G or 3G dependency: the HL7800 is not affected by 2G and 3G shutdowns.
Private delivery works with any module: the privacy is in the network path, not in the device. See private delivery.

The SIM: IoT SIM cards and IoT eSIM. All commands explained: AT commands.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Sierra Wireless HL7800 support LTE-M and NB-IoT?

Sierra Wireless states both for the HL7800: LTE-M and NB-IoT.

Does the Sierra Wireless HL7800 fall back to 2G?

No. The HL7800 has no 2G fallback, so 2G shutdowns do not affect it.

Why does my HL7800 show +CEREG: 0,5?

Status 5 means registered in roaming, a normal working state for an IoT SIM that uses partner networks. Treat it like status 1 (home network) in your firmware.