It's working!

It needed a FCC68-BT adaptor (which mysteriously didn't come in the
box) and the right kind of dumb POTS phone (I found a BT Converse 120
in a box of junk).

Now I am ready for the Voda FTTP conversion. On the day they do it I
will port my number to Voipfone. They are great; I got a phone call in
reply to my email this morning, Saturday!

The stuff about opening port 5060 is indeed basically nonsense; it is
advice for heavy corporate systems which are totally firewalled both
ways.

Thank you all!

Peter wrote:
> It's working!
>
> It needed a FCC68-BT adaptor (which mysteriously didn't come in the
> box) and the right kind of dumb POTS phone (I found a BT Converse 120
> in a box of junk).

I suspect the Grandstream is made for the USA market. I think it
assumes CAT5 flood wiring for the phone connections. I remember needing
the FCC68-BT adaptor when connecting phones in a business environment.

If you measure what comes out of the adapter there will be about 50v dc
otherwise your dumb POTS phone would not work. I always keep a dumb
POTS phone for testing - the last one cost me £10 from Curry's.

Have Voipfone been able to resolve the admin login issue? Did they
perhaps pre-configure it with a password?

If you look at the Voipfone account management page:

<https://my.voipfone.co.uk/#!/services/master-account/phone-settings>

You might find the 6-digit password that they have set up in the
Grandstream. They do this for the SNOM 300 phones that I've used.

It's worth reviewing and documenting all the Grandstream settings.

> Now I am ready for the Voda FTTP conversion. On the day they do it I
> will port my number to Voipfone. They are great; I got a phone call in
> reply to my email this morning, Saturday!

I've certainly found them quite helpful.

> The stuff about opening port 5060 is indeed basically nonsense; it is
> advice for heavy corporate systems which are totally firewalled both
> ways.
>
> Thank you all!
>

--
Graham J

>Have Voipfone been able to resolve the admin login issue? Did they
>perhaps pre-configure it with a password?

Yes - the admin pwd was something else. I guess most people don't need
it, so the issue doesn't arise.

>If you look at the Voipfone account management page:
>
><https://my.voipfone.co.uk/#!/services/master-account/phone-settings>
>
>You might find the 6-digit password that they have set up in the
>Grandstream. They do this for the SNOM 300 phones that I've used.

Interesting. Didn't notice that. Thanks.

Peter wrote:

[snip]

>
> Interesting. Didn't notice that. Thanks.
>

Well worth reviewing everything on the management site ...

--
Graham J

On 24/08/2023 07:11, Peter wrote:
>
<snip>

>
> What stops me porting my number *now* to some VOIP service and running
> it on my current ADSL?
>
I did this for a few years with no problem. My rural ADSL managed about
8/10 Mbps.

<snip>

On Wednesday, 30 August 2023 at 17:44:02 UTC+1, Mark Undrill wrote:
> On 24/08/2023 07:11, Peter wrote:
> >
> <snip>
>
> >
> > What stops me porting my number *now* to some VOIP service and running
> > it on my current ADSL?

Virtually nothing, except that this might cancel your ADSL. Suggest Voipfone.

Very reliable, worth incident - one day of slowness when they suffered a DDoS attack.
> >
> I did this for a few years with no problem. My rural ADSL managed about
> 8/10 Mbps.
>
> <snip>

I did this 15+ years ago. Lowest [certain] link speeds were 8Mbps ADSL and 7M2bps (3G), however even 1Mbps is plenty for multiple connections.

notya...@gmail.com wrote:

[snip]

>> I did this for a few years with no problem. My rural ADSL managed about
>> 8/10 Mbps.
>>
>> <snip>
>
> I did this 15+ years ago. Lowest [certain] link speeds were 8Mbps ADSL and 7M2bps (3G), however even 1Mbps is plenty for multiple connections.

I used Voipfone in 2011 for a satellite connection with Tooway. Huge
latency, slow speeds, but the VoIP service worked fine.

--
Graham J

This is an update on this saga.

BT OR finally installed FTTP and it works. Made a bad mess (see my
other post just now) but it works. Well, until the trees grow a bit
and rip the fibre out...

I never touched the Voda router. Just plugged the RJ45 from the BT box
to my Draytek router and the previous Voda login just worked. Same
fixed IP also... after a Voda monkey told me they cannot retain the IP
through an ADSL to FTTP upgrade!! Well, that is how it is supposed to
work! FTTP is just a dumb pipe.

