Plans to bring Huawei B525 LTE router to more South African networks

[Jan]

Plans to bring Huawei B525 LTE router to more South African networks

Telkom recently launched its Big Deal for July 2018, two uncapped fixed-LTE packages aimed at home users.

The deals are offered in "All Hours" and "Business Hours" varieties, and both come with a Huawei B525 router.

Telkom stated that the*B525 can handle four LAN-connected devices, and 64 wireless devices, at a time - and described it as "Huawei's newest offering".

While there are international reports about the B525 router from 2017, not much information on the device is available locally.

 

[sajunky]

B525 is a worthly successor to B315. B618 was not, due to the lack of multiple Ethernet ports and a limited combination of channel aggregations.

B525 has a full ac dual band WiFi. Hopefully they fixed fake Gigabit ports that in B315 only negotiated Gigabit link, but a real transfer rate was close to 100Mbps.

Note that there is still no support for VoLTE. For VoLTE users B612 could be a better choice, also with LTE CAT 11 (4x4 MIMO) on many bands, including popular bands 1,3 and 40. Limitation is a b/g/n (2.4GHz) WiFi, so there is no definite verdict on which one is better.

 

[cavedog]

The B525 is an interesting router. It's a good step up from the B315. The b525 is a cat6 device so supports LTE-A. From the datasheet it looks like it will support Telkom LTE-A which would be nice as a entry router.

The B618 will still be a better router with its 4x4 mimo capabilities but I'm hoping the cash price of the B525 will make it a decent budget alternative to get access to Telkoms LTE-A network.

 

[system32]

CAT 6

 

[RazedInBlack]

The B525 is an interesting router. It's great a goid step up from the B315. The b525 is a cat6 device so supports LTE-A. From the datasheet it looks like it will support Telkom LTE-A which would be nice as a entry router.

The B618 will still be a better router with its 4x4 mimo capabilities but I'm hoping the cash price of the B525 will make it a decent budget alternative to get access to Telkoms LTS-A network.

Whats the cash price of the B525 compared to the B618 which is +/- R3000?

 

[cavedog]

Whats the cash price of the B525 compared to the B618 which is +/- R3000?

Went to 2 Telkom stores. Centurion Mall and Mall of Africa and both said there is no cash price loaded for the device yet and is currently only available on this months big deal for July. They have stock of the device but could not sell it as there is no cash price for it yet. I think it would probably only get loaded end of this month. Will see if and when I can get my hands on one.

I find it very strange that Telkom is selling this device exclusively with this deal because this deal is speed capped @ 10Mbps so even a 3G device can perform great.

 

[biometrics]

Whats the cash price of the B525 compared to the B618 which is +/- R3000?

Went to 2 Telkom stores. Centurion Mall and Mall of Africa and both said there is no cash price loaded for the device yet and is currently only available on this months big deal for July. They have stock of the device but could not sell it as there is no cash price for it yet. I think it would probably only get loaded end of this month. Will see if and when I can get my hands on one.

I find it very strange that Telkom is selling this device exclusively with this deal because this deal is speed capped @ 10Mbps so even a 3G device can perform great.

The 20 Aug - 19 Sep Telkom catalog has it on page 38 at R1,699 cash price.

 

[sajunky]

Superb price. It will replace B315s soon.

 

[I O U]

Huawei B525 LTE router - some queries, especially re VOIP calling on Rain.

I'm thinking of ditching Telkom's slow ADSL (I have "fast", which is the slowest), but want to test Rain first using this newish router. Went into a local Telkom store recently and they have the better spec'd B525s-65a available :

Band 1/3/4/5/7/8/20/19/26/28/32/38/40/41

(compared to the B525s-23a, which has fewer bands listed)

Have any of you bought & used the B525-65a with a Rain SIM ?

First concern is if Rain will continue with this unlimited for R250pm (between 11pm to 6pm next day), indefinitely, or at least an extended period of time ? They're in the process of ditching fixed LTE through other ISPs (if I understood a recent article correctly), so this could also be replaced soon ... and Telkom did away with that R50 for 500GB (which became R59 for 450GB for a short time at the end of the promo.)

Do you think - or any of you know - if this will be around for a long time to come, at the very least ?

Then, another uncertainty is if this B525-65a comes with a VOIP interface (?) (to put SIP settings in) so I can plug in a normal phone & use it for VOIP calls (saw a B315 thread that had firmware for VOIP on some of them that was only introduced later on, on others).

One thing which is of concern, is that in their user manual I downloaded to have a look through, under :

3. Connecting multiple devices (states) :
You can connect a computer or landline phone to the router to access the internet, make telephone calls, and more.

.. then, in the data-sheet for the exact same model, under Tech Specs. --> External port, one of the 'features' is that it has One phone port (RJ11) it says "Not Functional".

Which is it then ? Will it still be possible to connect a phone to make calls, and does the Rain SIM (yet) allow for this, as in one of the MyBB threads, sure I saw someone wrote you can't make VOIP calls using a Rain SIM, yet others were doing so from posts I saw.

The only other possible negative (compared to the B618, I think it is) - is that this has MIMO 2x2 whereas the 618 has MIMO 4x4

MIMO (multiple input/multiple output). ... (2x2 MIMO is essentially two streams of data for transmit and receive pathways; 4x4 MIMO is four streams)

Will that make such a difference, that it's worth spending many hundreds more Rand on the B618 for ?


