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Brain pick - Configuring VOIP Via 4G?

Darrina

Member
Hello,

Looking for assistance from the collective expertise of the community with regard to running a VOIP telephone via 4G

Scenario thus

An elderly friend (95) has recently moved into a care home. His faculties are failing somewhat so what I would like to replicate is his home phone next to his bed to allow for easy in/out calls on the normal traditional “land line” with which he is familiar.

Previously had FTTP (Zen - so had benefit of fixed IP) at his residence with his (previous) BT line ported to AAISP and connected via a Fritzbox 7530 His home extension wiring plugged directly into port on rear of Fritzbox, so just used standard phones around the house.

He does have a mobile (ID Mobile) on an unlimited calls/4Gb data contract £6pm rolling monthly but is struggling somewhat using the mobile phone. Potentially (I hope) this SIM could be used for the proposed VOIP 4G connection.

Kit wise we (obviously) have the Fritzbox 7530 and I also have a Netgear 4G LTE modem (LB2120) lying around which is functional.

The connection is very unlikely to be used for general internet browsing etc, so anticipate data usage and speed requirements low.

I understand that a key concern for VOIP functionality is NAT and CGNAT throws a further spanner into the equation. Only the main stream providers (EE, Three etc) seem to provide routable IPv4 addresses and charge a substantial premium for the privilege. The rest seem to be exclusively CGNAT.

I am aware that AAISP offer a L2TP service to circumvent the absence of a routable IPv4 and their light service looks promising and good value.


This potentially would work with the existing kit, apart from we need to have a L2TP client to connect to AAISP servers.

Unfortunately the Fritzbox seems to only accommodate IPSec and Wireguard clients, so it appears that replacement/additional hardware may be required. Note that I am attempting to keep costs low (we’re not in Draytek territory!)

Just wondering if anyone has come up with a functional solution (the simpler the better) and if so what was their solution?

Finally, I am not convinced given the location of the care home (L8 5XW) that IDMobile (Three) is the best provider mast wise and wonder if an alternative virtual provider on a different network may be a better bet. Is anyone able to advise what is likely to be the best provider for this location?

Needless to say, give the age of my friend, we are only looking for monthly rolling mobile contracts.

Cheers

Alan
 
I use Sipgate and Linksys ATA's for the house through 4/5G and the Mizudroid app for the phone (android) for my geographic "house" numbers. Works fine.
 
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Finally, I am not convinced given the location of the care home that IDMobile (Three) is the best provider mast wise and wonder if an alternative virtual provider on a different network may be a better bet. Is anyone able to advise what is likely to be the best provider for this location?

Cheers

Alan

Looking around, seems like something on EE or Vodafone would be the best bet network wise.

Unless 3G coverage is required, then O2 or three. Three lacks 5G there but given dumb phones don't have 5G access just yet, it's not an issue, O2 is better in that regard but VF/EE is great all around there for 4G/5G coverage.
(coverage doesn't equal speed, but as I said typically for a dumb phone network speed doesn't matter)

It also boils down to how the network performs there however that won't matter much with a dumb phone, unless you get a smart dumb phone (one that can do 4G and WiFi)
 
I'm inclined to echo @Mobyle.

Perhaps it's just me, but if the end goal is for your elderly friend to simply have access to a working telephone/number, the simplest solution would be to get something like an "Opis Purofon" and utilise a SIM with coverage for 2G calls? Perhaps even the SIM on iD they already have?

Just don't see the point in getting into 4G Broadband, VOIP, L2TP tunnels etc. and needlessly complicating matters.

A quick Google shows there are a few "traditional desk telephones" that work using a SIM card.

Also, if their current number must be retained, I believe AAISP offer a SIM2SIP, so they could continue to use their number that way?

 
get something like an "Opis Purofon" and utilise a SIM with coverage for 2G calls? Perhaps even the SIM on iD they already have?
Get one that can do 4G/volte, ID mobile (like Three) do not have 2G.
 
Thanks to all for the suggestions and advice. I’ll have a chat and see how he might wish to proceed.

Alan
 
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As well as the 4G desktop phone idea, another might be a 4G router such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tenda-4G06-Configuration-Detachable-Monitoring/dp/B08X7BBZZK/ which supports VoLTE and has a phone port on the back. This would also allow you to reuse the landline phone they might already be used to.

(not used this model, so no idea as to quality, but Amazon's return policy is generous)

If you wanted to stay in the fritzbox space, I believe their 4G/5G routers also provide this functionality.

I would make sure it supports VoLTE though, as cheaper "desktop mobile phones" are 2G only which a) won't work on Three's network and b) will provide poorer sound quality and a risk of more dropped calls
 
Based on my own experience of using VoIP over an L2TP connection over a cellular connection, my suggestion is don't. It is too much hassle and there is too much to go wrong.

If it is your own personal telephone and you are happy to accept the risk of things going wrong, and are happy to learn about the technology along the way, then fair enough, but I don't think it is worth it for an elderly relative who needs something simple which will 'just work'.

The LTE modems with VoLTE and an ATA port sound like a good easy to use option, but I have never used one so cannot comment on how good they are in practice. If you want to keep using the 'landline' number, SIP2SIM supports VoLTE & GSM (on EE), and 3G (on O2) and so ought to work in a modem with an ATA (but no mobile data unless you pay extra). Again I cannot vouch for that as I use my SIP2SIM in a mobile phone, but it might be worth a try.

It may also be worth just looking for a simpler mobile phone.
 
Keep it simple.

I'd also check whether the care home has its own WIFI if considering VoIP solutions.

Simplest and cheapest remains a 4G basic handset that comes in a cradle such as https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elderly-Charging-1000mAh-battery-Unlocked-Black/dp/B0CRHBN7PG with a Calls/Text SIM such as ASDA (Voda) at £4/m.
Charging cradle ensures phone is in same place and always charged.
(Used by my 87 year old father in law)

If he has his own room then he could have a cheap conference speaker linked by Bluetooth to save holding the phone.

Corded phones can be provided either with GSM, VoLTE or VoIP.

Some GSM phones have unfamiliar operation compared with a standard phone but there is no reason why 2G shouldn't be OK for the next few years (O2 & EE).

Just because it states VoLTE on the box it works with UK providers. I have an old Tenda and its never worked on VoLTE with any of them it simply drops to 3G or 2G and still does. Not sure whether this is the same on more recent models. The only cheap VoLTE router I have found works is the Alcatel HH71V1 Linkhub 4G LTE Cat 7 VoLTE router (works but some MVNOs don't or have issues). Having said that if the router is cheap enough then linked to a corded phone and only 2G during calls they would be fine.

For VoIP you have the Router or ATA option has discussed above.

For his existing smart phone use a Yealink MP50 connected via bluetooth. Amazon £100 and sometimes they pop up on eBay/CeX.
 
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