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Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

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mannannan
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Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#26882

Postby mannannan » January 28th, 2017, 10:18 am

In our very rural area, landline broadband is very slow and is unlikely to be increased soon.

I can get good speeds via 4G and the telecoms company will 'give' me 100gb p/m plus 1000 minutes of phone for a reasonable cost. Using a D-Link DWR921 4G router would give good distribution within the home. But there's no way to access the free minutes as the router is just that, it's not a phone.

Does anyone know of a gizmo which can attach to the router via the Ethernet socket into which I can then plug DECT or similar home phones to then access the free minutes? The only way the telecoms people say is to take the SIM from the router and place it in a mobile phone each time to make a call. That's hardly practicable.

There must be something somewhere which will allow an 'ordinary' phone, via some adaption, to access the 4G router? But so far I can't find it .....

Does anyone know, please?
Thanks!

Slarti
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27013

Postby Slarti » January 28th, 2017, 6:02 pm

I have 3 thoughts.

I) use a phone tethered to a bit of IT kit to provide the 4G connection
2) a better featured router should allow the connection of a handset. I could plug a USB one into my Vigor router, but it is a Fibre router.

Hope that helps, a bit.

Slarti

UncleEbenezer
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27027

Postby UncleEbenezer » January 28th, 2017, 7:22 pm

You can use a regular landline phone over your network. No problem.

However, the mechanism isn't what you're looking for. What you'd need is a VOIP service, to which you can transfer your existing 'phone number for a one-off £10 charge. Used as a landline, it appears indistinguishable from the real thing, but it's not using your 1000 minutes. That gives you some additional advantages, like you can install a VOIP app on your mobile phone and use your "landline" anywhere you have a mobile and/or wifi signal.

FWIW, I have a 4G deal from EE that is explicitly for data. No nonsense like voice service, let alone bundled minutes.

mannannan
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27173

Postby mannannan » January 29th, 2017, 1:52 pm

Slarti wrote:I have 3 thoughts.

I) use a phone tethered to a bit of IT kit to provide the 4G connection
2) a better featured router should allow the connection of a handset. I could plug a USB one into my Vigor router, but it is a Fibre router.

Hope that helps, a bit.

Slarti


Interesting comment. What is the 'bit of IT kit' please. :?:

It is maybe the answer to my query. Maybe a better router is the answer but I've already bought the D Link.

Slarti
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27201

Postby Slarti » January 29th, 2017, 4:32 pm

mannannan wrote:
Slarti wrote:I have 3 thoughts.

I) use a phone tethered to a bit of IT kit to provide the 4G connection
2) a better featured router should allow the connection of a handset. I could plug a USB one into my Vigor router, but it is a Fibre router.

Hope that helps, a bit.

Slarti


Interesting comment. What is the 'bit of IT kit' please. :?:

It is maybe the answer to my query. Maybe a better router is the answer but I've already bought the D Link.


I'm probably wrong when re-thinking it.

I have used my laptop tethered to my phone, but that was to get data access on the laptop. not sure it would work the other way.
Must think more deeply before posting these things.

Slarti

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27235

Postby tjh290633 » January 29th, 2017, 6:04 pm

If you were on a BT line, and use their Broadband, you can put an app called "BT Smart Talk" on your mobile phone. You can then use WiFi to make calls at your home phone rates, anywhere that you can get a WiFi signal, even abroad. I think that other Mobile providers have similar arrangements, like EE for certain.

TJH

mannannan
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27287

Postby mannannan » January 29th, 2017, 9:43 pm

tjh290633 wrote:If you were on a BT line, and use their Broadband, you can put an app called "BT Smart Talk" on your mobile phone. You can then use WiFi to make calls at your home phone rates, anywhere that you can get a WiFi signal, even abroad. I think that other Mobile providers have similar arrangements, like EE for certain.

TJH


My problem is that the rural landline here gives such a lousy broadband speed that 4g is my only real option. But 4g is somewhat dearer and thus to save some money I can't really justify keeping both landline with broadband AND a monthly data 4g service. If I did that, the monthly cost would be near £100. As the 4g offer gives 100gb of data p/m and 1000 minutes of phone, you can understand why I'd like to be able to plug in a home phone into the 4g (ie mobile only) router to be able to use those free minutes. I've been told this isn't possible other than putting the router's SIM into a smartphone. But I'm sure someone, somewhere, knows a way! (Those Koreans and Chinese are pretty bright when thinking of new gizmos!)

