Simple guide to connecting a phone to FTTP please

[Gorilla68]

I'm a new customer of Vodafone fibre (FTTP) and have a Wifi Hub. During the upgrade I asked to retain my old landline phone number.

I'm struggling to understand what phones can be plugged into the Wifi Hub. I note there are ports on the back of the Hub marked TEL1 and TEL2. I have purchased a converter to plug into the TEL1 port that then allows me to plug an "old" UK type phone into the converter. I've tried various (old) phones but none can get a dial tone.

Does the phone being plugged in have to be a VOIP phone? Or does the Wifi Hub handle the necessary conversion from non VOIP phone to the Vodafone network? i.e. does the Wifi Hub include a VOIP adaptor?

As I've never had the phone working since my FTTP upgrade I'm not certain that the phone line setup was done correctly so might be be being confused by a non working line. Is there a way I can check this without having a phone that has a dial tone?

Thanks for any assistance - currently pretty confused!

[Jayach]

You are correct, yes the VOIP is built into the router. Any BT style phone should work plugged into the TEL ports, including a DECT hub, via a connector.

I suspect there may be different RJ11 to BT adapters, one that is often recommended on here is this one:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EVS5UZ2/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A3GL1BA201XJVN&psc=1,and is known to work.

Unfortunately I don't know any way of telling if the phone service has been correctly provisioned by Vodafone, and I suspect asking them will get you no further forward.

[Gorilla68]

Thanks for the info. The RJ11 to BT adaptor being used is the one that you provide the Amazon link to (the Rhinocables device).

I had a webchat with Vodafone and they say that I need to purchase a new VOIP phone but based on past experience and other comments on this forum I'm not sure if I believe them.

[Jayach]

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@Gorilla68 wrote:

I had a webchat with Vodafone and they say that I need to purchase a new VOIP phone but based on past experience and other comments on this forum I'm not sure if I believe them.

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I utterly despair at the utter garbage that is spoken (typed in this instance) by Vodafone representatives.

If you were to buy a VOIP phone you would also have to buy a VOIP service as Vodafone won't give the information to use theirs.

If you are using the correct adapter then Vodafone have not set it up correctly.

Try calling on 08080 034 515, the agents on there are unfortunately "variable" but maybe you will get one of the better ones.

Also as you are not getting the correct support I would suggest raising a complaint. Complaints Code of Practice | Vodafone

[Jayach]

Also, as so many people are now getting FTTP, I don't understand why they don't include the adapter in the router box.

It would cost pennies and yet save so much aggravation..

[Gorilla68]

Thanks to Jayach for some useful advice.

After many hours of speaking with Vodafone "experts" I now have a working system so thought it might be worthwhile to others to set down what I've learnt.

• Vodafone support seems very mixed. The webchat operators seem to have little idea and are very quick to pick up on any suggestion you make and to confirm that that is correct (even if it isn't) and are just keen to get you offline. Probably a waste of time using webchat
• The people on 08080 034 515 seem to be more competent and sound like they know what a working system should look like. Their approach to fixing things is generally just "turn it off and turn it on again" (with slight variations such as resetting the router, etc.). If the turning off and on doesn't fix it for you then you'll need to get escalated to "tech2" experts.
• The tech2 experts again know what a working system should look like and seem to have access to more internal information that they can change. However, I think their main expertise is broadband and they seem to struggle with voice issues. There is a member of their team who is the voice expert which they eventually decided to consult and it seems this voice expert managed to fix things.

My situation was that I upgraded from an ADSL service to a FTTP (fibre to the house) service. Openreach installed a new access point on the wall into which I plugged my existing router (A wifi hub - THG3000). There was some debate as to whether FTTP needed a new router but my existing one is fine. Apparently THG3000 with a -G suffix can be problematic.

As the old ADSL access point still remained on my wall, it was unclear where I should plug my BT phone into. It definitely needs to go into the back of the router using the TEL1 or TEL2 ports.

Whilst the router uses VOIP to provide the phone service this is all internal to the Vodafone network. "normal" BT phones are required. Despite advice from a useless webchat agent, a VOIP phone is not needed (and apparently will not even work).

The BT phone can be plugged into the router using a connector such as https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00EVS5UZ2/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_5?smid=A3GL1BA201XJVN&psc=1

Depending on your BT style phone, you may be able to use the white "internet" cable that was provided with the router instead of having to purchase the connector (RJ11 to RJ11 cable)

For the phone service to work, the "phone" light on the router needs to be lit (solid white). Until this is lit then any fiddling around with changing phones or cables is a waste of time (this didn't prevent some of the Vodafone experts suggesting this!). Insist on Vodafone getting this phone light lit as it is their problem until this is working.

Once the phone service is working then the web management interface (192.168.1.1) shows connections to the phone from the "Overview" tab. Once the phone is working there is a dial tone and any calls made to the number cause the phone to ring (as you would expect!).

It seems 2 phones can be plugged in (TEL1 and TEL2) and when receiving a call both phones will ring.

Hope this helps others to avoid the many hours of phone calls that I've made over the last few days! Good luck

[Gorilla68]

I've had an update from Vodafone on what the problem was. Apparently my service had been set up as a CityFibre based fibre service when, in fact, it is a Openreach based service. The broadband was working okay but not the voice.

Something to ask the Vodafone experts to check if you get a similar problem.

[Jayach]

Thanks for the updates @Gorilla68, I totally agree with your assessment of Vodafone support.

Glad you finally got it working.

I am really surprised you were on ADSL with the THG3000, I thought they had stopped suppling ADSL before that router came out.

[Gorilla68]

Vodafone sent me the THG3000 router around end of June 2020 for use with ADSL service. No special request from me - just what they sent by default.

After not being able to supply the guaranteed minimum speed and me complaining, Vodafone agreed to reduce my contract term to a year which allowed me to do the FTTP upgrade in July 2021.

[jerry098]

Thanks for this information.

I also have FTTP and the broadband was working but with no phone.

There was no dial tone, the phone light on the router was not lit and when dialling in there was no connection.

I contacted Vodafone via web chat and was also told I needed a VOIP phone. I disregard this, thanks to you, and persevered by contacting web chat many times.

Eventually my complaint was escalated to a higher level and I received the following text:

“ Hello. My name is Sanjay from the Vodafone 2nd Line HBB Support Department and I'm currently reviewing your recent fault. Just to let you know, I'll be calling you shortly from a number starting 0808. I hope to speak with you then.”

He did call me and the phone light on the router was lit and the phone was now working (thanks Sanjay)

let’s hope it stays that way!