The described technology is generally directed towards transferring coverage enhancement information from a terminal adapter to a terminal equipment. In one aspect, a terminal equipment can send a communication command to a terminal adapter requesting return of coverage enhancement information, and receive the coverage enhancement information from the terminal adapter. The terminal equipment provides access to the coverage enhancement information to a program running on the terminal equipment. In another aspect, a terminal adapter activates coverage enhancement information reporting, and sends coverage enhancement information to a terminal equipment. The terminal adapter monitors for a coverage enhancement state change.