Distinguised @FranklyFlawless hows looking on Gnu Crimson this part?
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To install the app: sudo apt install bm818-tools
(for some reason the package name is in the plural, but the app label, once installed, is in the singular: (“BM818 Tool.”)
To upgrade the modem’s firmware to the September 2022 version, Support has said to contact them for instructions, but as they’re so busy lately… Someone (@lakei ) posted the instructions here recently. (I just checked and verified that the package names to be downloaded from Purism’s site are still the same.) [EDIT: Don’t do this without first contacting Purism Support for correct/latest instructions.]
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(I think) the reason is because originally there were two apps under the same package but were later merged into one.
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@Brad , if, after installing BM818 Tool and launching it, you see the following 20220930 firmware version, then you’re already running the latest firmware. No need to do anything further. [EDIT: To clarify for anyone visiting this comment in the future, that date is the date of the most recent modem firmware at this time, and the rest of the string may vary, based on the applicable region. I think it’s best to first check with Purism Support for the latest info.]
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The Firmware Version value is truncated regardless of what scaling is used on Crimson, and the string itself is different than the one provided by bm818-tools, so refer to the latter for an authoritative source.
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Thank you.
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Thank you everyone. Basically I was trying to get around installing bm818 tools, but that is clearly not going to fly. I’ll get to this this afternoon and see what it gives me
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I have installed the bm818 tool and it is telling me my FW as in the pic attached.
It gets confusing here. This is slightly different to what is current, as listed above, however, in this thread:VoLTE in Australia someone mentions that they updated their FW in April which is the same as mine.
I’m not sure if I should try and update or see if what I have is satisfactory.
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You have the latest modem firmware version for your region variant. For future reference, you can use GNOME Screenshot to capture the entire screen, or a section of it:
sudo apt install gnome-screenshot
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Thanks. I’m posting off my tablet, not my phone, hence my photo.
I just reflashed the modem as per instructions to the firmware that was indicated to be the latest above. Will it matter?
It look like I could roll it back if I needed to from that flashing tool as I had a choice of FW versions. The attached pic is where I’m at.
Should I just leave it now?
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So after installing the “latest” FW I had no mobile reception with a message telling me I had no modem account. So I bit the bullet (after wondering why I even touched it!), and rolled it back to where it was. Fortunately for me things seem to have reverted back to where I was.
So, I’m hearing that my current FW is the latest for my region which was obviously Australia as I referenced that Australian Volte thread.
While I have been helped a lot on this forum this episode tells me to just wait before going too early.
Hopefully I’m fine now to try volte when it comes along.
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As mentioned earlier, you already had the latest modem firmware version for your region variant. You can verify this by the second string value:
1CMD_B227
The modem firmware you installed after was for the North American variant, which has this within its second string value:
1ACD_B325
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That’s what I’m back to now.
Thanks for your assistance!
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I’ve crossed out the link to the instructions I copied to this thread. Better to contact Support for guidance when/if upgrading the modem firmware.
As @FranklyFlawless said, you already had the latest firmware. You then installed a different firmware. 
The flash tool asks one to choose the proper region for the modem in use. Australia requires the T1 “Asia/Oceania” firmware version.
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Excuse me? Are you reading the correct thread?
I updated the firmware after YOU posted a screenshot of the incorrect FW for my region. Foolishly I then updated my FW assuming you were giving me correct information. THEN @FranklyFlawless informed me thàt I had the correct FW all along. I didn’t do it after. Why would I? Then I rolled it back.
If you’re going to try and wriggle out of your mistake do it correctly, or better still, own it and think twice next time.
I should never have strayed from my original question and mucked around with FW installs, so its partly almost a nightmare of my making.
Get your facts and chronologies correct next time old mate.
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My bad. I was going by the “20220930” part without realizing that the rest of the string might be different. (And logically, it should vary by region, looking at it in hindsight.)
Apologies!
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All good! I really really appreciate getting the high level support from you guys. It all ended ok and it was a learning experience.
The big question lays ahead. Will my L5 be ok for VOLTE on my carrier Telstra on 31 Aug?
Thanks for your reply.
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I would say that that is at best 50-50.
However it is also possible that Telstra will delay again, given the political focus on this issue and the sheer number of affected devices and the customers who haven’t even stumbled upon the information yet that they are going to have a problem come 31 Aug.
If at all possible, you should not be using Telstra but that is generically good advice anyway . I’ve had VoLTE working on Voda since late last year.
I really don’t understand why a vendor (Broadmobi) wouldn’t make it a priority to get the necessary config for the largest mobile network operator but then maybe they are waiting for information from Telstra or are having difficulty getting cooperation from Telstra etc. You know the drill.
Just my opinion but this must be the least user-friendly firmware version numbering that I have ever seen!
FWIW, you can just do: mmcli -m any
since there is unlikely to be more than one modem.
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I could flick Telstra but their coverage where I live is the best - Nth NSW. At least it was. I was with Voda years ago and it was terrible. It may have improved.
What I might do is get a Voda card and see if it works. Any delay is just that. Forestalling the inevitable. Either way its hotting up now as it will arrive at some point very soon.
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True - but it could make the difference in the race between:
- Telstra disables 3G, and
- Broadmobi produces an appropriate firmware version that makes VoLTE work with Telstra.
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