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VoIP/LTE Question

Reegz

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Howzit folks,

Need to double check what I've been told regarding the use of VoIP handsets on an LTE connection.

As I have it, I can purchase one of the Telkom LTE deals that come with the Huawei B525 LTE Router and I can plug a VoIP handset into the back of the Router and voilà I have a working phone line.

Is this 100% correct?

Would the minutes be charged as data used?

Any pointers welcome.
 
As someone with extensive voip experience. Avoid lte.

Firstly, voda locks their routers, which means you don't get access to the SIP-ALG setting to turn it off - a MUST for voip.

Secondly, with your ip changing so frequently on lte, you run into issues like ip blacklisting, dropped calls, one way voice, poor quality voice etc..

There are ways around third like dedicated vpns etc. But it's just a hassle.

Don't mix lte and voip. They're like oil and water. It just doesn't work.
 
So I recently converted out telkom home line to voip, it is now an added extension on my business virtual pabx.

Basically I have the yealink base station with two cordless handsets plugged into a huwawei b315 with a vodacom Sim 60+30gb data deal for R299 they had in April. Works flawlessly, ping to the pabx is around 30ms which is perfectly fine for voip.

It was on a telkom 10gb Sim previously with zero issue but I had cancelled that contract as the voda deal was much better.
 
So I recently converted out telkom home line to voip, it is now an added extension on my business virtual pabx.

Basically I have the yealink base station with two cordless handsets plugged into a huwawei b315 with a vodacom Sim 60+30gb data deal for R299 they had in April. Works flawlessly, ping to the pabx is around 30ms which is perfectly fine for voip.

It was on a telkom 10gb Sim previously with zero issue but I had cancelled that contract as the voda deal was much better.
Just be careful.

If toy haven't yet been ip blacklisted on the voip server, that tells me their security isn't up to par.

Anyone with a half decent server would have security in place that would blacklist an unrecognized ip faster then white on rice.

This is to prevent severe loss in the case of a compromised vpbx.

If I'm understanding you correctly and you've never hit a blacklist, then what would stop someone who obtained your vpbx username and password (easier than your think) from setting up a million extensions and running a call centre off your vpbx in China somewhere.

Trust me, it's happened. I've seem call bills of in the millions after just 3 or 4 hours of being compromised.

I'm glad it works for you and all, but like i said, just be careful
 
Agree with @PaladinLaw... doesnt take much to get the details and they can run 100 or more concurrent calls to international destinations are ring up a massive bill with that you will in the end be liable for..

As for the LTE - as @PaladinLaw says, stay away from it. You only gonna end up with tons and tons of problems with call quality, dropped calls, etc etc

Been there, done that, threw away the T shirt
 
Ok well this doesn't bode well.

There's no fibre in the area and I don't want to go the ADSL route.

As mentioned, this is LTE through Telkom. The in-store sales droids have said that I can easily plug in a compatible VoIP handset into the router and things work.

The problem is they cannot provide me with the handsets in-store. I have to purchase online.

I had it all set to use Wirulink as they came highly recommended; but they don't know if they have connectivity in the area and I'm not prepared to foot the bill for the signal test.

I need to make a decision today. The way it's looking I'll likely opt for a cheapish Telkom LTE plan and get myself a handset or two. That gets me in the game. I'll then have a bit more breathing room to find other options; hopefully fibre reaches soon.
 
Ok well this doesn't bode well.

There's no fibre in the area and I don't want to go the ADSL route.

As mentioned, this is LTE through Telkom. The in-store sales droids have said that I can easily plug in a compatible VoIP handset into the router and things work.

The problem is they cannot provide me with the handsets in-store. I have to purchase online.

I had it all set to use Wirulink as they came highly recommended; but they don't know if they have connectivity in the area and I'm not prepared to foot the bill for the signal test.

I need to make a decision today. The way it's looking I'll likely opt for a cheapish Telkom LTE plan and get myself a handset or two. That gets me in the game. I'll then have a bit more breathing room to find other options; hopefully fibre reaches soon.
Don't get adsl.

Telkom is ending it and is systematically disconnecting existing adsl customers (ironic, since they're still selling it, but hey, this is hellkom after all)

If you MUST go the lte route with voip, hellkom is hands down the WORST provider to use. They literally change you ip every 2 minutes.

I had a client that couldn't make any calls because of it. She would dial out, and between the time it took to dial and actually establish a connection with the vpbx server, her ip would change, and server would reject her call because (in it's eyes) she's a different connection, as the ip she used to make initial connection is no longer the same.

We eventually had to set her up with a special vpn from our side so thst no matter ehat ip she connects from it's sent to the vpbx server as a single specific ip.

Like i said. Lte and voip, big no.

But hellkom lte and voip - I'd sooner cut my own nuts off
 
So here's where my mind is at.

Take a month-to-month LTE contract for data and a fixed-term VoIP contract. The idea being that once the area is fibre-enabled we can switch over immediately and then migrate the phone number once the contract lapses.

My rush is that signage needs to be completed this coming week - and I need a number for that.

Obviously, I have some tunnel vision around all this so other ideas/opinions gladly accepted.
 
Problem is that VoIP with big latency is gonna end up in bad call quality.
So you gonna get things like robotic voice, one way speech, delays, dropped calls just to name a few.
Also if you gonna share a data line with VoIP the minute someone buffers a video or downloads email you can kiss your voice call goodbye.
 
then what would stop someone who obtained your vpbx username and

They could just use one that's really difficult.

