Engineering mode on Nokia mobile phones

Some mobile phone handsets have the ability to display engineering mode information, which is intended for network engineers' information. Of course, there are phone users who can't resist the temptation to look at the insides of what is happening (after all, you're reading this!).

How to enable this information display for the handsets that allow it differs from handset model to handset model, but the information they display is broadly the same.

For information about enabling engineering mode on some other handsets, see here, but to enable it on a Nokia, you need access to special software, such as LogoManager from http://www.logomanager.co.uk. You meddle with your phone's settings at your own risk!

What does it all mean?

This is for the Nokia 61nn series, and other models are similar. Please note that this information is not guaranteed to be correct.

Information on the display

Display 1 Current Cell

abbb ccc ddd 

 e ff g mmmm 

 nnn     ppp 

    oooo

HELP display

CH RxL TxPwr
TS TA RQ RLT
 C1      C2 
    CHT

H, if carrier numbers are scrolled when hopping is on, otherwise ' '.

bbb

When mobile is on TCH: DCH carrier number in decimal. When mobile is not on TCH: CH means carrier number in decimal. If hopping is on, used channels are scrolled when the display is updated.

ccc

rx level in dBm, minus sign not shown if <=-100

ddd

tx power level. If transmitter is on, symbol * is shown in front of the power level value.

Time Slot, range is 0 - 7

Timing advance, range is 0 - 63

rx quality (sub), range is 0 - 7

mmmm

Radio Link Timeout value. If value is negative, 0 is shown. Maximum value is 64. When mobile is not on TCH, xx is shown.

nnn

value of the path loss criterium (C1). Range is -99 - 999.

oooo

type of current channel
THR0 : TCH HR subchannel 0
THR1 : TCH HR subchannel 1
TFR : TCH FR
TEFR : TCH EFR
F144 : TCH FR data channel, speed 14.4 kbps
F96 : TCH FR data channel, speed 9.6 kbps
F72 : TCH FR data channel, speed 7.2 kbps
F48 : TCH FR data channel, speed 4.8 kbps
F24 : TCH FR data channel, speed 2.4 kbps
H480 : TCH HR data channel, speed 4.8 kbps, subch 0
H481 : TCH HR data channel, speed 4.8 kbps, subch 1
H240 : TCH HR data channel, speed 2.4 kbps, subch 0
H241 : TCH HR data channel, speed 2.4 kbps, subch 1
FA : TCH FR signalling only (FACCH) channel
FAH0 : TCH HR signalling only (FACCH) channel, subch 0
FAH1 : TCH HR signalling only (FACCH) channel, subch 1
SDCC : SDCCH
AGCH : AGCH
CCCH : CCCH
CBCH : CCCH and cell broadcast receiving on
BCCH : BCCH
SEAR : SEARCH
NSPS : MS is in No Serv Power Save state

ppp

value of the cell reselection criterium (C2). Range is -99 - 999. If phone is phase 1 then C1 value is shown.

Display 2 Current Cell

 aa b c Bdd
 ee f       
 ggg hh iii 
 H=j mm nn

Help Display

PM RAR Ro BC
RelR QLF    
CRO TO PenT 
H MAIO HSN

paging mode
NO : normal paging
EX : extended paging
RO : paging reorganization
SB : same as before

maximum number of Random Access retransmission

roaming indicator, values are R or empty.

Bdd

Letter B and BSIC value, range is 0 - 63.

Reason of last call release Cause from messages disconnect and release complete.

RX quality (full), range is 0 - 7

ggg

Cell reselect offset, range 0 - 126 dB. 0 - 63 * 2 dB. 'xxx' in active mode.

Temporary offset, range 0 - 60 dB. 0 - 7 * 10 dB. 70 dB means infinite time. 'xx' in active mode.

iii

Penalty time, range 0 - 620 s. 0 - 31 * 20 s. 'xxx' in active mode.

