Hello,
I just got a Google Voice # and finished set-up of my OBi200. All works just fine. However when I entered a local area code (360) in the box for that, I got the message no numbers were available there. So I put the name of my city in the other box (calls for "phrase" ??... I have no idea what's going on here...!). Then it gives me an area code of 361 and choice of 5 available numbers in Ingleside TX.
I am in WA state, but 361 is close enough to 360 for me, so I complete the process.
Then I test the results by calling my existing landline, and to my surprise my phone rings just like it should...! Great... but the Caller ID shows "Ingleside TX"...!
Anybody know how to get my real location in there...?
Thanks much,
Gerry
Hi Gerry:
You can't. Google Voice does not allow caller ID spoofing.
If you want a number that is actually in your city, then you have two choices:
- Get a prepaid cell phone SIM and number, and then port that number into GV.
- Don't use GV. Get a local number from a SIP VoIP service provider, like Callcentric, voip.ms or Phonepower, etc.
Quote from: rggg on January 24, 2017, 06:51:03 PM
Anybody know how to get my real location in there...?
Highly unlikely you will get a number from your exact location. The best you can hope for is any 360 area code number. I just checked and there were several 360 area code numbers available in Aberdeen, Port Angeles, Stanwood, etc.
If you can accept any 360 area code number then go to your Google Voice settings page and click on Change/Port and then the button "I want a new number." This will cost you $10. Search for a number in the 360 area code. If one isn't available when you try it come back at a later time and try it.
I just now tried changing my number again and there are well over 50 (I stopped counting) 360 area code numbers available.
Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses. If I cannot change the location, is it possible to get GV to just blank it out...? Seems that would not be "spoofing" (not really sure what spoofing means...).
What I'm concerned with is having my calls go unanswered due to being mistaken for "spam". Probably half the calls we get on our home phone now are spam, and we mostly don't pick up if we don't recognize the calling number or location. So if I got a call from Texas, I likely wouldn't answer it...!
I was quite confused with the GV web page on which I requested a number. It offered 2 boxes, with the instructions to enter an area code in the first box and/or a "phrase" in the second. I entered area code 360 as that's my home code. I left the second box empty. GV came back with "no numbers available in area code 360", then put up some option (which I don't recall) of selecting another area code, which I did, and GV offered 5 numbers in Texas in area code 361. That's close enough for me, and I was actually impressed with Google's smarts in offering one close to my selection. So I picked one.
Now I'm wondering, if I had left the first box blank and entered the city name "Lynden" in the second box, would GV have offered some random area code with "Lynden" as the text that appears as the calling location...? Do you know what text GV actually wants in that second box... or what they would do with it...?
I do have a cell number I could sacrifice if need be. However I wouldn't want the cell phone accumulating "missed calls" as it would if it rings along with the GV number on the OBi phone. It would be annoying having to clear all the missed calls out of the cell phone.
Taoman, can you explain how to search for available numbers...?
Thanks again,
Gerry.
Quote from: rggg on January 25, 2017, 12:51:34 PM
I do have a cell number I could sacrifice if need be.
There is no need to pay $10 or sacrifice your mobile number. Get yourself another randomly generated gmail account and get a new Google Voice number for that account. Search for a number in the 360 area code until you find one.
Quote from: yosif on January 25, 2017, 02:59:53 PM
Quote from: rggg on January 25, 2017, 12:51:34 PM
I do have a cell number I could sacrifice if need be.
There is no need to pay $10 or sacrifice your mobile number. Get yourself another randomly generated gmail account and get a new Google Voice number for that account. Search for a number in the 360 area code until you find one.
No, this is considered abuse of the service, as you would be doing this to avoid paying the fee. Google will see this and block it. Be a good citizen. Pay the fee.
Quote from: rggg on January 25, 2017, 12:51:34 PM
Hi guys,
Thanks for the responses. If I cannot change the location, is it possible to get GV to just blank it out...? Seems that would not be "spoofing" (not really sure what spoofing means...).
