Which dect phones work better with VOIP

[#1]

I've noticed quite a few complaints over at EE about  people being left without a working phone after bb/phone intall.  I'm sure its probably just the unlucky few but wondered if some phones work better with VOIP than others?

I have an older Gigaset 455 dect triple set so wondering if they are likely to plug in and play nicely.  If they dont are there any models/ sets that are recommended.  I dont really like the BT offerings if only because unless you pay a lot more you dont get decent volume (or speaker on some models) but are they more likely to work seamlessly with VOIP?

[#2]

Is this a DECT issue or the mechanism by which existing phones are connected to the VoIP service?

I have used DECT handsets connected to Zen’s Fritz!box routers with zero issues.  That router acts as a DECT base station / PABX.

Alternatively existing DECT base stations can be connected to VOIP using an ATA device … which will be responsible for volume levels etc.

[#3]

EE have  delivered a smarthub 7 plus.   

So just planning on plugging the base station into the phone socket at the back of that. 

So I'm just wondering if the age of my present dect set will be an issue.  Some sets now say suitable for VOIP.

[#4]

@Spik3y A quick search says it is suitable for VOIP - but it was a very quick check, so...

[#5]

@Townman 

With the Zen Fritzbox router you can just plug in the phone Dect base statton and use that (i.e you do not need to use the router Dect base station with the attendant need to pair the phones to it). That is what I did with my old Panasonoc Dect phone (five phones in total) and all the handsets work as before. 

[#6]

The fritzbox seems to have  a lot of extra features, it has very good reviews. 

Unfortunately I dont want to add too much cost at the moment.  I'm just hoping the EE offering is OK.

It says this on the EE help guide for connecting dect phone base station:

If your phone doesn’t ring

Phones bought before 2015 may not ring while connected to your Digital Home Phone adapter.

Little worrying as mine were bought in 2018,  so just hoping they weren't old stock.   To be fair  I had intended to replace them, they are getting worn out and I've already replaced the batteries,  but held off until the change over.  

Has anyone got any recommendations for dect phones with good volume levels -  my other half needs a louder phone ring and voice.

[#7]

---

@jab1 wrote:

@Spik3y A quick search says it is suitable for VOIP - but it was a very quick check, so...

---

@jab1 

How did you check, have you got a link you could share?

[#8]

---

@Spik3y wrote:

It says this on the EE help guide for connecting dect phone base station:

If your phone doesn’t ring

Phones bought before 2015 may not ring while connected to your Digital Home Phone adapter.

---

I wonder if that is because some earlier phones may depend on an external ringing capacitor? If that were the case then perhaps an old Broadband ADSL/PHONE dongle filter between the phone and the router would help?

[#9]

---

@Spik3y wrote:

---

@jab1 wrote:

@Spik3y A quick search says it is suitable for VOIP - but it was a very quick check, so...

---

@jab1 

How did you check, have you got a link you could share?

---

I just asked my search engine 'is the Gigaset 455 compatible with VOIP?'. 

[#10]

@Spik3y 

Methinks that you are worrying un-necessarily. I find it hard to believe that a modern generation wireless DECT phone, be it eight years old, would need a ring capacitor or have too great a REN requirement to work. Now if it was a retro model with a bell and used pulse dialling then that might be a different matter.

If you are really worried a back up corded phone can perhaps be borrowed for a few days, many people keep one for a spare. Alternatively, they can be bought from the likes of Amazon for under £10.

[#11]

@Spik3y 

My old Panasonic dect set (with five handsets - 4 original plus one extra) which I simply plugged into the Fritzbox and which works with no issues was bought in 2012/13!! 

[#12]

@Spik3y 

A word of warning BT/EE use proprietary hardware for the Digital Phone Service, it should not be seen as a true VoIP service.

Look at the handset BT/EE supply for this service https://ee.co.uk/broadband/digital-home-phone 

They would be best suited for the features offered by BN/EE the phone service. Importantly, third party handsets might have limited functionality with the in built hubs DECT base station when paired with it.

Does your current handset have a DECT base station, if yes just plug that in the Hub phone socket which acts just like a standard BT analogue phone socket of the Openreach Master Socket.

[#13]

---

@Baldrick1 wrote:

@Spik3y 

 I find it hard to believe that a modern generation wireless DECT phone, be it eight years old, would need a ring capacitor or have too great a REN requirement to work.

---

It feels to me you could be correct. Then it would be interesting to know why older phones wouldn't work, after all, whether DECT or not, isn't any analogue phone just an analogue phone on a telephone landline?

---

 Now if it was a retro model with a bell and used pulse dialling then that might be a different matter.

---

Doesn't need to be quite that old! I have an old Geemarc Venice M model handset (with Mercury button!) that needed an external ringing capacitor to work.

GEEMARC VENICE & VENICE M (britishtelephones.com)

[#14]

@pvmb 

Re the phone, This is clearly a pre 1992 design, that’s 34 years plus ago!  Hardly a fair comparison!

[#15]

@Spik3y 

I don't think you have said who the VoIP service provider is.

With BT/EE's "Digital Voice" you must use their base station and they have a handset that you seem to get with a phone service. I believe you can buy more of these.

https://www.bt.com/broadband/digital-voice

You also get a socket on their router which allows you to plug in a phone or a DECT base station.

Incoming number migration is overnight following the installation so incoming calls stay on the copper line for the rest of "install day".

If you are staying with Plusnet and getting a VoIP service from someone else you might consider a new Gigaset VoIP base station rather than getting some sort of adaptor.