Vodafone Sure Signal - Different ISP

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#1606970 9-Aug-2016 13:34

Interesting. We've been provided with these devices and the required adsl connection at Vodafones cost due to poor or nonexistent reception (even in urban areas). They've stated that they cannot use them on any other connection. No skin off our nose I suppose.

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nzbsgfan

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#1607371 10-Aug-2016 07:25

Active handovers from the macro Vodafone 3G layer to SureSignal are not configured (by design).

Mobiles can only "cell-reselect" into a SureSignal device. The mobile must be idle (no active calls or data sessions in progress).

Once the mobile has re-selected to SureSignal, any mobile call started on the SureSignal can hand to the macro Vodafone network as long as the SureSignal unit can "see" the macro layer when it does its regular network scan.

If the SureSignal cannot see the Vodafone macro network, it cannot provide the mobile with the target cells to hand to. In this situation you might have good coverage to hand to (say outside your house), but the suresignal inside your house may not see that coverage, so it cant instruct the mobile to hand out.

MadEngineer

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#1607511 10-Aug-2016 11:36

yes, we've had that problem where calls drop as you leave the vicinity of the device.

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froob

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#1609831 10-Aug-2016 20:33

jjnz1:

What the above post doesn't mention, is how it works. If you scroll through link it will tell you that yes a VPN is required when outside the Vodafone fixed line broadband network, or outside the Vodafone 4G RBI network (for example 3G).

That VPN must connect back into the network somehow, and in my case, through my VF home fibre connection.

Interesting that it will work on the Vodafone 4G RBI network without a VPN. The requirement from the website is "a Vodafone fixed broadband connection with a speed of 2Mbps or higher". I suppose that a RBI connection is "fixed".

I was thinking I was going to need to use a VPN when moving to UFB on another provider - Vodafone don't usually provide UFB in HFC cable areas. But, for whatever reason they agreed to provide UFB in my case with no issues.

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rokki

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#1610221 11-Aug-2016 17:19

I am in the UK at present on holiday and have been debating wether to buy a UK one. I was with Vodafone for UFB and the Sure Signal I have worked well but I now am with Mynxnet because I needed better upload speeds than Vodafone would provide so are we saying that if I was to use a VPN with my current setup that my NZ Sure Signal would work ? If yes would someone be willing to teach me how ? My current router is the Huawei HG659 but I will be changing that on my return to NZ.

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RunningMan

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#1610242 11-Aug-2016 18:07

rokki: [snip]o are we saying that if I was to use a VPN with my current setup that my NZ Sure Signal would work

It's not a matter of signing up to a VPN service - you need a VPN into the Vodafone fixed line network - ie the endpoint needs to be a Vodafone fixed line connection.

rokki

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#1610246 11-Aug-2016 18:18

RunningMan:
rokki: [snip]o are we saying that if I was to use a VPN with my current setup that my NZ Sure Signal would work

It's not a matter of signing up to a VPN service - you need a VPN into the Vodafone fixed line network - ie the endpoint needs to be a Vodafone fixed line connection.

Ok I get it now so no 😒

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danza

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#1611611 14-Aug-2016 22:20

The sure signal/microcell tech is somewhat dead nowadays and will most likely be replaced with wifi calling, which is just a straight 3GPP access eg. tunnel between the carriers core LTE/4G network and your device over whatever internet connection that's available.

It's better in just about every way for a regular home user and you'll basically have problem free coverage once you've setup your wifi properly.

It can also do soft handover back onto the cellular network that doesn't drop the call when you leave the wifi coverage area.

theUtmost

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#1611670 15-Aug-2016 07:13

@Danza (or anyone else for that matter!)...

Do you know when Vodafone is bringing WiFi calling to market in NZ?
Or any other providers?

nzbsgfan

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#1617119 25-Aug-2016 06:56

Dont buy one from the UK, if you want to use it on Vodafone NZ's platform.

Vodafone NZ's SureSignal devices are provisioned for use by their own platform. The UK ones will simply not work.

Using a UK SureSignal in New Zealand via a VPN to the UK will also not work. The UK system requires device registration involving an exact UK street address. The UK SureSignal device will sniff the RF environment upon start up and compare projected macro coverage from that street address with what the UK SureSignal actually see's in NZ. It obviously wont be the same, so the registration will fail. Regardless of all this - if the device detects a foreign PLMN (ANY foreign cellular network) it wont come up anyway.

If you buy one - it wont work. :)

sbiddle

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#1617176 25-Aug-2016 08:56

theUtmost: @Danza (or anyone else for that matter!)...

Do you know when Vodafone is bringing WiFi calling to market in NZ?
Or any other providers?

They could easily offer it now but there is simply no compelling businss case for it.

We don't have crap networks like the US where coverage is so poor that WiFi offload is needed just for people to have service.

danza

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#1617592 25-Aug-2016 21:31

The network in the US is not too bad if you are using better carriers like Verizon. The cheaper carrier such as TMobile or even ATT will have no coverage when you are outside the city while you are more likely to be still covered by Verizon.

sbiddle:
theUtmost: @Danza (or anyone else for that matter!)...

Do you know when Vodafone is bringing WiFi calling to market in NZ?
Or any other providers?

They could easily offer it now but there is simply no compelling businss case for it.

We don't have crap networks like the US where coverage is so poor that WiFi offload is needed just for people to have service.

It's always good to offload the cellular network onto WiFi when you are mostly stationary eg. in an area with WiFi coverage.
More importantly, we are discussing this topic in the thread about Sure Signal, which is a device for people with limited signal and would be perfect application for WiFi Calling.

Coil

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#1618228 27-Aug-2016 09:16

Possible - Yes

I had it done a few times for customers, Required a static IP and whitelisting that IP in the firewall on the VF end, Plug in and play. Cant remember much more technical details apart from that and it worked.

Cheers

ElectronicFerret

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#1627914 12-Sep-2016 14:40

I run a small rural wireless ISP. We have customers in areas where the only available internet options are satellite or our service. They are begging us to get Sure Signal's working on our network, but vodafone just say no. I understand that Vodafone are saying that it's so they can zero rate traffic and prioritise traffic, but when we provide fixed wireless access, static IPs and can prioritise and zero rate the traffic, it makes no commercial sense for Vodafone to refuse - They will make money due to their mobile customers making more calls.

From my testing you can definitely have at least three Sure Signals on one vodafone broadband connection AND double NATtting them works meaning we could route the SureSignal traffic over a vodafone line back at our NOC, but I would at least prefer some form of approval or "we won't disconnect you in the future" from vodafone before we start offering a service to our customers.

TLDR; Vodafone will say No. The only option is to route them via a vodafone IP address.

ElectronicFerret

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#1627937 12-Sep-2016 15:21

TimA:

Possible - Yes

I had it done a few times for customers, Required a static IP and whitelisting that IP in the firewall on the VF end, Plug in and play. Cant remember much more technical details apart from that and it worked.

Who do I need to speak to/buy a drink at VF to get this done?

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