What I'm concerned with is having my calls go unanswered due to being mistaken for "spam". Probably half the calls we get on our home phone now are spam, and we mostly don't pick up if we don't recognize the calling number or location. So if I got a call from Texas, I likely wouldn't answer it...!
I was quite confused with the GV web page on which I requested a number. It offered 2 boxes, with the instructions to enter an area code in the first box and/or a "phrase" in the second. I entered area code 360 as that's my home code. I left the second box empty. GV came back with "no numbers available in area code 360", then put up some option (which I don't recall) of selecting another area code, which I did, and GV offered 5 numbers in Texas in area code 361. That's close enough for me, and I was actually impressed with Google's smarts in offering one close to my selection. So I picked one.
Now I'm wondering, if I had left the first box blank and entered the city name "Lynden" in the second box, would GV have offered some random area code with "Lynden" as the text that appears as the calling location...? Do you know what text GV actually wants in that second box... or what they would do with it...?
I do have a cell number I could sacrifice if need be. However I wouldn't want the cell phone accumulating "missed calls" as it would if it rings along with the GV number on the OBi phone. It would be annoying having to clear all the missed calls out of the cell phone.
Taoman, can you explain how to search for available numbers...?
Thanks again,
Gerry.
Google has no control over the information displayed to the called party. Their carrier does, based on known information about the location of the number. It can't be changed.
Entering the name of a small city is not a reliable way to find a number...it is too limiting. Often, the rate center for your city is actually a nearby city. Entering your city name will therefore not find anything.
Enter just the area code. Look at the results. Pick one that is closest to your rate center (local telephone exchange).
You can use this website to look up the rate center of any given telephone number, and then see which other telephone numbers are in the same rate center (meaning, the calls between them are local calls):
http://www.localcallingguide.com/lca_prefix.php (http://www.localcallingguide.com/lca_prefix.php)
On that website, NPA = area code, NXX = prefix, and Block = the seventh digit of the 10-digit number (if the number is 123-456-7890, then the block is 7).
Hi guys,
I really appreciate your attempt to help, but no cigar yet....
First, I have no idea how to hunt for available phone numbers within 360 (or any) particular area code. So if I just pay the $10 fee and ask for a new number, I don't see how I could guarantee a better result. GV said on the page there were NO numbers available in 360. So even if I found one, wouldn't GV just reject it...?
But let me define the problem: If I keep the GV # I have, and GV puts up only the location "Ingleside,TX" as a "caller ID" on the receiver's phone, this will likely be recognized as "phone spam" by the receiver in WA state or Canada (where virtually all my calls go) as he doesn't know anyone in TX. So he doesn't pick up the call.
Now if GV would put up my name along with the TX city as part of the caller ID text, that would solve the problem. Does GV have a way to do that...? (I do know that Comcast puts my daughter's name and phone number up on my TV screen if I happen to be watching TV when she calls.)
Now, I have 2 (very old but still in use) T-Mobile cell phones, and interestingly they each put out a different caller ID message. One puts out only its own number. The other puts out only my name. But I have no idea as to how they got programmed that way, or if these messages are output from my phones, or from T-Mobile. If I ported one of them to GV, I have no idea if that would also port its calling party ID along with the number. I'd guess NOT.
At this point I'm guessing GV has no way to put out anything but the City and State that the God of Phones assigned to each area code. They are both area code 425, probably Bellevue, WA. I guess I could live with that.
One more thought... Currently, my landline is provided by Comcast over the CATV cable. It is a 360 area code. This will be going away when I get this OBI200 / GV system running...! Is there any chance GV has the ability to in-port my Comcast phone number...? Is it possible Comcast numbers may be classified as mobile numbers...?
They actually look like mobile numbers, as they only have 10 digits, never dial "1" for long distance.
In any case, I would like to know how you guys search for available numbers... or lay claim to one when you find it...
Thanks,
Gerry
Be sure you read Steve's post above and that you understand it.
