Making a phonecall on a netbook using a 3g dongle/in built sim slot

snaps

ok, im currently away using three like home in Italy. I want to make some phonecalls (I have free weekend minutes), Is there anyway/software to allow me to use the three sim card as a phone in my laptop (Using a headset)? I can swap my three sim with my vodafone sim in my 3g phone i have with me, buts its pain? Ive a 2nd phone with me buts it not a 3g phone just 2g.

watty

It's unlikely that the Modem has the Voice Baseband processing required.

snaps

Ok, ive searched google and a few other forums, thought it may be a no go. Its a shame that the three sim doesnt work in my 2g phone (I thought that three uses 2 g for phone calls?) I just get in valid sim when i put it into my sim free htc s710

watty

No, 3 has no GSM/2G. Only 3G licences. There might be somewhere they have a roaming agreement that uses 2G/GSM.

3's Data network is simply a plain Mobile phone voice network using 3G, AKA UMTS or W-CDMA (however Foma is also W-CDMA and 3G but not compatible with our 3G, US "plain" CDMA is actually 2G, AKA CDMA-one). The Data connection can use up many voice "connections" and can switch to a higher capacity modulation if the signal is very good. Voice calls have priority.

It's technically in theory possible to use a PCI-e, express card, PCMCIA or USB "modem" only to do GSM (2G) or UMTS(3G) voice, but most data modems are organised similar to an analogue dialup modem (GSMGPRS/EDGE/3G/HSPA is all essentially fast dialup) and the CPU software doesn't have access to the baseband data needed to feed the output/input of a software voice codec. For OEM use you can buy modules that have the codecs built in and also audio I/O as well as the "serial" data port for the data transmission. These are a lot more costly than regular data only modems and thus not used in regular laptops/Netbooks. They would let you convert a PDA or self built touch screen gadget to have Modem and voice calling.


The newer 4G used in WiMax, Flash-OFDMA and LTE has no separate voice mode. All calls use VOIP, so in maybe 5 to 7 years time a laptop with an LTE modem could be used for voice calls in Ireland. Other European countries are already deploying LTE.

Imagine's Wimax, while technically a Mobile 4G product, uses near useless frequency for Mobile, 3.5GHz. They would get x16 capacity and users a much better experience if they used Fixed WiMax (a different system) and outdoor aerials only. Also Imagine don't have the kind of Voice network needed that Magnet, Digiweb/Smart and UPC have.

Eircom, 3, Meteor, Vodafone and O2 are all installing some 4G/VOIP infrastructure, but at the minute they can only really support traditional voice calls natively, not NGN/VOIP or 4G as Magnet, Digiweb/Smart and UPC can.




A sim is a sim. 3 must be marking some data record in the sim to indicate a 3G handset is required as a 2G only handset would never be able to make a call on any native 3 Network. So it makes sense that the phone gives you this message, even if you where in a place where a Roaming agreement would allow 2G.

In Ireland 3 handsets can roam onto Vodafone, I think if there is no 3 mast, but I heard that even if the handset is 2G /GSM capable, only 3G is used (vodafone masts mostly do 2G/GSM and 3G/UMTS)

snaps

Great answer, cheers watty. Im swapping the sim in and out of my 3g vodafone phone to make free calls back to Ireland.