As advised here I ported my landline number to Voiphone whose service
is really super. The porting is in progress; taking over a week so
far. We have a temporary number in the meantime.

Then I got some funny emails.

====
We require further information about your new gigabit broadband
connection so that your UK Gigabit Voucher and the associated grant
can be paid. Your funding may be at risk if no action is taken.

This email is intended for [ ]

Openreach has told us that the new broadband service you ordered from
them, or an internet provider working with Openreach, is now
connected. The cost of this installation is supported by the UK
Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme.

Your unique voucher number is: [ ]

Please use the link and password below to confirm that your new
connection is in place and working in line with the terms and
conditions of the scheme.

Password: [ ]
Link: https://funding-bduk.pega.net/prweb/PRAuth/VoucherValidation

If the link above does not work when clicked, please copy and paste it
into your browser.

If you are concerned about the security of the link, please visit the
scheme website for more information:
https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk

If you have any queries or the service is not delivered or working to
the contracted speeds, you should not complete the validation and
contact us to let us know at GBVSHelp@dcms.gov.uk.

You should contact Openreach if you have any questions about the
service you are getting. Please note, that if you use a firewall this
may reduce your reported connection speed.

If you do not respond to this email within 28 days, BDUK may cancel
your voucher. If this happens, you may have to pay your supplier for
the full connection cost of the service funded by the voucher.

You should also note that we may ask our agent, Campbell & Kennedy
Maintenance Ltd, to contact you to confirm that your service meets the
Scheme’s terms and conditions. This may involve a site visit or a
telephone call.

Gigabit vouchers are issued subject to the terms and conditions of the
Scheme which is operated by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media
and Sport (DCMS).
https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk/terms-conditions/

Building Digital UK (BDUK)
BDUK is an Executive Agency of the Department for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport
====

The above looked like pfishing but going to the URLs seemed to be ok;
nothing obviously dodgy.

====
Dear,
Notice of Grant Aid – [ ]
I am writing to you in relation to your recent broadband contract and
installation by Openreach connected on 06-10-2023. The purpose of this
letter is to confirm that this service contained public subsidy as
part of the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme. We have paid this aid to
your supplier on your behalf.
Funded by: The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
This project is allowable under Section 36 of the Subsidy Control Act
2022. Therefore the value of support that you have received will count
towards your subsidy threshold of £315,000 per enterprise or
individual over any period of three (3) fiscal years, including the
current year. You will need to keep a record of this information and
will be required to declare this support if you receive or apply for
any further subsidy within the next three (3) fiscal years.
Our records show that the support set out below was provided. You may
use this letter as confirmation that you have received the support
shown if required.
Description of Subsidy Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
Beneficiary:
Date of payment: 11-10-2023
Total Value : £4000.00
In addition, prior to signing this contract, you confirmed with
Openreach that:
You are a resident or meet the definition of an enterprise as defined
in Section 7 (where applicable see Section ?? of the Subsidy Control
Act 2022.
OR
You are a SME – see below for full details – which can be summarised
as:
You are a resident or qualify as being no larger than a medium-sized
company under sections 465 to 467 of the Companies Act 2006 which can
be summarised as: Up to 249 employees and annual turnover no greater
than £36 million and/or an annual balance sheet total not exceeding
£18 million.
You have not benefited from a previous Gigabit Broadband Voucher as a
result of the grant subsidy contribution shown above, you will have
received less than £315,000 in public subsidy in the last 3 years.
That you are not a public sector organisation.
If any of the above statements are not correct then please contact us
urgently at gbvshelp@dcms.gov.uk
You do not need to respond to this letter, but you must retain this
document for 3 years from the date the assistance was given and
produce it on request by the UK public authorities. You may need to
keep this letter longer than 3 years for other purposes. We are
required by law to retain this record for a period of 10 years. We may
be required to publish this information as a result of a Freedom of
Information request. If required we will publish only your name and
the amount of subsidy provided.
Yours sincerely
UK Gigabit Programme – Building Digital UK (BDUK)
BDUK is an Executive Agency of the Department for Digital, Culture,
Media and Sport
Further information on the Subsidy Control Act is available here:
LEGISLATION.GOV.UK
Subsidy Control Act 2022
====

It is a weird way to go about it... also I don't recall ever signing
up for any BT voucher. I just booked FTTP through Vodafone.

