topic Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet in Archived Posts

using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 07:59:08 GMT

I'll be using an EE sim in a pole mounted 4G parabolic antenna with a built in modem and router to get internet in a very remote location with almost no mobile signal and no phone lines. Testing it with a PAYG phone sim I can get 22Mb/s download, so the cheaper unlimited phone sim (as opposed to the dearer data sim) will do, even though its limited to 60 Mb/s.

If I connect a voip phone to my internet connection will I be able to use the phone number of the mobile sim to make and receive calls?

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

Chris_B — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 08:03:00 GMT

@rockandice Nope. The sim isn’t make the call it’s only making connection to the network.

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 08:07:32 GMT

Ah OK thanks, Am I correct though that if all I can get is 22 Mb/s due to signal strength then I'm better off with the cheaper phone sim (even if I can't make calls and send texts), than the dearer data only sim ? As far as I can tell the data sim just allows for faster d/l speeds, which I can't get anyway

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

Chris_B — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 08:13:04 GMT

@rockandice By going on what you are saying about the speeds probably yes. Just to add contact sims have access to the 800mhz range so if your in one of these areas you’ll get better speeds then PAYG that don’t get 800mhz

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 12:48:06 GMT

Just tried it set up at home with an EE mast about 5Km away. its picking up bands 3, 8 and 20 so it is using 800MHz. I can get 25Mb/s download into a switch to an AP. The voip phone talks to the switch and I think even updated its firmware over the internet. I get a dial tone but it won't make calls saying 'no service'. A google search seems to indicate this means it is not registered on any VOIP number system. Bit reluctant to start another contract with a VOIP provider just to see if that is the issue.

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

bristolian — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 13:07:51 GMT

@rockandice wrote:

Just tried it set up at home with an EE mast about 5Km away. its picking up bands 3, 8 and 20 so it is using 800MHz.

Band 8 900Mhz is only used by VF & O2 in the UK.

EE use Bands 1 (2100Mhz), 3 (1800Mhz), 7 (2600Mhz) & 20 (800Mhz) - although availability does vary by individual sites & areas.

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 17:27:36 GMT

ok, it looks like I'll have to pay for a separate voip number as well.

I've found a company that will give a geographic number for £3.59 a month which seems reasonable if it works, That will be on top of the £40 a month for the unlimited EE phone sim contract,

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Sun, 17 Oct 2021 19:02:45 GMT

18 months ago there were several posts on the forum from people using an internet connection created via an EE SIM in a mobile router saying that after working fine for a long time, VOIP had suddenly stopped working. It wasn't clear if this was EE actively preventing it, no longer supporting it or if they had changed something that altered settings etc.

I'm just about to create such an Internet connection using an EE sim in a mobile router with an external antenna but would like to be able to make phone calls (can't do it from a mobile phone as the raw signal strength isn't good enough)

Can anyone confirm - or not - whether VOIP is now working correctly with EE?

If not, is there any other way to make phone calls over this type of internet connection? (without using a mobile phone, as I want to have some sort of phone permanently fixed to the wall)

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

James_B — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 07:14:49 GMT

Hi @rockandice,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

EE don't block or restrict the use of VoIP services. To check compatibility, please contact the VoIP provider directly.

James

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

XRaySpeX — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 10:24:09 GMT

You can't make VoIP calls on the SIM's mobile no. You will need a phone no. from your VoIP provider.

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

rockandice — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 21:24:09 GMT

Yes I realise I'll need another VOIP number but I didn't want to set up a new contract for one until I was sure it would work with EE. There seems to be issues with EE using IPv6 and not falling back to IPv4 properly so VOIP providers that use IPv4 were having trouble.

Also mentioned was "if it’s not IPv4/6 thing then it could be CGNAT (means you share IP addresses with other users) which EE deploy and the other three networks don’t."

But if things are better now I'll just have to make it a condition of my VOIP contract that it works with IPv6 so I can get out of it if it doesn't work.

Re: using a phone sim to connect to 4G internet

XRaySpeX — Mon, 18 Oct 2021 21:30:54 GMT

Most, if not all, UK mobile networks employ CGNAT.