Google has no control over the information displayed to the called party. Period.Quote from: rggg on January 25, 2017, 12:51:34 PM
What I'm concerned with is having my calls go unanswered due to being mistaken for "spam". Probably half the calls we get on our home phone now are spam, and we mostly don't pick up if we don't recognize the calling number or location. So if I got a call from Texas, I likely wouldn't answer it...!
I wouldn't answer it either. Yet you chose, on purpose, to pick an area code that you knew was from Texas. ???
Quote from: rgggDo you know what text GV actually wants in that second box... or what they would do with it...?
They want exactly what they have printed above the search box:a Word, phrase, or number. They would use it to try and find you a number. The idea being you could enter an easy to remember word, phrase or number and they will try and match it. For instance, I put 360 in the first box and "golf" in the second box. It immediately came back with (360) 218-4653 which is (360) 218-GOLF. Capiche? Putting anything in the second box is
entirely optional.
Probably best to leave it blank to give you the biggest selection of numbers.Quote from: rgggI do have a cell number I could sacrifice if need be.
I assume you are talking about porting your cell number into your GV account? If you really do live in Lynden I think you are out of luck. AFAIK, there is no number from Whatcom or Skagit counties that can be ported to Google Voice. The reason being Google's CLEC (bandwidth.com) does not have a presence in the rate centers serving those two counties. But if you want to prove it to yourself punch in your cell phone numbers in the url listed below. If the message is "Ooops! This number appears to be from an area we don't currently support" then you're out of luck.
https://www.google.com/voice/porting?pli=1 (https://www.google.com/voice/porting?pli=1)
Quote from: rgggTaoman, can you explain how to search for available numbers...?
Do exactly what you did before but only put 360 in the first box and leave second box blank. Do a Search and then click on Next to page through all the numbers. Right now there's over a hundred 360 numbers available but they're all in Stanwood. Numbers come and go as they are used and released.
We've tried to explain this repeatedly. It's not getting through to you.
- Stop telling us about how you thought 361 would be close to 360. That is not how Area Codes are assigned.
- You picked a number in Texas. You don't want that number. We get it. We gave you other options.
- You CANNOT change the caller ID that is sent with calls made from your Google Voice number.
- You live in the middle of nowhere, also known as BFE (http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=BFE). There aren't even any medium-sized cities close enough to you, that a typical telephone carrier would be able to provide you with local telephone numbers.
- Taoman told you how to search for numbers. It isn't that hard. Here are the instructions: https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115114?hl=en&ref_topic=1708124 (https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115114?hl=en&ref_topic=1708124) These instructions are written for the brand new Google Voice website. If the step in the instructions telling you to select the "Legacy" settings doesn't make sense, then you are still using the old website. That's ok. Just follow the rest of the instructions. Google Voice telephone numbers are like fresh fish. You may see one you like today, but they are all sold out the next day. As of this minute, the only Area Code 360 numbers available are in Stanwood. If that works for you, then pick one. There are many, many pages of Stanwood numbers returned as search results when you simly enter 360 in the search box. See the screenshot below.
- When you use the "change number" procedure, and you pay the $10 fee to get a different number, the Texas number will stay on your account for 90 days. It will be automatically deleted after that. You can just ignore it.
- Comcast numbers are classified as land lines. Yes, you might be able to go through some gyrations and port your Comcast number out to a AT&T GoPhone account, or a T-Mobile Prepaid account, wait a week, and then port that now-mobile number into Google Voice. It depends on whether or not Google's telephone carrier can host that telephone number. Here are detailed instructions: http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial (http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial)
Well, now you guys have given me something to work with...! Either of the two 425 cell numbers should port as that is area code for half of King County. But I may have a bigger problem. I might be stuck with porting the Comcast number, as my wife had a cow when I told her we could save $1000 a year by kissing Comcast goodbye, but we might lose our current phone number. Apparently she suffered more aggravation than I realized in changing from the old King County landline number on all our various accounts to 360 when we moved to Lynden 3 years ago. At that time Comcast was the only phone service we could get here and had to be 360 number. Now Frontier is also here and would be my choice for landline, but I thought I'd try GV with an OBi200 first.
In any case, I'll have to spend some time investigating the various options....