Peter wrote:

> This is an update on this saga.

Thanks - I was thinking of you today and was going to ask ....

[snip]

> As advised here I ported my landline number to Voiphone whose service
> is really super. The porting is in progress; taking over a week so
> far. We have a temporary number in the meantime.

You can make outgoing calls before the porting is complete.

Voipfone ported 2 numbers for me. First from Plusnet requested on 15
Feb completed 22 Feb. Second from Zen requested on 20 March completed
on 27 March so 7 days. How does this compare with your times?

> Then I got some funny emails.

Did you follow up the first link https://funding ..... Or simply ignore
them all?

--
Graham J

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote

>Peter wrote:
>
>> This is an update on this saga.
>
>Thanks - I was thinking of you today and was going to ask ....
>
>[snip]
>
>> As advised here I ported my landline number to Voiphone whose service
>> is really super. The porting is in progress; taking over a week so
>> far. We have a temporary number in the meantime.
>
>You can make outgoing calls before the porting is complete.

Sure; that works.

>Voipfone ported 2 numbers for me. First from Plusnet requested on 15
>Feb completed 22 Feb. Second from Zen requested on 20 March completed
>on 27 March so 7 days. How does this compare with your times?

Porting requrest on 6th Oct. Number not working yet.

>> Then I got some funny emails.
>
>Did you follow up the first link https://funding ..... Or simply ignore
>them all?

Yes; I followed the process in the 1st email. It looked genuine and
not like some ID collecting site, but looks a clumsy web design job.

The company mentioned there (which might verify the installation) does
exist but seems to be nothing to do with fibre.

It seems weird they could go after somebody for 4k. Especially as BT
do all this for free a bit later. Many years ago I was the ADSL
coordinator for the 3 villages here; same deal.

Peter wrote:

[snip]

>> Voipfone ported 2 numbers for me. First from Plusnet requested on 15
>> Feb completed 22 Feb. Second from Zen requested on 20 March completed
>> on 27 March so 7 days. How does this compare with your times?
>
> Porting request on 6th Oct. Number not working yet.

Probably takes longer to extract the number from the clutches of
Vodafone ....

--
Graham J

Vodafone will not under any circumstances release the old ADSL
landline number without terminating the FTTP service.

So I stopped the porting process.

I might try setting up the Voipfone VOIP box to use the Voda
credentials. I think I bought that box but if not I will buy it.

Totally unbelievable!

I asked why can't they disconnect FTTP and immediately reconnect it.
Too complicated; would need to set up a new service.

Postman Pat <at@the-post-office-not.com> wrote:

>Just spent about 5 hours on this
>
>3hrs on a monkey chat line call centre
>2hrs on a monkey voice call centre
>
>Managed to order their 75mbps fibre plan for home.
>
>They can retain the landline number (essential). This took hours to
>sort out, via some chinese-speaking call centre, one clueless moron
>after another.
>
>They say they can't (probably) retain my fixed IP (not life or death;
>I can reconfig a load of stuff)
>
>They can't say how it will terminate. I want a box with an RJ45 for
>the WAN and a BT socket for an analog phone. I have one of these
>already at work with Andrews & Arnold but A&A are expensive for home
>fibre (actually we have VOIP via A&A, not POTS, and the A&A VOIP was
>extremely painful to get working so I am not doing that again).
>
>They say we will get a Voda router. I said I use my own router
>(Draytek 2955, FYI) and just need the login credentials for that. The
>RJ45 cable goes straight from the BT box to the router WAN socket.
>This is standard stuff. In fact with A&A the router config was same
>from copper to fibre. But Voda are clueless.
>
>If the Openreach guy turns up and I cannot get my own router set up, I
>will cancel the installation but hopefully the ADSL+analog will be
>retained.
>
>At the end of this I was ready to top myself.
>
>Can anyone offer any suggestions here to retain my sanity? :)

I have a Grandstream box from Voipfone and have the following Voda
VOIP credentials (obfuscated)

Username dsl0ghfhgfhgfgfg@businessbroadband.vodafone.co.uk

Password hghghghghg

Product information for VoIP
Username / Password
cxcxcxcxc / bnvbvbvbvbv
SIP proxy
xbn.Z5.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk
SIP registrar
resvoip.vodafone.co.uk
SIP URI
kjkjkjkjk

but have no idea where these can be configured in the Grandstream box.
For example there is no "username". It has various config boxes but
most don't correspond to the above.