Hopping channel
0 Single RF channel
1 RF hopping channel

mobile allocation index offset, MAIO Range: 00 to 63 / xx when H=0

hopping sequence number, HSN Range: 00 to 63 / xx when H=0

Display 3 Serving Cell, 1st and 2nd neighbour

aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
aaabbbcccddd
    ef gh

Help Display

SCH C1 rx C2
1CH C1 rx C2
2CH C1 rx C2
    1N 2N

1st. row

current cell information

2nd. row

1st. neighbour information

3rd. row

2nd. neighbour information

4th. row, ef

1st. neighbour information

4th. row, gh

2nd. neighbour information

aaa

carrier number in decimal

bbb

C1 value, range is -99 - 999, displayed only in idle mode. Instead of C1 value, letter 'B' and BSIC value will be displayed in active mode.

ccc

rx level in dBm, minus sign not shown if <=-100

ddd

C2 value, range is -99 - 999

e,g

F is shown if cell is in a forbidden location area otherwise the location is empty.

f,h

B is Barred, N is normal priority and L is low priority otherwise the location is empty.

Display 4 - 3rd, 4th and 5th neighbour

As above

Display 5 - 6th, 7th and 8th neighbour

As above

Display 6 - Network selection display

This display shows the last registered network country code and network code as well as the codes for four forbidden networks and the first 3 preferred networks.

aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb
aaabb  aaabb

Help Display

LReg   1_For
1_Pre  2_For
2_Pre  3_For
3_Pre  4_For

1st. row

last registered network - 1st forbidden network

2nd. row

1st preferred network - 2nd forbidden network

3rd. row

2nd preferred network - 3rd forbidden network

4th. row

3rd preferred network - 4th forbidden network

aaa

country code coded in BCD

bbb

network code coded in BCD, third digit can be 'F'

Display 7 - System information bits for serving cell

E A H C I BR
a b c d e fg
ECSC 2Ter MB
  h    i   j

Help Display

Serving Cell
System Info 
System Info 
System Info

1 is shown if emergency calls are supported, otherwise 0

1 = attach-detach-procedure allowed

1 = half rate channels are supported

1 = C2 values are broadcast

1 = system information 7 and 8 are broadcast

1 = cell broadcast is supported

1 = re-establishment is supported

The following items are used only in dualband phones:

In idle mode 1 is shown if Early Classmark (ECSC) sending is supported. In dedicated mode (conversation) X is shown.

In idle mode 1 is shown if 2-Ter messages are supported. In dedicated mode (conversation) X is shown.

MultiBand reporting decimal value (0,1,2,3) is shown if supported. This is shown both in idle and dedicated mode.

From the GSM Phase II Specification:

0 (binary 00) Normal reporting of the six strongest cells, with known and allowed NCC part of BSIC, irrespective of the band used.

1 (binary 01) The MS shall report the strongest cell, with known and allowed NCC part of BSIC, in each of the frequency bands in the BA list, excluding the frequency band of the serving cell. The remaining positions in the measurement report shall be used for reporting of cells in the band of the serving cell. If there are still remaining positions, these shall be used to report the next strongest identified cells in the other bands irrespective of the band used.

2 (binary 10) The MS shall report the two strongest cells, with known and allowed NCC part of BSIC, in each of the frequency bands in the BA list, excluding the frequency band of the serving cell. The remaining positions in the measurement report shall be used for reporting of cells in the band of the serving cell. If there are still remaining positions, these shall be used to report the next strongest identified cells in the other bands irrespective of the band used.

3 (binary 11) The MS shall report the three strongest cells, with known and allowed NCC part of BSIC, in each of the frequency bands in the BA list, excluding the frequency band of the serving cell.The remaining positions in the measurement report shall be used for reporting of cells in the band of the serving cell. If there are still remaining positions, these shall be used to report the next strongest identified cells in the other bands irrespective of the band used.

Display 8 - not available

Display 9 - not available

Display 10 - Values of paging repeat period, TMSI, periodic location update timer, AFC and AGC

TMSIaaaaaaaa
T321:bbb/ccc
PRP:d  ee ff
 ggggg  hhh

aaaaaaaa

TMSI value in hex format

bbb

Current value of T3212 counter (range is 000 - 'ccc', where 1 means 6 min time. So, if this value is 2 less than 'ccc' then next periodic location updating will be made within 2 * 6 min = 12 minutes.

ccc

Timeout value of T3212 counter (range is 000 - 240, where 1 means 6 min time between location updates and 240 means 240 * 6 min = 24 h between location updates. 000 means that periodic location update is not in use.) This value is received from the network.

Value of paging repeat period (range is 2 - 9, when paging is in every second multiframe, mobile takes more current than if it were in every 9th multiframe)

Downlink signalling failure value. If value is negative, 0 is shown. Maximum value is 45. When mobile is on TCH then xx is shown.

