VoIP phones on Virgin through Hub 4...

[adelphiaUK]

I have just switched to Virgin on the Ultimate Volt bundle and have everything working EXCEPT my VoIP phones.

I have been searching for a simple answer to the question, "can you use true VoIP phones on the Virgin Media VoIP (CV21) service?" I have 2 £100+ phones which I purchased about 2 years ago when I was working in IT Consultancy,  which have all the facilities I need for a phone; shared phone book, Caller ID configuration, handset identification etc. etc.

When I took out the services with VM I was told that I would be able to use these phones on the VM VoIP service but to date, no one can give me the relevant information I need to be able to connect. 

Was I told a lie? Is the VM VoIP service, which I have since found out operates CV21 rather than a true VoIP service even capable of handling VoIP phones?

I have spent over an hour talking to 3 different people at VM from 3 different departments, I was transferred to Gadget Fix for a 2nd time but inexplicably the phone call got disconnected.

Could anyone here tell me, am I banging my head against a brick wall or can my phones actually be configured to the VM VoIP service?

I don't really want to have to buy a new set of phones...

[GLP008]

Hi Jem

The issue seems to be that Virgin's implementation of 21CV is not full 21CV and that is why it is not therefore a true implementation of a "full VOIP" service - and this seems to be where the confusion lies.

There also seems to be confusion as to whether VOIP - Voice over the internet - only refers to voice over an internet service that is 'fibre end to end'. My understanding is that the definition of VoIP is not specifically voice over full fibre internet connections. VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol, and it is a technology that allows users to make and receive calls 'over the internet'. So, this can be done using any type of internet connection, including copper wires, fibre optic cables, and wireless networks.    

The Virgin Hub 6 is a hybrid hub that can be used for both traditional landline calls and VOIP calls. However, the reason it is not considered "a full VOIP hub" is because it does not have all of the features and capabilities of a dedicated VOIP hub.

E.g., My understanding is that the Virgin Hub 6 does not support all of the features that are available on a "full 21CV" implementation, such as call forwarding, call waiting, and voicemail. Additionally, the Virgin Hub 6 does not have the same level of security as a dedicated VOIP hub.

However, a lot of the "IP" phones currently on sale are also "hybrid" phones - i.e. the ones that can connect via a base station to an internet port on the router (rather than via a Ren port) and can be configured by setting up a 'SIP account' are reportedly already being used successfully with VM's Hubs running Virgin's version of 21CV.  I am hoping to test this myself on Monday (22May23) after my upgrade to 21CV.

Can you confirm if my understanding above is correct?

Many thanks..

[pogit1]

I’d be I treated to know how you get on I have a Hub6 myself and my understanding is no VOIP equipment will work with it directly with a virgin media provided phoneline (via the hub) but you could still use a VOIP service in the same way any internet connection could.  It also worth noting in some areas there is also a 6X hub which I believe is full fibre but I could be wrong with that.  The Hub 6 which I have is the usual restricted device on VMs usual way aka they’ve completely knackered it which is a shame as under the hood it’s b fare the best super hub, but VM middle ware doesn’t let you change so much as the Wi-Fi name or password without completely messing it up and wen you add an EBUL into the mix or want more than 10 devices good luck as it’s IP address issues and release system is hopeless.  So if you have any smart devices such as lamps & switches be prepared for having to find work a rounds. 

[VMUser1812]

Bear in mind that 21CV is nothing other than a 'marketing term', it has absolutely no technical meaning at all!

A true IP phone only connects via ethernet or WiFi to your home network in much the same way as any any device - what you may be talking about is a conventional analogue phone which is plugged into a 'box' referred to as an ATA (analogue telephone (or telephony) adapter), which is a analogue to digital converter and the hardware to encode the packets properly before sending them out onto the internet.

What features are available has little to do with the hub, or firewall or router being used, these are mostly controlled by what services the provider offers and the capabilities of the handset itself. There really isn't any such thing as a 'VoIP hub'.

Once you get switched over on 22nd, all that happens is that your conventional phone gets plugged into the Tel1 socket on the hub rather than into a wall socket. The ATA in the hub, digitises the analogue voice calls and 'piggy-backs' them onto the rest if the data being sent up and down the cable. But importantly, this is NOT VoIP, there is no SIP involved here. If you want to use a VoIP phone then this almost certainly would work, but you need to sign up with a third party VoIP provider and get a additional number (or port your existing VM number over and terminate the land line part of your contract). This gives you the SIP account where you put the details into your IP phone(s). But this simply isn't something that VM provide; call them if you want, but the chances of getting through to anyone who has the faintest idea of what you are talking about is vanishingly small!

Bottom line is this, if you think that after 22nd, you can somehow connected a pure IP phone to your home network, get some details from VM and expect it to work - I'm sorry but that just isn't going to happen. Maybe in a couple of years or so. but that will only happen if and when VM decide to offer a full-blown VoIP service.