Reflashing modem firmware

BroadMobi BM818

1. Install required packages

  1. Download the following BM818 firmware packages. These files are controlled by a third-party and are not publicly accessible. Contact Purism Support to request these files for a firmware update:

    1. firmware-bm818-nonfree_0.6pureos1+librem5ci83034.2dcae67_arm64.deb

    2. qdl_0.2pureos1+librem5ci77119.0103259_arm64.deb

  2. Open a terminal emulator

  3. Run the following commands to install the pre-requisite packages and the BM818 tools

sudo apt install ./qdl_0.2pureos1+librem5ci77119.0103259_arm64.deb \
                 ./firmware-bm818-nonfree_0.6pureos1+librem5ci83034.2dcae67_arm64.deb \
                 bm818-tools

  1. Type your password if prompted, and press Enter. Your password will not be printed to the screen when you type, for security purposes.

  2. If prompted to confirm the changes, type y and press Enter

  3. After these packages are installed, you will see an application called BM818-Flash in the app drawer.

BM818-Flash icon

  1. Tap the icon and you will see a terminal window prompting you for your password. Type your password and press Enter.

BM818-Flash icon

  1. After you typed your password, the application will back up the current settings of the modem and power cycle the modem. You will see some terminal output that should end with the phrase; Backup NV OK

2. Choose the modem firmware version

  1. After the NV Backup, a new window will appear, asking you to select the modem firmware version that you want to install. Choose the appropriate modem model for your region.

  2. Press the file chooser tab highlighted in red.

"Choose firmware" button

  1. Select the version option and press OK.

"Choose firmware" dropdown

  1. The application will begin flashing the modem.

3. Restore NV backup

As a final step in the reflashing process, the application will restore the NV backup and will prompt you to select the backup file from which to restore.

  1. Tap the file chooser field to select the file that starts with backup_m100 and then press OK.

NV backup file selection

The modem firmware reflash procedure is complete. The application should close automatically.

You may need to reboot the device for the modem to reappear. See the next pages to re-eanable VoLTE

4. Re-enable VoLTE

VoLTE must be re-enabled as the modem firmware was reflashed to a factory state.

  1. Open the BM818-VoLTE application in the application drawer.

BM818-VoLTE application icon

  1. If the application shows VoLTE as enabled, disable it and press OK. Reopen the application, enable VoLTE again, then press OK.

BM818-VoLTE configuration screen

You may need to reboot the modem for these changes to take effect.