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Hi gang. Right now I have a ThreeUK-supplied B535 that's working nicely with a SIM-only contract.
Is there a recommended alternative router that I could plug a wired phone into, to use the contract's minutes?
Any suggestions gratefully received.
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
Edited by richi (Thu 09-Sep-21 12:14:45)
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Is this to save using your mobile because you have limited minutes on that?
If so, have you checked your mobile can't do WiFi calling?
Connections: OnePlus 8 Pro, 4G+ (LTE) max 165Mbps down, 24Mbps up on Three Mobile, and B311 4G+ router, tbb tests normally 35-45Mpbs down, 65Mbps off-peak, 9-24 up (Three)ZTE MF286D router speedtest.net 113/20Mbps.
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The price of liberty, and even of common humanity, is eternal vigilance. (Aldous Huxley version of the well-known saying)
When you meet Mr Juncker, you realise you haven't got a drink problem. Nigel Farage, 12 Aug 2021
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Mobile can't do wi-fi calling, no. Main problem is the spotty signal downstairs, causing … let's call it "domestic disharmony."
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
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Register (or login) on our website and you will not see this ad.
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Previous versions of the B525’s had an RJ11 FXS voice port you could plug in an analogue handset and configure to use the SIM for mobile voice access.
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Previous versions of the B525’s had an RJ11 FXS voice port you could plug in an analogue handset and configure to use the SIM for mobile voice access. Worth noting I believe they temporarily switch the connect to 3G when making or receiving a voice call so it needs to be left on Auto rather forced to 4G only
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I ran a B593S-22 back in day (early 2014) just after the local mast got 4G enabled and we still just had (a very long) ADSL connection, well before any FTTC or TP…
Admit I just ran VoIP/SiP over the top and it did fine.
Edited by Pheasant (Thu 09-Sep-21 19:20:28)
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Worth noting I believe they temporarily switch the connect to 3G when making or receiving a voice call so it needs to be left on Auto rather forced to 4G only CSFB = Circuit Switched Fall Back is used by devices that cannot manage VoLTE or VoNR. (for 5G).
Be aware that most networks have plans to remove 3G in the next 2 to 5 years.
21 years of broadband connectivity since 1999 trial - Live BQM
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Worth noting I believe they temporarily switch the connect to 3G when making or receiving a voice call so it needs to be left on Auto rather forced to 4G only CSFB = Circuit Switched Fall Back is used by devices that cannot manage VoLTE or VoNR. (for 5G).
Be aware that most networks have plans to remove 3G in the next 2 to 5 years.
Having a look at the most recent crop of mainstream 4G and 5G routers from Huawei et al, its not altogether clear if the stock firmware either supports the FXS port for mobile voice, let alone VoLTE or VoNR for 5G. It might be a bit tricky for the OP to get an accurate answer on the latter, unless someone is running one and can confirm 100%.
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I've got the Three ZTE MF286D which has both a WAN port and a phone port. I suppose I could plug a phone into that and see what happens.
Connections: OnePlus 8 Pro, 4G+ (LTE) max 165Mbps down, 24Mbps up on Three Mobile, and B311 4G+ router, tbb tests normally 35-45Mpbs down, 65Mbps off-peak, 9-24 up (Three)ZTE MF286D router speedtest.net 113/20Mbps.
===========================================================================
The price of liberty, and even of common humanity, is eternal vigilance. (Aldous Huxley version of the well-known saying)
When you meet Mr Juncker, you realise you haven't got a drink problem. Nigel Farage, 12 Aug 2021
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Be an interesting experiment to see if Three have locked that out of the firmware or not.
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I have a B715, there is VoLTE in the firmware, turning the option on did not work initially as the Three mast did not support VoLTE, so it dropped to 3G to make a call as long as it was set to Auto, the gui VoLTE page showed unregistered. Then the mast got an upgrade and on the VoLTE gui page it now shows as registered, calls are now 4G.
So for VoLTE you need firmware that supports it and also the mast must support it too.
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So for VoLTE you need firmware that supports it and also the mast must support it too. For a long time Three only supported VoLTE on their Band 20 spectrum (800 MHz) but fairly recently network wide they enabled VoLTE on Band 3 (1800 MHz) and the others they own.
21 years of broadband connectivity since 1999 trial - Live BQM
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Thanks for the update there. Hopefully the OP has a good steer now of where to look.
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Thanks everyone. After much analysis-paralysis, plus life intervening, I've ordered a B628-265. I'll update you on what I find.
[SWMBO's dog-rescue charity receives a small kickback from link, at no cost to you—UK reg#1186687]
[TBB note: amazon link re-written to avoid shortener]
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
Edited by seb (Wed 20-Oct-21 16:14:02)
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So far, the B628 is performing as well as the outgoing B535. However, phone calls make it drop down to 3G.
