Smart Hub is unreliable. Need replacement that supports digital home landline

[Paulyuk6]

I received a Smart Hub just before Xmas.   I have found it unreliable - it loses the internet connection 2 or 3 times a day EVERY day. Sometimes it randomly resets itself but sometimes then locks up and won't reset, forcing me to power it off and on.   EE sent me a replacement Smarthub which doesn't resolve the problem.

Yesterday I ordered a TP-Link  AX1800 modem/router  from Amazon which works beautifully for internet and Wi-Fi BUT although it claims to support VOIP phone connections, it would not work with my EE landline. The phone socket at the back is not even a standard BT plug connection. It looks like a network port.  So it is going back to Amazon.

The only solution I have been given was to keep running the EE Smart Hub and then piggy-back the new router off of it. Which defeats the purpose of getting a new router!

Can anyone please recommend a modem/router that will fully replace the EE Smart Hub but will still support my standard phone connection?

Thanks, Paul

[Mustrum]

@Paulyuk6   If you have EE Digital Voice you must use an EE/BT Router. 

Your TP Link would be fine with other Voice services, just not the EE one. BT/EE have not provided settings or made available information to allow people to use their own routers.

[XRaySpeX]

Most VoIP providers deliver VoIP over normal TCP/IP VoIP protocol to an Ethernet port of the router into which is plugged an ATA adapter, which they also provide, delivering a normal BT analogue phone signal.

However BT/EE's DV doesn't do it this way.  BT/EE's DV implementation of VoIP is propriety & kept close to their chest. It is delivered, amongst 2 other ways, to an ATA Phone port of the router, itself emitting  a normal BT analogue phone signal.

[Paulyuk6]

Well, I contacted EE to ask them to release my landline number, so I could pass it to a UK based  VOIP provider.
The said that this is not possible because I have an FTTC (old copper cables) internet connection and the phone line is bundled in with the internet connection.  If I ceased the internet service, then I would lose my phone number.

Very disappointing !

Paul

[bobpullen]

If you ceased the broadband/line then there is a holding period during which you should be able to port the number out.

If you were to simply go ahead and port the number out it would trigger a knock on cease to the broadband service anyway.

EE cannot hold your number hostage but if you take this route you need to ensure you're not going to be hit with hefty termination fees.

What Smart Hub are you using and when you say it 'resets', what is the exact behaviour? e.g. what do the LEDs on the front of the hub do? It's worth investing a bit of time trying to work out what's happening because it's not normal!

[Paulyuk6]

When the router loses the internet connection, the main LED light (EE shaped!)  changes to flashing orange while it tries to reconnect.  Eventually it reconnects and I then see a steady green light. The model of the router is SH31B according to the label on the base.

Another problem is that if I need to edit any of the settings in the router, it can take it several minutes to login and display the menu options (that's after it complains about the security certificate and needing HTTPS instead of HTTP).
To me it seems to be a budget router that barely supports the service.

[Mustrum]

@Paulyuk6   Do you already have DV? If so your broadband line shoulf be SOGEA and not associated with your phone number and you should be able to give 30 days  notice to cancel the Phone line, and have 30 days to transfer it to a VOIP provider.

However if you are still on the older PSTN service what they say would be correct.

PS, are you sure it is the router that is the problem and not the line itself?

[Paulyuk6]

My broadband / phone connection is an older FTTC (copper cabling).  At the start of the year EE migrated the old analog phone line into their digital system, so everything is going through the router. But it seems to be a proprietary system and not proper VOIP.   The problem is that with the router regularly losing the broadband connection  my landline connection goes as well.   With elderly parents I cannot risk not having a landline service (and they hate calling mobiles!). Hence I want to unbundle the landline from my internet contract, and move it to a VOIP service where I can pick up the calls anywhere but still use the old landline number.  But on the phone EE weren't very helpful!

[XRaySpeX]

As @Mustrum mentioned, as you've now been moved to a digital landline it is no longer linked to your BB. A digital landline is on a monthly contract & so you can port it out to a VoIP provider at any time