I would be really grateful for any help :)

>
> Postman Pat <at@the-post-office-not.com> wrote:
>
>>Just spent about 5 hours on this
>>
>>3hrs on a monkey chat line call centre
>>2hrs on a monkey voice call centre
>>
>>Managed to order their 75mbps fibre plan for home.
>>
>>They can retain the landline number (essential). This took hours to
>>sort out, via some chinese-speaking call centre, one clueless moron
>>after another.
>>
>>They say they can't (probably) retain my fixed IP (not life or death;
>>I can reconfig a load of stuff)
>>
>>They can't say how it will terminate. I want a box with an RJ45 for
>>the WAN and a BT socket for an analog phone. I have one of these
>>already at work with Andrews & Arnold but A&A are expensive for home
>>fibre (actually we have VOIP via A&A, not POTS, and the A&A VOIP was
>>extremely painful to get working so I am not doing that again).
>>
>>They say we will get a Voda router. I said I use my own router
>>(Draytek 2955, FYI) and just need the login credentials for that. The
>>RJ45 cable goes straight from the BT box to the router WAN socket.
>>This is standard stuff. In fact with A&A the router config was same
>>from copper to fibre. But Voda are clueless.
>>
>>If the Openreach guy turns up and I cannot get my own router set up, I
>>will cancel the installation but hopefully the ADSL+analog will be
>>retained.
>>
>>At the end of this I was ready to top myself.
>>
>>Can anyone offer any suggestions here to retain my sanity? :)

Peter wrote:
> Vodafone will not under any circumstances release the old ADSL
> landline number without terminating the FTTP service.
>
> So I stopped the porting process.
>
> I might try setting up the Voipfone VOIP box to use the Voda
> credentials. I think I bought that box but if not I will buy it.
>
> Totally unbelievable!
>
> I asked why can't they disconnect FTTP and immediately reconnect it.
> Too complicated; would need to set up a new service.

So this is why Vofafone was offering FTTP so cheaply!

Get your FTTP from Zen then port your ADSL landline number to Voipfone.

--
Graham J

Peter wrote:
> I have a Grandstream box from Voipfone and have the following Voda
> VOIP credentials (obfuscated)
>
> Username dsl0ghfhgfhgfgfg@businessbroadband.vodafone.co.uk
>
> Password hghghghghg
>
> Product information for VoIP
> Username / Password
> cxcxcxcxc / bnvbvbvbvbv
> SIP proxy
> xbn.Z5.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk
> SIP registrar
> resvoip.vodafone.co.uk
> SIP URI
> kjkjkjkjk
>
> but have no idea where these can be configured in the Grandstream box.
> For example there is no "username". It has various config boxes but
> most don't correspond to the above.
>
> I would be really grateful for any help :)

Have you asked Voipfone?

Why do you want to do this? It's not clear to me that your ADSL
landline number can be converted to a VoIP service from Vodafone,
particularly in the light of your earlier post.

--
Graham J

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

>Have you asked Voipfone?

Yes; they can't assist with the Voda credentials (which makes sense)
and don't seem to believe that Voda will really terminate the FTTP
service.

>Why do you want to do this? It's not clear to me that your ADSL
>landline number can be converted to a VoIP service from Vodafone,
>particularly in the light of your earlier post.

Voda tell me that my original landline number is still available, but
only via *their* VOIP.

Grandstream is not registering... can anyone guess where the long
username goes?

I used this as example

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rZZp6az5Ncxc2Euk0JY5zYUhQRGq4n_N/view

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:

>Peter wrote:
>> I have a Grandstream box from Voipfone and have the following Voda
>> VOIP credentials (obfuscated)
>>
>> Username dsl0ghfhgfhgfgfg@businessbroadband.vodafone.co.uk
>>
>> Password hghghghghg
>>
>> Product information for VoIP
>> Username / Password
>> cxcxcxcxc / bnvbvbvbvbv
>> SIP proxy
>> xbn.Z5.bbvoice.vodafone.co.uk
>> SIP registrar
>> resvoip.vodafone.co.uk
>> SIP URI
>> kjkjkjkjk
>>
>> but have no idea where these can be configured in the Grandstream box.
>> For example there is no "username". It has various config boxes but
>> most don't correspond to the above.
>>
>> I would be really grateful for any help :)
>
>Have you asked Voipfone?
>
>Why do you want to do this? It's not clear to me that your ADSL
>landline number can be converted to a VoIP service from Vodafone,
>particularly in the light of your earlier post.