Other than these points raised above, it seems like a fantastic router to go for - a no. of positive comments in the UK I saw (cannot find the review now) , but even there, the ISPs seem to block VOIP calling (if that's the case with Rain ?).

Have a final question from the Rain website :

Join online. Get up to 3 SIMs delivered to your door for R120 once-off.
SIM and VAT included

They use plural "up to 3 SIMs" for a R120 once-off fee, with singular "SIM and VAT ..."
Does each SIM cost R120 ? , or ,
do they charge a max of R120 even if you order 2 or 3 SIMs ?

Would appreciate feedback on as much of this above as possible, as hoping to buy one from Telkom as soon as tomorrow.
.
Thanks.

 

[sajunky]

Most of your questions are operator dependent. I can't answer Rain related questions.
Regarding voice calls, VoLTE seems still not working on Telkom (despite of what is said in T&C's). SIM's on some Telkom contracts do not support CS services - voice calls (i.e. mobile broadband, unlimited), so you can't use a phone connected to the router for cellular voice calls. It may change when Telkom deploy VoLTE on their network.

 

[I O U]

Thanks for your input "sajunky".

Hopefully I can get VOIP calls working on Rain if I go that route, as it seems others have been able to on the older mobile LTE routers, whether connecting a phone directly into the router or a SIM on a smartphone using this https://www.freshphone.co.za/ service.

Alternatively, will try cancelling only my ADSL and possibly Callmore on Telkom, leaving only the landline operational. I'm aware as to how tricky it is cancelling services with Telkom, and the danger is they cancel the landline as well (as ADSL / Callmore), yet keep charging for everything for 6 months afterwards!

 

[ReeceDBN031]

hi guys

just got my new b525 via the new Telkom deal of the month.
I had the b315 router which I bought because I wanted a sim only deal.

anyways I digress.. I screwed the bunny antennas in and I am getting roughly 40mb upload and about 2mb download with about 34 latency.

I haven't tried a test without the antennas.. but seems to be working very well.
just wish I could get the upload up a bit.

any thoughts guys??

 

[Ricobyore]

I also just got my B525 on the 60Gb promo. The Telkom coverage map shows I am about 250m outside of the LTE coverage area. I bought a prepaid sim and loaded 10Gb and tried it in my wife's cellphone, which has LTE, and it gave me 16mb/s download. I tried 3 times to apply online and Telkom kept rejecting because they say I am not in the LTE coverage area. When I told them of my experiment, they told me to go the nearest Telkom shop rather and apply there as they will know better the coverage. I did and within an hour walked out with the package. I set up at home and did a test and am getting +- 33mb/s. That is 4 times faster than my ADSL... at a third of the price. So it's goodbye ADSL, Hello LTE...

 

[Ricobyore]

Has anyone had any luck connecting a phone to the B525 router? I get a ring tone, but when I make a call it just gives an engaged signal.

 

[ReeceDBN031]

I also just got my B525 on the 60Gb promo. The Telkom coverage map shows I am about 250m outside of the LTE coverage area. I bought a prepaid sim and loaded 10Gb and tried it in my wife's cellphone, which has LTE, and it gave me 16mb/s download. I tried 3 times to apply online and Telkom kept rejecting because they say I am not in the LTE coverage area. When I told them of my experiment, they told me to go the nearest Telkom shop rather and apply there as they will know better the coverage. I did and within an hour walked out with the package. I set up at home and did a test and am getting +- 33mb/s. That is 4 times faster than my ADSL... at a third of the price. So it's goodbye ADSL, Hello LTE...

yea its actually quite nice I say. but my upload is a little low for my liking, I was getting about 9upload and 14download on the b315.

 

[cr@zydude]

Has anyone had any luck connecting a phone to the B525 router? I get a ring tone, but when I make a call it just gives an engaged signal.

The problem is with the Telkom package. I use a B315 and can make calls from my Free me sim but not my home lte sim.

 

[Ricobyore]

On the package they state you can connect a phone to make calls. I will check the settings tonight. I was in a bit of a rush as had to take time off work to collect the package so did not have a lot to time to check settings. Will try the CS setting this evening and report back. The manual does not say much.

 

[Ricobyore]

Heres the answer from the terms and conditions of the 60Gb bundle...

20. Telkom’s LTE network currently supports voice calls; however, a subscriber will be required to contact Support on 081 180 through any means of communication available to them to request that the voice capability be enabled on their service

 

[sajunky]

On the package they state you can connect a phone to make calls. I will check the settings tonight. I was in a bit of a rush as had to take time off work to collect the package so did not have a lot to time to check settings. Will try the CS setting this evening and report back. The manual does not say much.

It is on the router box. Router support:

1. CS calls by switching to 3G/2G on the time of making/receiving calls. To get it work, you need all:
1a. Use default settings (not forcing LTE-only), so router can switch to 3G/2G during calls
1b. You are in 3G/2G coverage, otherwise you get signal, but no call
1c. Your SIM package allows to use CS services and 3G/2G towers. If not, see #1b. Some Telkom Smart Broadband packages do not allow to use 3G/2G services.

2. Router supports VoLTE services. It comes to the resque of Smart Broadband users that are limited to LTE towers. VoLTE must be enabled on Telkom for your SIM. I don't think it is enabled by default.

 

[Ricobyore]

OK. I called 081180 and asked for voice to be activated. Connected my phone. Loaded 500 minutes for R101.00 through the Mytelkom portal and all is working....