Using the mobile plan's unlimited calling feature for home phone service

[BillA]

The mobile data plan we use in our routers usually includes unlimited calling too, which is normally unused and wasted every month (except on the ATT iPad plan which doesn't include calling).

Most modems are both data and voice compatible, so I was wondering if anyone has been able to tap this unused calling feature from the router? It would be great to be able to simply connect an analog corded or cordless phone as an extra phone line since it's usually included with the mobile plan for free.

Most routers do not have a built-in voice circuit along with an RJ11 jack to plug in a phone, but one could use a OBI adapter box with the free GoogleVoice or some other VoIP service, connected to one of the LAN ports of the mobile router or through a usb WiFi adapter plugged into the OBI/VoIP box. The box is a one time purchase and GoogleVoice is free, so it's a great value. Another alternative would be the cheesy MagicJack. lol
OBI box/GoogleVoice info:

https://www.obitalk.com/info/products#home_section
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka7PvQKUbzo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h09R8RGiZZI

Please note, that GoogleVoice/VoIP is not the same as using your mobile plan's unlimited calling feature. Using the mobile plan's native unlimited calling, usually it will drop the LTE connection to 3G during phone calls since most modem don't have VoLTE capability, which would make your router's data speed slows down during phone calls. The OBI/VoIP solution does not drop the connection to 3G because it uses pure data. So if anyone has any other brilliant ideas to tap the mobile plan's voice from the router, feel free to drop a line.

[Didneywhorl]

It would be a curious project for sure. I don't think an analog RJ11 connected phone device would work per say since there is no dial tone on a cellular line. But some form of voice channel/port usage programming and some circuit wizardry would prob get the job done.

Way outside my wheelhouse, but intriguing for sure.

[BillA]

It would be a curious project for sure. I don't think an analog RJ11 connected phone device would work per say since there is no dial tone on a cellular line. But some form of voice channel/port usage programming and some circuit wizardry would prob get the job done.

Way outside my wheelhouse, but intriguing for sure.

It would be fairly easy for router manufacturers to include a voice circuit complete with a fake dial tone, much like the OBI box but integrated onto the main board. The OBI box is different in that it uses VoIP and pure data, not the mobile plan's unlimited calling feature.
I've looked at the modem's pinout and there's definitely a voice channel component present, but it needs to be integrated into the router's board.

[Didneywhorl]

Thatd be cool

[Didneywhorl]

Maybe if you could figure out how to use Quectels development boards, EVB kit, in combination with use of the data via USB to a router....


https://www.codico.com/shop/media/datas ... e_V1.1.pdf



It gives multiple audio interfaces and explains them in the user guide.

[BillA]

Maybe if you could figure out how to use Quectels development boards, EVB kit, in combination with use of the data via USB to a router....

https://www.codico.com/shop/media/datas ... e_V1.1.pdf

It gives multiple audio interfaces and explains them in the user guide.

Well, the router maker is the one who should be integrating the voice circuit into the main board at about an extra $10 cost in parts. While it's doable with a piggy-back dev board it would be messy and not very user friendly. Without integration, the easiest solution is by adding a VoIP box to one of the ethernet ports (like an OBI or true VoIP box), and just use the mobile data for making voice calls.

[tambutso]

I have one of those OBi boxes. Reason I bought it because it was on sale. Worked great for over a year. Mainly for purposes of faxing, which was very rare but in a pinch, it is there if needed. Then Google changed their voice API and OBi, in my opinion, saw this as a chance to kill off my product since it was previous gen and pushed for the newer version which I had to buy, again. I refused to be fleeced so it's a nice paper weight gathering dust somewhere.

[BillA]

I have one of those OBi boxes. Reason I bought it because it was on sale. Worked great for over a year. Mainly for purposes of faxing, which was very rare but in a pinch, it is there if needed. Then Google changed their voice API and OBi, in my opinion, saw this as a chance to kill off my product since it was previous gen and pushed for the newer version which I had to buy, again. I refused to be fleeced so it's a nice paper weight gathering dust somewhere.

Yeah I've seen the new boxes, they are pretty affordable. But might be worth it for whoever wants free unlimited calling over their router. https://www.obitalk.com/info/googlevoice

[Dazed-and-Confused]

I live in the UK and I use the Obi 202 as my main phone and this is plugged into my Netgear WNDR3700 which then connects to my fibre cable providers modem.

I use VoipDiscount as my SIP provider as they are pretty cheap. £10.00 credit can last me over a year, and you get something like 170 free days that do not incur a charge for normal landline calls.

I didn't realise that it could be connected to the likes of a WE826-T2 via ethernet and then use the unlimited calls feature that a SIM provides, or did I misunderstand. Sounds good if it can be done.

I used to use a Linksys device which was similar to the Obi which I still have and it still works but I was intrigued by the newer model so upgraded.

[Didneywhorl]

Im not following your question on tbe we826. The router can use a phones SIM to get onto the data network, but it is incapable of voice usage directly.

[Dazed-and-Confused]

Im not following your question on tbe we826. The router can use a phones SIM to get onto the data network, but it is incapable of voice usage directly.

I was unsure what the facts of the matter where. Thanks for clearing that up. It's a shame tough, my Linksys PAP2T needs a new home.

[LoveMeSomeCALTE]

The mobile data plan we use in our routers usually includes unlimited calling too, which is normally unused and wasted every month (except on the ATT iPad plan which doesn't include calling).

Most modems are both data and voice compatible, so I was wondering if anyone has been able to tap this unused calling feature from the router?

Intriguing idea Bill - trying this out would require us to play around with not only datasheets but also solder some wires onto the voice channels and out of band signals pins from the modem.

The modem would expect a PCM or some GSM compliant audio stream, which could be done with a USB soundcard plugged into the typical OpenWRT router.

In other words, we would have a DIY phone.

Our OpenWRT routers can already text and do data - so why not go the last mile!

If there's some interest and time commitments from you all, I would be interested in this idea together.

My concern are:

1. Voice quality
2. Sitting around near the router/modem is so 2000. If BT 4 is going to be used, how will it interfere with the peripherals
3. below:

Using the mobile plan's native unlimited calling, usually it will drop the LTE connection to 3G during phone calls since most modem don't have VoLTE capability, which would make your router's data speed slows down during phone calls

I wonder what the bandwidth use of VoLTE is and how a VoLTE call in progress affects the residual data speed.

[BillA]

My concern are:
1. Voice quality
2. Sitting around near the router/modem is so 2000. If BT 4 is going to be used, how will it interfere with the peripherals
3. below:

You could use a cordless phone with its base connected to the router's magical DIY voice port. lol

I wonder what the bandwidth use of VoLTE is and how a VoLTE call in progress affects the residual data speed.

Voice uses very little data, the issue is that most modems drop the connection down to 3G (GSM channel) during voice calls since it's unable to use VoLTE like phones do. It's probably easier to use a VOIP box like Obie which has the necessary POTS interface, so you could just plug in any phone, though the initial idea of this thread was to use the mobile plan's native unlimited calling feature.