On 24/10/2023 14:30, Peter wrote:
>
> Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote:
>
>> Have you asked Voipfone?
>
> Yes; they can't assist with the Voda credentials (which makes sense)
> and don't seem to believe that Voda will really terminate the FTTP
> service.
>
>> Why do you want to do this? It's not clear to me that your ADSL
>> landline number can be converted to a VoIP service from Vodafone,
>> particularly in the light of your earlier post.
>
> Voda tell me that my original landline number is still available, but
> only via *their* VOIP.
Tell them that VOIP numbers must be portable.

https://vipvoip.co.uk/voip-numbers-porting/

one of many....

Dave

David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:

>> Voda tell me that my original landline number is still available, but
>> only via *their* VOIP.
>Tell them that VOIP numbers must be portable.
>
>https://vipvoip.co.uk/voip-numbers-porting/
>
>one of many....

Voda, some indian in an indian call centre, don't give a shit.

BUT I have it working for outgoing calls. Just not incoming. Meybe
there is a keep-alive (STUN server??) or I need to open a port in my
Draytek 2960 (prefer not to).

Got it working on Voda OK.

Took a while and some of the Grandstream 801 config is flakey and
seems to reset itself to some defaults when you reboot it (e.g. the
Codec list all just resets). A shitty device...

Peter wrote:
> Got it working on Voda OK.
>
> Took a while and some of the Grandstream 801 config is flakey and
> seems to reset itself to some defaults when you reboot it (e.g. the
> Codec list all just resets). A shitty device...
>

Some years ago I used a Linksys PAP2T and had no problems with it on
Voipfone.

--
Graham J

The Vodafone dicks changed the ADSL (PPPOE) login this afternoon! No
idea why since the number port was cancelled today. Just spent a
couple of hours on the phone to them (in the gerden since we have
almost no signal) and got new credentials.

It looks like when I asked Voda for the VOIP credentials today, they
changed the PPPOE login credentials!

Oh and the fucks also dropped the fixed IP I had for years. So no
wonder the VOIP no longer works too.

Graham J <nobody@nowhere.co.uk> wrote

>Peter wrote:
>> Got it working on Voda OK.
>>
>> Took a while and some of the Grandstream 801 config is flakey and
>> seems to reset itself to some defaults when you reboot it (e.g. the
>> Codec list all just resets). A shitty device...
>>
>
>
>Some years ago I used a Linksys PAP2T and had no problems with it on
>Voipfone.

A final instalment:

The Grandstream 801 is a piece of shit.

It randomly loses bits of the config. It changes the fixed SIP port to
Random SIP port. And it loses all the vocoder settings, though that
seems less important. I spent hours before realising that bits of the
config keep resetting themselves.

I might look for another ATA box.

Peter <occassionally-confused@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
>
> The Vodafone dicks changed the ADSL (PPPOE) login this afternoon!

I can't speak for your specifics, but I had the misfortune to call Vodafone
to sort something with somebody's account and they were equivalently useless.
It's been two months digging them out of a hole believed to be of VF's
making.

Definitely in the Avoid category it seems.

Theo

Theo <theom+news@chiark.greenend.org.uk> wrote

>Peter <occassionally-confused@nospam.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> The Vodafone dicks changed the ADSL (PPPOE) login this afternoon!
>
>I can't speak for your specifics, but I had the misfortune to call Vodafone
>to sort something with somebody's account and they were equivalently useless.
>It's been two months digging them out of a hole believed to be of VF's
>making.
>
>Definitely in the Avoid category it seems.
>
>Theo

I had an argument with them re the legality of refusing to move out
the old landline number, without FTTP termination. They argued hard,
but it was some bloke in India and I could not understand him much ;)

I discovered by the Grandstream 801 box was "losing" bits of config:
it was set up to retrieve a config file from some URL, every few hours
:) That was done to cut down Voipfone tech support workload, which is
understandable.

Anyway, I think I am done. Voda are OK, and very reliable, provided
you don't have to ask them anything nontrivial / off-script.