Thanks again,
Gerry
Quote from: SteveInWA on January 25, 2017, 11:41:00 PM
Comcast numbers are classified as land lines. Yes, you might be able to go through some gyrations and port your Comcast number out to a AT&T GoPhone account, or a T-Mobile Prepaid account, wait a week, and then port that now-mobile number into Google Voice. It depends on whether or not Google's telephone carrier can host that telephone number. Here are detailed instructions: http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial (http://www.obihai.com/porttutorial)[/li]
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Steve, I saw this thread and realized that you know vastly more about this than me. I'm not as dense as the previous fellow but I have a similar issue. Also, I can't quite figure out what you're recommending above. Here's my issue:
- I run a business out of the house and have been using the same Google Voice number for years, with all calls forwarded to my cell phone and home business line.
- I try to call out using Google Voice so no one ever sees my actual cell and home office lines. It makes things consistent.
- However, there are two limitations to this system. The first is what the fellow above was complaining about, what is on Caller ID. In my case it gives the phone number and city (Del Mar, CA) but I too wonder if my calls don't get through sometimes because people think it's spam.
- Now, in your most recent comment were you recommending an alternative for Google Voice using prepaid cards and I'm not sure why.
- Here's my goal: to have outgoing calls from a "central" number like Google Voice that includes my company name; have incoming calls to that number forwarded to, and ringing at, both my home office and cell lines; and have texts forwarded to the cell phone automatically as well.
Perhaps you can explain to me in a bit more detail how I might achieve that, perhaps with your suggestions above? I can't conceive how using a burner phone will accomplish that.
You may not be "as dense as the previous fellow", but it sounds like you don't understand much about how Google Voice works.
You asked about "prepaid cards". That is not directly related to your question. It is one step in a multi-step process to port a landline number to Google Voice, because Google Voice won't accept ports from landline carriers.
See: https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.msg86959#msg86959 (https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.msg86959#msg86959)
You also ask about your number's outbound caller ID. There are two parts to caller ID in the USA: the caller ID number (CID) and the caller ID name (CNAM). When you call another number, your telephone carrier sends the CID as part of the call routing information, so it is easy for the called party's carrier to simply display the number. Google Voice calls work that way. However, the CNAM is not sent with the call from the calling telco. Instead, the called party's telco has to look up the CNAM in a database (LIDB) maintained by the telecom industry and third-party data brokers. The database contains names matched to numbers. There is a cost to maintaining and using the LIDB. Google doesn't pay to feed its users' names into the LIDB, nor does it pay to look up names for inbound calls. So, outbound calls made from a Google Voice number will not display a CNAM to the called party; only the numeric CID will display.
As for your goal, aside from CNAM, that's how Google Voice works by default.
Quote from: SteveInWA on February 04, 2018, 04:39:17 PM
You may not be "as dense as the previous fellow", but it sounds like you don't understand much about how Google Voice works.
You asked about "prepaid cards". That is not directly related to your question. It is one step in a multi-step process to port a landline number to Google Voice, because Google Voice won't accept ports from landline carriers.
See: https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.msg86959#msg86959 (https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=1051.msg86959#msg86959)
You also ask about your number's outbound caller ID. There are two parts to caller ID in the USA: the caller ID number (CID) and the caller ID name (CNAM). When you call another number, your telephone carrier sends the CID as part of the call routing information, so it is easy for the called party's carrier to simply display the number. Google Voice calls work that way. However, the CNAM is not sent with the call from the calling telco. Instead, the called party's telco has to look up the CNAM in a database (LIDB) maintained by the telecom industry and third-party data brokers. The database contains names matched to numbers. There is a cost to maintaining and using the LIDB. Google doesn't pay to feed its users' names into the LIDB, nor does it pay to look up names for inbound calls. So, outbound calls made from a Google Voice number will not display a CNAM to the called party; only the numeric CID will display.
As for your goal, aside from CNAM, that's how Google Voice works by default.
So any ideas on how I achieve my objective using a service other than Google Voice, which was my original question?
