How do you make all your phones ring with Vodafone Digital Voice (VOIP)?

[broadband_user]

Hello,

I ordered Vodafone Fibre 2 broadband, which I believe is FTTC. I get a router and a VOIP adapter.

Looking through the set up guide (below) for the phone part, I see that the adapter plugs into the router phone port, and the phone (singular?) plugs into the adapter.

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/help-and-information/broadband-support/set-up-router?start=My4wNzk5NDc0OT...

OK, but I don't have 1 phone, I have 4, and they're wired around the house. Bedroom, kitchen, lounge etc.

How do I get all 4 phones to ring?

Is there some special cable that connects the router phone port to my existing phones?

I have a standard NTE5C master socket with two ports on it. Only the broadband port is used. All the house phones wire directly into the box. The BT engineer that put the master socket in wired it like this. I believe this is standard.

Thanks.

[Jayach]

If you wish to keep using the extension wiring, you will need to disconnect it from the master socket and make a separate connection into one of the TEL sockets on the router. 

An alternative would be to replace the current telephones with a wireless DECT set that can be connected direct to the adapter.

[broadband_user]

Hi Jayach,

Thanks for the reply.

Does Vodafone publish any wiring diagrams on how to do this, or is it an engineer visit?

How do you get the wiring into the router? Presumably I'll need some sort of extra cable with a white phone connector on the end, to put in the VOIP dongle?

Do you know if the Vodafone router will ring 4 phones? None of my phones are powered. I think this is called REN=4, which is what I paid for with the last provider. They all have speaker phone an well, but they get their power from the line. No batteries or mains plug.

Thanks.

[Jayach]

Unfortunately, Vodafone doesn't give any information on anything, and I very much doubt Openreach will supply an engineer to do the work.

You may be able to engage a local tradesman/electrician to make a suitable adaption/cable. Most ISPs are now using digital voice, so the skills should be available.

As the phone will no longer be connected to the BT/Openreach lines the REN doesn't apply. There was a post on here (but I can't find it at the moment) where a user was able to get their multiple very old phones working on the Vodafone router with an adapter cable, but they were on FTTP so the BT/Openreach cabling was completely redundant. As you are on FTTC, you need to keep the master socket active.

The VoIP adapter (ATA Analogue Telephone Adapter) is part of the router, the "dongle" is just an adapter that converts the BT type connector to the RJ11 sockets.

[CrimsonLiar]

You'd probably need to be using something like this: https://www.vintagetelephony.co.uk/product/pulse-to-tone-converter-dial-a-tone-dialatone not an endorsement!  While it says in their blurb it can power multiple devices, it might not manage four, and might put a strain on the router too!

I'd suggest it might be time for new phones!

[Jayach]

@CrimsonLiar 

I hadn't considered that the phones might be so old they were still using pulse dialling.

As the OP says they have speaker phone ability, I doubt they are that old.

In the other thread I mentioned (which I can't find) the user had some old rotary dial phones, and they worked for ringing and being answered. Obviously those couldn't be used for dialling out.

[broadband_user]

Hi,

The phones are all modern tone dialing - with buttons.

I originally thought that all FTTC gave you copper analogue phone as well (like plusnet do now), but this is not the case. Vodafone seem to have opted for VOIP.

One aspect that I liked about these phones is that they don't take up a 3 pin 13A socket, but they still give you a speaker phone. One even has a headset, so I can continue to work while I'm on hold.

By the sounds of it, telecoms companies still have a way to go before they can replace the existing copper analogue system. Replacing all the phones in my house with just one phone doesn't sound like an improvement, but a cost saving measure. Great for Vodafone/BT but no good for me. Yes, I could go DECT wireless, but then I'd have to carry the phone around the house with me. I had the 4 phones wired into different parts of the house so I wouldn't have to do this. I quite like being able to pick up the phone from my bed (if I'm in it) without having to get out of it, when it rings. My broadband terminates under the stairs though at the master socket, so that would mean a dash across the landing and down the stairs to answer the phone... that's going to get old very quickly.

I think the answer here is that if you go VOIP, you have to buy x cordless phones that use 1 base station to replace the x wired phones you have. Not the end of the world. You can buy 4 handsets with cradles for about 100 quid, but they all need mains power. Would be nice if Vodafone told you this when you sign up... I only remember a tick box informing me the old analogue phones would no longer work. I just assumed there'd be a cable or workaround to overcome this - which there is but it involves an engineer visit for the re-wiring.

Thanks for your replies.

[Jayach]

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@broadband_user wrote:

I originally thought that all FTTC gave you copper analogue phone as well (like plusnet do now), but this is not the case. Vodafone seem to have opted for VOIP.

Vodafone have only just started using digital voice on FTTC, I'm surprised to hear PlusNet still do.

By the sounds of it, telecoms companies still have a way to go before they can replace the existing copper analogue system.

The PSTN (public switched telephone network) will be switched off in December 2025. It will be being phased out until then.

Replacing all the phones in my house with just one phone doesn't sound like an improvement, but a cost saving measure. Great for Vodafone/BT but no good for me. Yes, I could go DECT wireless, but then I'd have to carry the phone around the house with me.

One of the great benefits of DECT is that you can do just that.

I had the 4 phones wired into different parts of the house so I wouldn't have to do this. I quite like being able to pick up the phone from my bed (if I'm in it) without having to get out of it, when it rings.

I have one of the DECT phones next to my bed, for just that reason.

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All in all, the modern DECT systems are more convenient than fixed phones, apart from the fact you need mains sockets for them

The biggest problem with digital voice compared to POTS (plain ordinary telephone system) is it doesn't work in a power cut.

[paulh-12]

We do not have a voip phone, just an ordinary BT phone that plugs into the Vodafone router phone socket but had to buy a cable adaptor so the socket/plug matched.

Our old BT phone master socket is connected to the others around the house. So all the house sockets work, I unplugged the copper connector inside the master socket that is connected to the outside wires and just pushed it to one side. Then on the Vodafone router phone socket cable adaptor, I used a double connector with one side going to the phone next to it and the other side plugging back into the BT master socket using a cable with a BT plug at each end bought for a few pounds through ebay. I was surprised it worked but for a few pounds was worth a try.

[Jayach]

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@paulh-12 wrote:

 I unplugged the copper connector inside the master socket that is connected to the outside wires and just pushed it to one side. Then on the Vodafone router phone socket cable adaptor, I used a double connector with one side going to the phone next to it and the other side plugging back into the BT master socket using a cable with a BT plug at each end bought for a few pounds through ebay. I

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That is what I was trying to explain to the OP, but in their case, as they are on FTTP, the master socket needs to stay connected to the line, and only the extension sockets disconnected.

@Jayach wrote:

If you wish to keep using the extension wiring, you will need to disconnect it from the master socket and make a separate connection into one of the TEL sockets on the router. 

You may be able to engage a local tradesman/electrician to make a suitable adaption/cable. Most ISPs are now using digital voice, so the skills should be available.