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27331

Postby UncleEbenezer » January 30th, 2017, 12:13 am

tjh290633 wrote:If you were on a BT line, and use their Broadband, you can put an app called "BT Smart Talk" on your mobile phone. You can then use WiFi to make calls at your home phone rates, anywhere that you can get a WiFi signal, even abroad. I think that other Mobile providers have similar arrangements, like EE for certain.

TJH

You can do that with any VOIP service, regardless of who your mobile provider is.

A suggestion for the OP. Can you get a second SIM bundled in your contract? I had that for some time: IIRC it cost about 20% more than the contract with just the one SIM. Then you use one in your mobile phone (and get free minutes with that) and the other in your router. Then you move your landline number to a VOIP service and abandon the landline altogether.

mannannan
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#27357

Postby mannannan » January 30th, 2017, 9:28 am

FredBloggs wrote:I'd pop the SIM into a 4G smart phone and then use the phone's tethering feature to give you you're own WiFi hot spot. That gives you exactly what you are asking for.


I used to do that but my smartphone wasn't 'man' enough to be a home router - it didn't cover the whole home, it got very hot and it positively ate batteries! The router allows the connection of links to other rooms via Homeplugs through the electricity supply for both ethernet use and WiFi.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#34359

Postby HereBeDragons » February 25th, 2017, 12:42 am

One of these would do it:

Huawei-B315S22 4G-Router

It's the 'standard' 4g router, that you can plug a phone handset in to directly (RJ11 plug, but you can easily get an adapter from the BT type plug normally found on a POTS handset). POTS = Plain Old Telephone System.

I've had one for a while and it's 8/10. Not the best router ever (I'm a Draytek fan), but pretty reliable and enough features for the more adventurous user.

Registered here just to tell you this, but apparently I'm 'not approved to post links', so can't link you to a retailer that explains it. Google "huawei b315s-22", first link should be the manufacturer, second link a retailer that explains how it works in layman terms.

Slarti
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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#34468

Postby Slarti » February 25th, 2017, 4:59 pm

HereBeDragons wrote:One of these would do it:

Huawei-B315S22 4G-Router

It's the 'standard' 4g router, that you can plug a phone handset in to directly (RJ11 plug, but you can easily get an adapter from the BT type plug normally found on a POTS handset). POTS = Plain Old Telephone System.

I've had one for a while and it's 8/10. Not the best router ever (I'm a Draytek fan), but pretty reliable and enough features for the more adventurous user.

Registered here just to tell you this, but apparently I'm 'not approved to post links', so can't link you to a retailer that explains it. Google "huawei b315s-22", first link should be the manufacturer, second link a retailer that explains how it works in layman terms.


A good response, HBD.

The reason for not being able to post links is that there have been problems with new users being spammers, so new people have to "prove" themselves.
You'd get my vote as having done so, if you want to stay and chat.

Slarti

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#34509

Postby Breelander » February 25th, 2017, 9:38 pm

Slarti wrote: The reason for not being able to post links is that there have been problems with new users being spammers, so new people have to "prove" themselves.
You'd get my vote as having done so, if you want to stay and chat.


HBD is currently a 'Newly registered user', you graduate to a 'Registered user' once you've made sufficient posts (I don't know how many you need, but it's not huge). Registered users can post links.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#186998

Postby Dranz100 » December 15th, 2018, 9:24 am

Hi Mannannan,
I was googling the whole web to find out how to do this and came across your post on the good old lemonfool board. So i would like to do exactly the same thing: not skype, not voip, just access my free minutes from a normal dect handset, via the sim in my planned 4g router. (And say goodbye to my bt line)
Did you manage to get it to work?
Dranz100

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229245

Postby Laughton » June 13th, 2019, 2:49 pm

I too would like to ditch my landline (it costs far too much for the rubbish quality and the very small use it gets). I already have a 4G router with excellent 4G signal from EE. The router has a telephone socket in the back labelled "TEL".

Every now and then I google "making calls to landlines over the internet" and read what comes up but give up becasue it either doesn't appear to do what I want or looks far too complicated.

I want to keep a landline looking number for people to call me and I want to be able to call other landline numbers (doctors surgery, dentists, HMRC etc. etc don't provide mobile numbers to call).

