FTTP and Digital Voice

I see this has been discussed a lot, in 2018, when we switched to FTTP with Zen, I was hoping one day we would be able to use the telephone socket as the OpenReach Engineer and Zen promised!

Clearly as we all now know today, this was a pipedream and such a shame. Ayway from day one, well after initial tests we removed the Fritzbox to avoid double NAT with Unifi equipment, so the UniFi equipment is the "router" of choice we use.

But I'm getting a new double glazed door fitted, and currently the copper line comes through the wooden door frame (which in older properties was the norm) and it seems a complete loss leader to get Openreach to move this or terminate it, I do need to speak to Zen about this though to find out.

Which made me think about using Digital Voice, as Digital Voice I think would cost less than renting the existing landline and number, and at the same time signing up for another 2 year contract with Zen on what ever their fastest product is which would probably end up less than I paying now. (or a few £ more).

BUT I keep hearing I need to put the Friztbox back, well it would have to be another one, because the existing one does not support analogue phones.

So reading this

https://www.zen.co.uk/help-support/general-sip-settings

thjis may not be the case ?

I could keep Unifi router, and use a new phone etc

anybody like to confirm this thinking ? ?

You probably have a Fritz!Box 3490, which doesn't have a FON socket to support landline phone connection. Try calling Zen and ask them for a new Box that will support it. Their current offering is a 7530AX. They sent me one f.o.c. last year when I wanted to get into SIP phones, before I went for DV.

It is also possible to use Zen DV by internet connection but Zen won't support you with any problems.

Edited by cjn (Sun 19-Feb-23 23:11:57)

In reply to a post by einsteinagogo:

I see this has been discussed a lot, in 2018, when we switched to FTTP with Zen, I was hoping one day we would be able to use the telephone socket as the OpenReach Engineer and Zen promised!

Clearly as we all now know today, this was a pipedream and such a shame.

Digital Voice works perfectly with Zen Full Fibre (FTTP).

Any analogue phone, including multi-handset DECT systems) will plug into the Zen supplied router (does need an adapter supplied with the router)

In reply to a post by einsteinagogo:

But I'm getting a new double glazed door fitted, and currently the copper line comes through the wooden door frame (which in older properties was the norm) and it seems a complete loss leader to get Openreach to move this or terminate it, I do need to speak to Zen about this though to find out.

If you have Fulll Fibre, the old copper wires become redundant once you have ported the existing landline number to digial voice./quote]

In reply to a post by einsteinagogo:

Digital Voice I think would cost less than renting the existing landline and number,

Yes, cheaper by tens of pounds.

Zen Digital Voice just worked perfectly for me and is supported if you use their router.

My router is a Zen supplied Fritz!Box 7530.

I still use the BT DECT phone I purchased years ago.

Edited by Sandgrounder (Mon 20-Feb-23 12:39:24)

Sadly, the text service on the BT DECT phone does not work.

But, everything else is still good.

Not sure if it helps but just undergoing an installation this week and although the Fritzbox is needed it can be set into what they call "ipclient" mode.

That means it does no routing, nothing at all and essentially just acts as just another device plugged into your main router that runs the DECT and phone stuff.

So it doesnt mess up NAT, Firewalls, existing networks or anything at all.

ah interesting, so it does not need to be the first device connected to ONT ?

that could help

I've just had a live chat with zen and they said "Digital Voice will only work if the Fritz!Box is handling the PPPoE connection" so using ipclient mode would not work ... are zen correct or just misinformed?

Edited by isar (Sat 18-Mar-23 11:26:37)