VOIP service stopped working; anything to do with Three?

[Chrysanth]

I just want to eliminate Three from the equation (or not), before contacting the provider.

There was some urgency earlier, as the bank we're switching to was trying to ring our mobiles for days but couldn't get through (weak signal here and getting worse) so I wanted to give them the number of our voice-over-internet phone, and checked it first but couldn't get it to work.  I'd forgetten to reset it after internet outages, but found for the first time that a reset isn't getting it going.  (The bank eventually got through to us another way, but it's an example of why our alternative phone is important to us, especially in our fairly remote situation).

The device is behaving just as when it simply needs resetting (as I often need to do after an outage, or restarting the router), but is failing at the final stage (its internet light coming on, and the dialling tone).  I'm getting a decent internet signal (via the Three SIM in our router), the VOIP sub is up to date, and I've done the usual checks of cable connections etc.

It was last known to be working on the 16th May, which also happened to be the projected starting date of some planned work Three did in our district, the probable cause of outages we had of both phone and internet around that time.

I also wondered if the problem could be caused by some change to Three's policy re 3rd-party VOIP services (since the 16th, I presume?).

[Three_James · Accepted solution]

Hi there! Thanks for the details. Have you also tried manually selecting the network connection on your router? If your router is a Huawei device, you can look up the steps of how to manually select the network from our device support guide on our website here:  https://www.three.ie/device-support/. Looking at your area, everything is up and running and we haven't received any other reports of difficulties from other Three Customers in the same area. I would also advise to ensure that all 3rd Party VOIP services are updated to the latest version. 

[Chrysanth]

Thank you for the info, James.  It is a Huawei router, but is a different model (B593-U12).  (It's been branded under other names as well, but the Three model's a different shape).

I think that's why I can't remember anything about selecting a network, either during router installation or on later forays in the settings.  It's been in the same place throughout the 5 years we've had it, and always on Three (the only provider whose signal reaches our house).  All our devices are connecting as usual, bar the VOIP (which connects with the router directly by cable).

I did wonder if it concerned the internal network, and thought the relevant FAQ of Three's router would say, and found the link, but couldn't get any further as that requires the router password.

Thanks for checking for problems in the area -  it's nice to know things seem to have settled down again.

I did just wonder how wide the area concerned is, and how many Three customers there are in our rural area anyway, let alone those who also use VOIP, and also know nobody on the ground to call on for help with most devices (most people we know are on Vodafone, for instance).

But anyway, it doesn't sound as if anything in Three's systems has been blocking the VOIP only, so it's over to the provider (and/or digging out notes!).

[Three_Stacey]

@Chrysanth Be sure to let us know how you get on 😊

[Chrysanth]

Mystery solved!  (In a way I wasn't expecting).  Having run out of reset options to try , I emailed Vomino's helpline.  They replied that they were having a major outage (of what exactly, I don't know), and hadn't yet completed the work needed to restore things.  I was then able to find a couple of relevant discussions, and learned it had been going on for several weeks.

Got another reply this morning saying incoming calls should be working again, and outgoing ones hopefully by tomorrow.  (And if not, to contact them).

[Three_Stacey]

@Chrysanth, that's great to hear 😊