Just came across this - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phone ... one-calls/

But it mostly seems to cover having to have the same app installed on my phone and the person I'm calling's phone. I don't think that's very practical.

Will keep reading this thread in case someone comes up with an idiots guide to achieving what I want.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229248

Postby ReformedCharacter » June 13th, 2019, 2:54 pm

Laughton wrote:I too would like to ditch my landline (it costs far too much for the rubbish quality and the very small use it gets). I already have a 4G router with excellent 4G signal from EE. The router has a telephone socket in the back labelled "TEL".

Every now and then I google "making calls to landlines over the internet" and read what comes up but give up becasue it either doesn't appear to do what I want or looks far too complicated.

I want to keep a landline looking number for people to call me and I want to be able to call other landline numbers (doctors surgery, dentists, HMRC etc. etc don't provide mobile numbers to call).

Just came across this - https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/phone ... one-calls/

But it mostly seems to cover having to have the same app installed on my phone and the person I'm calling's phone. I don't think that's very practical.

Will keep reading this thread in case someone comes up with an idiots guide to achieving what I want.

Have you considered sipgate?

https://www.sipgatebasic.co.uk/

RC

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229249

Postby swill453 » June 13th, 2019, 2:57 pm

Laughton wrote:I want to keep a landline looking number for people to call me and I want to be able to call other landline numbers (doctors surgery, dentists, HMRC etc. etc don't provide mobile numbers to call).

I don't see the issue with calling landline numbers (doctors surgery, dentists, HMRC etc.) from a mobile. SInce I moved house, although I have a fixed landline as part of my Virgin media package, I've never used it and don't give out the number to anyone (don't even know what it is).

I haven't encountered any problems making or taking calls to/from doctors etc. with my mobile. With the bonus that they're all entirely free (within the bundles of my mobile package).

Scott.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229253

Postby Laughton » June 13th, 2019, 3:04 pm

Ah yes - sorry, I should have included:

Mobile phone reception where I live is rubbish. I get good 4G reception to my router courtesy of an external antenna very high up on my roof within line of sight of the EE mast a few miles away. Receiving calls to my mobile phone isn't practical as I don't know when I need to be outside (and ideally up a step ladder) to receive a call.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229255

Postby swill453 » June 13th, 2019, 3:11 pm

Laughton wrote:Ah yes - sorry, I should have included:

Mobile phone reception where I live is rubbish. I get good 4G reception to my router courtesy of an external antenna very high up on my roof within line of sight of the EE mast a few miles away. Receiving calls to my mobile phone isn't practical as I don't know when I need to be outside (and ideally up a step ladder) to receive a call.

I think what you want is VOIP (Voice Over IP). Mentioned in this thread today viewtopic.php?f=39&t=18085&p=229230&#p229230 so might be worth a post there for more info.

Scott.

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Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229261

Postby Infrasonic » June 13th, 2019, 3:30 pm

Laughton wrote:Ah yes - sorry, I should have included:

Mobile phone reception where I live is rubbish. I get good 4G reception to my router courtesy of an external antenna very high up on my roof within line of sight of the EE mast a few miles away. Receiving calls to my mobile phone isn't practical as I don't know when I need to be outside (and ideally up a step ladder) to receive a call.


Most mobile network operators have wifi calling apps for (smart) mobile phones, so when there is no 2/3/4G mobile phone signal you can still make calls.
In your case as long as your EE 4G router has wifi then you should be able to get the wifi receive/calling/texting facility working (as long as your mobile phone supports it).

I use the Three In Touch app when out in the sticks that way.

Alternatively there are loads of VoIP options (Skype et al) as suggested above.

PhaseThree

Re: Broadband via 4G -- attaching a home phone?

#229307

Postby PhaseThree » June 13th, 2019, 6:00 pm

I have a set up based around 4G rather than the 0.5Mb line BT offered me.

I use a Huawei B315 4G modem connected to the Three network using an "All you can eat" data sim costing £20 per month. This is sat high up in the attic to get a good signal and is then connected to my home network via a wired switch and onto a couple of Wifi access points.
The home phone is provided using a Grandstream HT802 VOIP adapter to which my DECT phones are connected. The provider I use is Sipgate which costs nothing except the cost of calls.

This seems a good, cheap solution and works very well.


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