"Here's my goal: to have outgoing calls from a "central" number (like Google Voice) that includes my company name; have incoming calls to that number forwarded to, and ringing at, both my home office and cell lines; and have texts forwarded to the cell phone automatically as well."
Google Voice can do everything you listed in your goal, except display your CNAM to the caller.
Several SIP VoIP Internet Telephone Service Providers (ITSPs) can do everything you listed, except text messaging. The two most popular ITSPs here on the forum are Callcentric and voip.ms. I use Callcentric. I believe voip.ms has a SMS feature, but I haven't tried it myself.
Both services can be easily configured to work on an OBi device using the OBiTALK web portal, under the "OBiTALK compatible service providers" section at the bottom of the setup page.
(I didn't realize that so many people were putting setup concerns in this forum area...)
I just had similar concerns. I went with Google Voice, anyway. But, when checking out the E911 service that Anveo provides Google Voice customers/accounts, I noticed that they were a full-service provider. I checked for the area code I wanted, and found 400-500 (!!!) of them.
I just checked your "360" area code, and there are a slew of those, also. Here's a link to the specific page, although if that "360" page does not show up, just walk through the menu selections from the page you do get:
http://anveo.com/orderphonenumber.asp (http://anveo.com/orderphonenumber.asp)
OK, you just get the main page for number look-up. Select "Geographic" and continue from there.... After each selection, a new/resultant column appears. After you select your state, you won't see the very, very short column of area codes for your state until you scroll up to the top of the data screen.
I didn't go with them because of the cost -- seemed high to me, and I don't want to pay for spam calls. But, if having that area code is really important to you, then the cost of going with Anveo for service (as well as E911, etc.) may be worth it.
PS - Find and investigate other service providers -- maybe someone else has the area code you need.
Quote from: tuna on February 06, 2018, 07:33:13 AM
I just checked your "360" area code, and there are a slew of those, also. Here's a link to the specific page, although if that "360" page does not show up, just walk through the menu selections from the page you do get:
You are responding to a post that is over a year old. Pretty sure he's already solved his problem.
I was simply falling in behind SteveInWA... ;)
This thread, being at/near the top of the (unpinned) topic list may be of use to someone. If I had seen this a week ago, it might have saved me some time/effort.
If Google Voice numbers/number availability come & go (as it seems from reading the above posts), where / what link will take me to a page that will allow me to investigate and perhaps find/select a new number (for a fee, of course). Now that I have selected and have been assigned a number, I no longer see a link to 'choose a google voice number.' I've been to my personal Google Voice page and clicked on all sorts of buttons, but cannot find such a link....
PS - I found this link. Keeping this post and providing the link in case another lost soul stumbles upon it:
https://support.google.com/voice/?hl=en#topic=1708124 (https://support.google.com/voice/?hl=en#topic=1708124)
THIS IS ON OF THE MOST STUPID IDIOTIC THREADS I HAVE EVER SEEN... HOW THE HELL DO YOU GET SO MANY PEOPLE TO GO ON AND ON WRITING ESSAYS ABOUT THIS ONE SUBJECT? PATHETHIC WASTE OF TIME
When you go for free, you often get what you paid for.
I checked Voip.Ms and see numbers in the 360 area code. The difference is, they are not free. To buy a number would cost you 40 cents and perhaps 85 cents a month to keep it. Then you would either pay per minute (a fraction of a cent) or something like $4 a month for a monthly rate. So, NOT FREE.
What you DO get is a feature-rich suite of free options that can well-exceed the ones offered with Google Voice. These include many call options to block calls based upon the number (or portion of), multiple voicemail boxes, recordings and so on. CallCentric also has many of these and may offer different telephone numbers than Voip.Ms.
For Voip.Ms go here and enter in area code 360: https://www.voip.ms/phone-number/united-states?state=WASHINGTON
For CallCentric, go here https://tinyurl.com/wlay2q2 and in the left box, choose something other than dirt cheap and search for area code 360. One of those cities must be near you I would think.
So, although free is enticing, it can be limited.