Gain value on TCH/SDCCH, range is 0 - 93

ggggg

VCTCXO AFC DAC control, range is -1024 - 1023

hhh

Serving cell channel number

Display 11- Network parameters

CC:aaa NCbbb
 LAC:ccccc  
 CH : dddd  
 CID:eeeee

Help Display

 MCC    MNC 
LocAreaCode 
ServChannel 
   CellId

aaa

Mobile Country Code value in decimal

bbb

Mobile Network Code value in decimal Three digits are for PCN/DCS. In other systems only two digits are shown.

ccccc

Location Area Code value

dddd

Serving cell channel number

eeeee

Cell Identifier Note: LAC and CID may be in hex format, or both decimal and hexadecimal formats may be shown on the same line.

Display 12 - Ciphering, hopping, DTX status and IMSI

CIPHER :aaa 
HOPPING:bbb 
DTX    :ccc 
DTX    :ccc

Help Display

CipherValue 
HoppingValue
DTXValue    
IMSIAttach

aaa

ciphering value, OFF/A51/A52

bbb

hopping value, ON/OFF

ccc

DTX value ON/OFF

ddd

IMSI attach ON/OFF

These values are updated only on the TCH.

Display 13- Uplink DTX switching display

aaaaaaaaaa  
DTX(DEF):bbb
DTX(BS) :ccc
DTX    :ccc

Help Display

DTXMode     
DefaulDTXSta
DTXValFromBS

With this display it is possible to change MS to use DTX or not, if the BS allows the MS to decide it.

This display must be activated from MENU to change DTX state. When MENU is not active and the user is scrolling field test displays with NEXT and PREVIOUS, the DTX state will not change.

aaaaaaaaaa

status of switched mode.
DTX:ON MS uses DTX
DTX:OFF MS does not use DTX
DTX:DEF MS use default state of DTX. Defined in MS_PAR.H
NOTALLOWED: BS does not allow MS to decide if it uses DTX or not.

bbb

default state of DTX. Defined in MS_PAR.H The value is either ON or OFF

ccc

DTX value from BS
MAY : BS allows MS to decide if it uses dtx or not on uplink.
USE : BS controls MS to use dtx (on uplink)
NOT : BS controls MS not to use dtx (on uplink)

Display 14: Toggle Screening Indicator

This changes the value of Screening Indicator from 0 to 1 and vice versa.

Display 15 - not available

Display 16 - not available

Display 17: Switch BTS_TEST status

When BTS Test is ON, the mobile only searches one frequency and does no neighbour measurements.
When BTS Test is OFF, the mobile operates normally.

If BTS_TEST status is set on EEPROM each time the mobile sends a search list it uses only the carrier number stored on SIM SCM-location 33. Also the neighbour information from system information messages is ignored. If the BTS_TEST status is not set, then the value of SIM SCM-location 33 is ignored and the mobile behaves normally

To activate BTS tests perform following steps:
- Save desired channel number in SIM SCM-location 33.
- Select display 17 in execute mode
- Switch power off and on if activation succeeded, there is text "BTS TEST ON" in display 17.

To deactivate BTS tests either select display 17 in execute mode or save number 0 in SIM SCM-location 33 and switch power off and on.

NOTE The display does not show the value of BTS_TEST status in EEPROM. BTS test can be off with the value set to on. If there is not a legal carrier number in SIM location 33 (GSM: 1-124, DCS1800: 512-885) the display shows that BTS test is off. If the mobile was already registered to a carrier before switching BTS_TEST status, the display can show a different value from the one in EEPROM.

Display 18: Lights status control

If selected, lights are always on, otherwise light status is controlled by the User Interface

Display 19: Toggle Cell Barred Status

This test is meant to be used when some cells are tested prior taking them into commercial use. By setting the barring on in the base station normal GSM phones will not try to register these barred cells. By selecting cell barring reversed, the MS will only use the cells to be tested. However, normal network cell barring ignored can be set to allow the use of other cells. Display 19 will show the cell barring mode.

NOTE If a cell has been selected before barring state is changed the selected cell may have different barring state to what the display shows. After reselection the cell barring state is correct.

See also [ Enable Engineering Mode ] : [ Engineering Mode ]

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Technical : How it works : Engineering Mode : Nokia