Changing the username to something other than admin would make it far more difficult to crack.
 
They could just use one that's really difficult.

Changing the username to something other than admin would make it far more difficult to crack.
I could get your username password within a couple of minutes with a targeted tcp dump and wireshark sniffing, no matter how strong your password is
 
Is this 100% correct?: No, you need a SIP provider and 'air time'

Would the minutes be charged as data used? " No, both data and 'air time' are usage charges

Turn off SIP ALG, secure the admin interface. You will be fine.
 
surely the VOIP provider will carry the cost for their system being comprised??
 
Not necessarily.. it all depends on how the breach happens.
 
surely the VOIP provider will carry the cost for their system being comprised??
Nope.

It's not the providers system being compromised, it's the clients VPBX that's compromised.

By your logic, when some ass breaks into my Audi and takes it for a joy ride, bumping it, scratching it, and adding 100 000km's to the clock, I should hold Audi responsible for repairing the damage and redoing my engine?
 
Nope.

It's not the providers system being compromised, it's the clients VPBX that's compromised.

By your logic, when some ass breaks into my Audi and takes it for a joy ride, bumping it, scratching it, and adding 100 000km's to the clock, I should hold Audi responsible for repairing the damage and redoing my engine?

i just asked a simple a question cause like most people this would be their first assumption....

by your logic does that give you a right to be a condescending douche??
 
i just asked a simple a question cause like most people this would be their first assumption....

by your logic does that give you a right to be a condescending douche??
Didn't mean to sound condescending bro.

Been a busy day at work and literally just typed out my response as I thought it.

Didn't mean to offend, only intention was to explain why the voip provider isn't held responsible.

Peace ✌
 
Is this 100% correct?: No, you need a SIP provider and 'air time'

Would the minutes be charged as data used? " No, both data and 'air time' are usage charges

Turn off SIP ALG, secure the admin interface. You will be fine.
Actually only saw third now. In most cases, you're correct. However, many clients run an "unlimited plan" or am "open ended" billing run, where they get a bill at the end of the month, rather than topping up with "airtime" all the time.

You are correct in saying secure the admin interface (assuming you're speaking about thre phones admin interface) you have no idea how many yealinks are out their with default username passwords with the sip cred just sitting their in plain text.

But, even if your phone's admin interface is secure, there's still nothing stopping me from sniffing the packets between your phone and vpbx and or sip trunk to obtain the necessary logins. Once I've got creds to your trunk, and if you're on an unlimited / open ended plan, i can add as many extensions as i like and call as many international numbers as i want.

This is why ip blacklisting is so important
 
Agree with the IP listing is very important.
At the previous company we created a IP list on the firewall allowing some IP's and blocking other IP's
We did sometimes come across customers who weren't able to register to the system cause the IP was not allowed but that would be solved in minutes.

However this is not full proof as you can also spoof IP's and bypass the filter in that extent.
Depending on the system there is other tricks you can do to block access and also terminate an account under the suspicion that its been hacked, limiting the damage to either vendor or client.
 
*Update*

Firstly, thanks to everyone who took the time to reply / dm with info. It's really been a great help.

We've opted to take a month-to-month solution from a company called Yealink Telecoms. The name came to us via one of the franchisor's suppliers/consultants and we're of the mindset of not deviating too far from what they suggest; especially not right at the start of the business. We've seen the value of sticking to their preferred suppliers in the last few days with some items that were not done right and the franchisor has cracked the whip on the supplier to rectify the issue at no cost to us.

To be fair to Yealink Telecoms they were very helpful and accommodating as well so it doesn't feel like a grudge purchase.

That being said, we'll obviously re-evaluate things once the business is running and I've received some good details from some of the forum's resellers.

YT suggest MTN's LTE offering. I've decided to opt out of taking a 24 month contract as fibre is expected in the area in the not-too-distant future.

Which brings us back around - what options would you chaps recommend for a month-to-month/prepaid LTE option that supports VoIP?

Thanks
 
I don't want to hijack the thread, but I have a client in a similar situation. They are currently using Rain LTE R250 uncapped and their VoIP is with Euphoria, but they are struggling a lot with bad calls. They are fortunate to fall into the Rain 5G area, which we have ordered for them. They do not have fibre coverage as yet and are too small to justify the costs of business fibre.

Posting in this thread, so you guys can PM me suggestions as well, as VoIP isn't my forte.
 
Using Afrihost MTN LTE (month to month) at two sites with VOX VoIP and working very well so far.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
*Another Update*

We've been running for a couple of months now and I thought I might give some feedback about how things are going.

"Mostly all good" is about the best summation of things. We've had intermittent issues from time to time and these have been down to the Telkom LTE signal that went for a ball on those days.

Over the last two weeks though we have been battling with the line. The phone rings but we're unable to hold a conversation. Outbound calls failed straight off the bat. After some basic debugging ( i.e.: a speed test) it was found that the Telkom LTE signal had gone from bad to worse. So I opted to take the chance and connect the phone's base station to the MTN powered LTE router. And what do you know, it's working!

This is the Afrihost/MTN setup that is used for the PC's & POS. There's no heavy internet usage and so far everything seems fine with regards to the calls and audio clarity.
 

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