My VoIP experience on LTE

Azimuth

Azimuth

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Per the reasons for getting LTE in this thread (refer Post # 1) I've been wanting to get shot of my Telkom line for a long time. This is for one reason alone - surges! For the past 6 years during Dec - Feb months, I've been nailed for 3 of those years. The only avoidance is to unplug the phone line religiously. Often timing does not permit which is when disaster strikes.

The annual damage has been somewhat mitigated since moving over from ADSL to LTE - my computer is no longer connected to the ADSL line at all (last insurance claim was around R6k). My primary DECT phone and repeater are at risk though - and I just saw neighbours get caught out. Again, not a huge risk because a good duo DECT phone set costs only around R650. The bigger issue for me is the risk of fire. A couple years ago the surge was so intense it burnt the telephone jack and melted the RJ11 plug. So thanks but no thanks - I want that Telkom line severed from my house.

This thread will serve as a project log - equipment, SIP provider, LTE call quality and sustainability and lastly, cost vs a traditional Telkom line.

Edit: I logged almost 1 year of my personal experiences with VoIP and LTE. I won't be updating this thread anymore but please do post if you would like to discuss the topic further. [Azimuth]
 
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Thanks, WW.

I'll be following with interest. I don't have a surge problem, but do run VoIP and PSTN into my office Gigaset 1510.
 
Cool, Arthur. Per your advice, I'm most likely to get the Siemens A510IP - due to keen pricing and also because of it's dual function (it can use a fixed Telkom line as well). That'll be a bonus because if my VoIP experiment fails, I'll have to revert back to a Telkom line rental. I'm donating my current Panasonic DECT phone set to my neighbours so the Siemens dual function will be welcome.

Very quickly - what is your reason for having VoIP?
 
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For the record, my monthly Telkom bill is R350-R370. This includes line rental and a call plan. Admittedly the call plan catches most of our calls so the bar has been set for my VoIP experiment.

A typical invoice summary:

R157 Telkom line rental
R193 Telkom unlimited anytime plan
R12 usage outside of plan

- 160 local calls
- 27 long distance
- 1 mobile
- 2 other operators

Telkom's Bill Analysis tool reports that my usage is typically:

87% local calls
11% long distance
2 % other

There is also the nuisance of downtime with my Telkom line which occurs approximately 4 times a year. Most recently a new neighbour moved in and had his phone line connected - while I was promptly disconnected for 1 week. :( So I look forward to less downtime - well let's see what the experiment yields.
 
The case for the SIP

Some colleagues have directed me to free SIP services. The same guys that use torrents no doubt. :p Nope, I will pay for a premium service and enjoy the benefits provided.

I've basically settled on two SIP account providers:

@lantic

R25pm line rental
087 number only
Month-to-month contract
R50.00 setup fee

Switch Telecom

R49pm
011 and 087 numbers
Month-to-month contract
No setup fee

Now I didn't know about Geographic Number Portability. Switch will port (R150.00 fee) my 6-year old Telkom number which is a huge plus. I'd obviously trial the VoIP service and after a month convert from an 087 number to my old Telkom number. During this time I'll unplug my Telkom line and deactivate the call plan to run it as a "lean" parallel service (fallback insurance)

Edit: 12/04/2014

I've come across another provider.

Snowball

R49pm
011 and 087 numbers
Month-to-month contract
No setup fee
R150.00 to perform a Geographic Number Port (same as Switchtel)
 
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Indeed...this is how I trialled LTE before turning off ADSL. I also make a lot of FaceTime Audio and Video calls so have high hopes. LTE handles this in its stride so I'm hoping for the same with a dedicated VoIP service.
 
I'm going to be following this with interest, thanks!

Just a note of my experience: I have a client that is using FNB Connect, and she recently tried Vodacom LTE. On her Siemens A580IP it worked flawlessly, but calls dropped the constantly on her A510IP. It could be that the phone itself is broken, but we didn't try figure it out as switched her back to ADSL for other reasons.
 
Thanks for that tip. What I'll do is make an assessment within 2 weekend and then RMA for a higher model if I have the same experience. I personally won't be using FNB Connect though. Even their ADSL seemed slow and super shaped to me.
 
Stay away from @lantic/VOX

their accounts department = wet toilet paper..... :whistle:

Mweb you can get a free SIP account and their call rates are very good.....
 
Well then, seems I made the right choice. :) I signed with Switch 2 minutes ago. Prior to that I received a call from them and they were super helpful and professional.

I'm getting a 011 586 XXXX number which I'll trial for a month and report back as I go along.

Further, I ordered a Siemens A510IP plus additional handset from Scoop - already had an open order with them for other goodies. Switch's prices are similar but there is no incentive to buy directly from them. However, they offer support on the above Siemens specifically so their help desk will be able to advise if I need to call in.
 