So either my mast isn't VoLTE enabled, or there's a config piece I'm missing, or Three won't provision it for the router.
The game continues …
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
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I use HUAWEI WiFi AX3. I can check my equipment tomorrow for calls.
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If your B628 does not have VoLTE settings in its Gui then it will no register for VoLTE and drop to 3G for calls. Even if you have the page and have turned VoLTE on if it does not show as registered then the mast needs upgrading.
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No, there's nothing in the GUI. Do I need different firmware, or what?
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
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So either my mast isn't VoLTE enabled, or there's a config piece I'm missing, or Three won't provision it for the router. From other sources I understand that Three now support VoLTE (“SuperVoice”) on all their spectrum frequencies. Certainly my PAYG SIM shows the VoLTE logo on Band 3 around here.
22 years of broadband connectivity since 1999 trial - Live BQM
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Yes you need new firmware but finding it and then changing to it is a whole other subject,
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Any clues on finding the right firmware? All my Google has turned up nada.
70/30 Three unlimited SIMO, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail.
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Is there anyone out there who tried the ZTE MF286D or TP-Link TL-MR6500V. According to the spec, both are supporting VoLTE, but does it work on any of the 4G networks in the UK?
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I have only updated firmware on a B525, I found all the info on French and Polish 4G forums, used Google translate to find out the how, not for the fainthearted. If you want VoLTE then make sure the seller confirms the firmware includes it before buying when you next upgrade.
Edited by kommando (Tue 26-Oct-21 17:53:39)
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Post deleted by seb
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to answer my own question. I got my hands on a ZTE MF286D on ebay. It is Three branded (just the box, the menu seems ZTE generic). I tried this briefly with SIM cards from 1p Mobile (on EE) and iDMobile (Three).
Both SIM cards work, i.e. the box is not locked to Three.
I connected a thirty year old corded phone (Southwestern Bell FC8) to the Phone 1 socket. Incoming calls work on both 1p mobile and iDMobile SIMs with the phone ringing and voice both ways.
For outbound calls on 1p mobile, you get a dial tome (generated by the box) and then after a while an announcement "you dialled an incorrect number" or similar, but maybe I did misdial the number.
Outbound on iDMobile worked (sort of), my mobile was ringing but the call dropped only a second after answering.
I watched the web interface of the router during the inbound call (with iDMobile SIM), it still showed LTE or LTE+ (rather than UMTS) so I suspect that the call was on VoLTE rather that CSFB.
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I am using a Huawei B535-333 4G Router using an iD network SIM and I have no problem making or receiving calls. I have used various telephones (BT Decor, BT Calypso 1100) connected to the Router RJ11 port using an RJ11 to RJ45 adapter. The only problem I have is that there is no Caller Display, I get the message 'no caller info'. Any ideas anybody?
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It's quite an old thread but I'm trying anyway. Did you find a new firmware?
My B628-265 has
Software version10.0.5.1 (H203SP1C983)
and I cannot find the VoLTE setting anyware.
I checked with the line provider and they told me VoLTE is enabled for me, so my router is the missing part
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Sorry no. What I did was replace the 535 with a £60 Tenda 4G06, which is an amazing little device, compared with the 535. Although the wi-fi config is a bit out of date, it actually performs much better than you'd think.
(I don't have it any more—I weaned SWMBO off a landline and now use the official Three 5G/NR router.)
250/35 Three 5G/NR, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail, Three 4G/LTE.
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Thank you! I'll think about an upgrade then 
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Re Richi getting rid of the landline, I did that in December 18/January 19, in favour of the bog standard Three mobile home broadband. 4G at the time, with their latest router now 5G most of the time. (We are borderline for it so weather and in the summer tree foliage can drop it down).
Smart TV + Humax box (for recording) fine with it as are my iPad, phone and cloud-using security cameras. With my phone also available as backup if the router goes down.
Recently I also got a new phone but still have the previous one, so if the router is down I can just turn the old phone into a hotspot for the security cameras.when I go out.
Connections: OnePlus 8 Pro on Three 4+ (LTE)/5G and at home Three Mobile, with (Three)ZTE MF286D router giving about 113/20Mbps.
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richi - Any clues on finding the right firmware? All my Google has turned up nada.
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/ll9ieqqooyhy5/Docum...
Edited by adamgrafton (Sat 20-Jan-24 10:49:56)
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No. This is an ancient thread. See my previous reply for more.
250/35 Three 5G/NR, replacing 3 km ADSL line.
Previously: BT ISDN, Nildram, Plusnet, 186k, EFH, Be*, Plusnet (again), Pulse8, Sky, Plusnet Business, TalkTalk Retail, Three 4G/LTE.
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