What is this “APN” and how should I set it?

5 November 2018

APN is for “Access Point Name”. It is the name of a gateway through which the mobile terminal gets access to the data network (usually Internet). The device must have an APN set in order to use the mobile data service. However, the user often does not care for that, because mobile operators usually provide pre-configured phones.

The suitable APN usually depends both on the mobile operator and the subscription characteristics. For these reasons it is not possible to tell beforehand which APN is adequate for you. Please ask your provider which APN suits your application.
Hint: if you have a cell phone already configured for the SIM card, look in the phone’s settings for the APN parameter, this is probably a working option.

Note: the APN is irrelevant for using the regular voice service, including the possible HD voice mode. For such use you just don’t need to set an APN in the unit