Been with switchtel for 2 years now, 3G was always iffy but since switching to LTE the quality
has been superb.
 
http://www.nexus.co.za/voip.html

You could always try them.... Very cool. Your number is your forver and it doesn't cost you nothing monthly. The only cost is the calls which is very well priced. They sadly don't have those little extras you get from other sip providers like free landline calls ect ect but the no monthly fee is really a bonus and you are able to select which DID number you want

Still have my 031 number from 13-03-2012 and I barely use it. But if I log in now it works fine.
 
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Nice, this thread will be a sweet resource for anyone wanting to walk the VoIP path. :)

Edit: 12/04/2014

I found a nice historical thread on VoIP on the forums that may be of use to anyone reading this blog.
 
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Wonderful. Not even 2 days later and I'm now a Switch Telecoms customer. I got my Client Zone details this morning as well as new VoIP line number, password and SIP proxy details. I ended up cancelling my handsets with Scoop due to complications and now await these from Switch.

So apparently the SIP details are all configured on the handsets and not the LTE router. And here I thought the B593 was going to be the powerhouse controlling the VoIP stuff.
 
Wirelesswarrior said:
Per the reasons for getting LTE in this thread (refer Post # 1) I've been wanting to get shot of my Telkom line for a long time. This is for one reason alone - surges! For the past 6 years during Dec - Feb months, I've been nailed for 3 of those years. The only avoidance is to unplug the phone line religiously. Often timing does not permit which is when disaster strikes.

The annual damage has been somewhat mitigated since moving over from ADSL to LTE - my computer is no longer connected to the ADSL line at all (last insurance claim was around R6k). My primary DECT phone and repeater are at risk though - and I just saw neighbours get caught out. Again, not a huge risk because a good duo DECT phone set costs only around R650. The bigger issue for me is the risk of fire. A couple years ago the surge was so intense it burnt the telephone jack and melted the RJ11 plug. So thanks but no thanks - I want that Telkom line severed from my house.

This thread will serve as a project log - equipment, SIP provider, LTE call quality and sustainability and lastly, cost vs a traditional Telkom line.
Click to expand...

Just so that you know, I had the same problem with lightning.. lost a lot of stuff.
I designed a protection system which has now finally kept the lightning out of the house.
This was put to the test recently when a tree nearby was hit by lightning. No losses, apart from the tree that burnt to the ground.
 
At home I've got a Yealink SIP-T28P and a Snom M3 on extensions on a Switch Telecom Hosted Switchboard as well as a Gigaset base with two handsets (A58H and C47H) on a Switch Telecom VoIP Line service. I intermittently switch between HSPA+ (via outdoor LPDA antenna) and ADSL connections.

On the HSPA+ connection, I'm using Telkom Mobile (8.74Mb/s download; 2.37Mb/s upload, 24ms ping).
On the 4Mb/s ADSL connection I'm using Afrihost (2.37Mb/s download; 0.44Mb/s upload)

The VoIP call quality (with the Yealink and Gigasets) is excellent on both connections (using the Yealink or Gigaset handsets) and one cannot tell, from speaking on the phone, whether connected via ADSL or HSPA+. The Snom M3 is lousy and I should have smashed it to pieces long ago, but that's irrelevant.

Based on what others have posted, it is clear that LTE is more stable and consistent than 3G, however, one should also note that 3G can vary hugely based on the capabilities of the modem/router. My modem is capable of HSPA+ (21Mb/s download, 5.76Mb/s upload) and, coupled with an outdoor LPDA antenna, the results are more than sufficient to provide a stable connection for VoIP. I will, in due course, replace the modem with an LTE-capable one.

Also worth pointing out here is that, while the Switch Telecom VoIP Line service is fine for testing audio, the frequent use of the Hosted Switchboard extensions also confirms that features like presence, call transfers, etc. all work flawlessly over the HSPA+ connection.

My connection is pretty stable, but I've also tested on borderline connections. The Yealink phones (whether desktop or cordless) are MUCH BETTER at dealing with jitter and I would strongly recommend paying extra for a Yealink W52P instead of a Gigaset if one is going to be using an HSPA+/LTE connection. When your signal is good, it will make no difference. But on that one day when the signal is, for whatever reason, lousy, the Yealink audio quality will be far superior. The same sentiment has been echoed by many of our resellers operating 802.11 wireless networks. Simply put, while the hardware is of comparable quality, the Yealink firmware is far superior to Gigaset's Chagall.

Caveat 1: I am affiliated with Switch Telecom; the intent of this post was not a sales pitch, but merely to draw comparison's between Wirelesswarrior's VoIP over LTE experience and my VoIP over 3G experience.

Caveat 2: I do NOT endorse nor encourage the general use of of GSM to carry VoIP. The success of the experiences related here are heavily influenced by the fact that the GSM installations were done extremely methodically. Reading Wirelesswarrior's original thread, it's shows that multiple GSM providers were tested and an LPDA antenna used. Similarly, I also tested all four GSM providers at my location and use an LPDA antenna. Even if you get seemingly good SpeedTest results without an external antenna, the LPDA does something very important for VoIP quality: it causes much more consistent latency and connection quality, dramatically reducing jitter. That may not make much difference on good days, but it makes all the difference on bad days.
 
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