Enabling voice for my Huawei E160(X) modem

[gsm-gatewayer]

Hello!

I would like to set up a GSM gateway on my Raspberry Pi with the software asterisk and a module called "chan_dongle".

The "Huawei E160" was listed as a tested and working modem on the requirements page of chan_dongle (https://web.archive.org/web/20150514...d=requirements), so I bought one.
The brand is "Orange" (a mobile phone company in France) and I have a mobile phone plan of this company.

So, I installed it on Asterisk but I can neither make phone calls nor receive phone calls.
Whenever I try to call, I get error messages like: "Error: circuit is busy" and it ends with "ERROR: ^DDSETEX failed!".

I spent a long time searching on the internet what was the problem and when I send the AT command: "AT^CVOICE?", I only get "1".
I tried AT^U2DIAG=276 to enable voice but the only thing which have change is that I have three /dev/ttyUSB interfaces (0, 1 & 2) instead of two (0 & 1).

Moreover, the dc-unlocker software shows that voice is disabled, here is the result:

 DC - Unlocker 2 Client 1.00.1201
   
  Detecting modem :
   
  selection :
  manufacturer - Huawei modems
  model - Auto detect (recommended)
   
  Found Applications port COM16
  Found Diagnostics port COM17
   
  Found modem         : E160X
  Model               : Huawei E160/E160G/E160X
  IMEI                : 353762039434970
  Serial NR.          : DY4CAB1981720268
  Firmware            : 11.604.21.05.314
  Compile date / time : May 16 2009 15:29:43
  Hardware ver.       : CD25TCPU
  Dashboard version   : HOST0.0.0.1
  Chipset             : Qualcomm MSM6246
  NAND Flash          : samsung_K5D1G13ACH
  Voice feature       : disabled
  SIM Lock status     : Locked (Card Lock)
 Wrong codes entered : 0 (unlock attempts left : 10)

I would like to know -- before I buy credits -- if it is possible to enable voice on this modem, so that I can use it with asterisk?
I mean, considering the current version of the firmware, etc.

If it is possible, I don't need to "unlock" the modem since I am using a plan of the same company, I would only need to enable voice.
Note that I do not have another SIM card that I could insert in the modem.

Kind regards,
gsm-gatewayer

[Vincentas]

Yes, it is possible to activate voice on this modem. But can not tell anything about using with asterisk as we do not have such information.

[gsm-gatewayer]

Hi Vincentas and thank you for your answer!

I have another question for you: can I just buy 4 credits in order to enable voice or do I have to buy 8 credits to unlock my modem and then enable voice?

Also, is it OK to use my SIM card during the process, which is from the same telephone company?

gsm-gatewayer

[Valdemaras]

Yes, it is ok to buy only 4 credits. Having sim in modem or not does not matter for voice activation.

[gsm-gatewayer]

Hi Vincentas and Valdemaras!

I launched again dc-unlocker in order to see how to enable voice...
As I mentionned above, I wouldn't need to unlock the modem since my mobile plan is from the same mobile phone company.

So, I would like to enable voice only, however the "Enable voice" button is grey, I cannot click on it (cf screenshot).

What should I do?

Kind regards,
gsm-gatewayer

[Valdemaras]

Then it seems that for your modem you will need to unlock it in order to activate voice. Don't worry it won't cost more. After unlock you will be deducted 4 credits, then activation of voice will cost 0 credits.