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Region Specific Technical / Service Provider Support => North America - Including Google Voice, Skype, etc. => Topic started by: et_phone_home on February 23, 2014, 05:42:53 PM

Title: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: et_phone_home on February 23, 2014, 05:42:53 PM
I'm currently using Obihai with Obivoice. I'm also forwarding my GV number to OV.

Before, when I was using GV directly with Obihai, the 4-ring setting before the phone voicemail kicked in worked fine. Now that I'm forwarding my GV to OV, the 25 second limit is making it so that the calls are going directly to GV voicemail instead of being recorded on the in-phone voicemail. Why is this happening? Is it because the calls are being routed to OV and it's taking longer than usual for the phone to ring?  Anyway around this apart for changing the voicemail setting on the phone?
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: N7AS on February 23, 2014, 06:47:10 PM
If you port your GV number to ObiVoice the 25 second rule will not apply.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: et_phone_home on February 23, 2014, 07:06:31 PM
Quote from: N7AS on February 23, 2014, 06:47:10 PM
If you port your GV number to ObiVoice the 25 second rule will not apply.


I would prefer to keep my GV number because I like the Google spam call filtering feature.  I can make it so that my phone goes to it's inbuilt voicemail after 3 rings, but this just seems like too short of a time. Why Google doesn't allow you to change the voicemail timing is beyond me.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 08:30:14 PM
You can try changing the ring pattern.
The default for a SPx is Ring Profile A and Ring Pattern 1.
This is Ring Pattern 1:
60;(2+4)

The 2+4 means ring for 2 seconds and the silence for 4 seconds.
The pattern keeps repeating.
That's 6 seconds for each ring.
3 rings equals 18 seconds before the 4th ring.

If you change the ring pattern to:
60;(2+3.5)

Now 3 rings equals 16.5 seconds.
Keep adjusting the Ring Pattern until you get the longest pattern that works.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: giqcass on February 23, 2014, 09:11:33 PM
@azrobert  When I first started reading your post I thought "how stupid"  because I didn't see where you were going with it. By the time I got to the end I thought "genius".  When you are only trying to buy a second or two this looks like a valid and creative solution for those people using an old school answering machine.

Great idea!
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 09:26:23 PM
Quote from: giqcass on February 23, 2014, 09:11:33 PM
@azrobert  When I first started reading your post I thought "how stupid"  because I didn't see where you were going with it. By the time I got to the end I thought "genius".  When you are only trying to buy a second or two this looks like a valid and creative solution for those people using an old school answering machine.

Great idea!

I've made plenty of stupid suggestions in the past. Once in awhile I get one right.
Let's wait until et_phone_home reports back to see if this suggestion works.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: ceg3 on February 24, 2014, 05:55:25 AM
Quote from: et_phone_home on February 23, 2014, 07:06:31 PM
Quote from: N7AS on February 23, 2014, 06:47:10 PM
If you port your GV number to ObiVoice the 25 second rule will not apply.


I would prefer to keep my GV number because I like the Google spam call filtering feature.  I can make it so that my phone goes to it's inbuilt voicemail after 3 rings, but this just seems like too short of a time. Why Google doesn't allow you to change the voicemail timing is beyond me.
When time runs out on GV I do know that if you port your GV number you can change the length of ring in the OV web portal up to 90 sec. It sounds like you are looking for a more sophisticated approach to the issue, though.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: QBZappy on February 24, 2014, 06:16:38 AM
Quote from: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 08:30:14 PM
You can try changing the ring pattern.
...
+1
I also thought that it was a clever idea after reading it.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: et_phone_home on February 24, 2014, 09:00:25 AM
Thanks, I'll give this a shot.


Quote from: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 08:30:14 PM
You can try changing the ring pattern.
The default for a SPx is Ring Profile A and Ring Pattern 1.
This is Ring Pattern 1:
60;(2+4)

The 2+4 means ring for 2 seconds and the silence for 4 seconds.
The pattern keeps repeating.
That's 6 seconds for each ring.
3 rings equals 18 seconds before the 4th ring.

If you change the ring pattern to:
60;(2+3.5)

Now 3 rings equals 16.5 seconds.
Keep adjusting the Ring Pattern until you get the longest pattern that works.

Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: et_phone_home on February 24, 2014, 04:19:09 PM
azrobert...thanks again for your suggestion. It worked out great. I'll probably tweak it a bit more when i get the time but for now I can get 4 ring tones in before the 25 second limit so the phone's voicemail picks up without issues.
I set the thing to (1.7+2.5). I'm sure I can get it a bit higher then this, but it's fine for now.

Thanks again.

Quote from: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 09:26:23 PM
Quote from: giqcass on February 23, 2014, 09:11:33 PM
@azrobert  When I first started reading your post I thought "how stupid"  because I didn't see where you were going with it. By the time I got to the end I thought "genius".  When you are only trying to buy a second or two this looks like a valid and creative solution for those people using an old school answering machine.

Great idea!

I've made plenty of stupid suggestions in the past. Once in awhile I get one right.
Let's wait until et_phone_home reports back to see if this suggestion works.

Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: QBZappy on February 24, 2014, 05:04:58 PM
Quote from: et_phone_home on February 24, 2014, 04:19:09 PM
...It worked out great. I'll probably tweak it a bit more when i get the time but for now I can get 4 ring tones in before the 25 second limit so the phone's voicemail picks up without issues.

This question has been asked for over two years on/off. This is the first time someone figured out a simple work around for the 25 second limitation. Too bad this work around comes when it seems that people are getting off the GV bandwagon.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: azrobert on February 24, 2014, 06:45:03 PM
Just want to clarify what's happening with this method.

This solution doesn't change the GV 25 second limitation.
First, there is a lag after GV forwards the call, so you don't have the full 25 seconds. This can vary depending on the service provider.

Because of the ring pattern of 2 seconds ringing and 4 seconds silence, there can be up to 4 seconds of silence just before GV voicemail picks up.

This method shortens the ring pattern plus uses the silence period before GV VM picks up to squeeze out one more ring.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: et_phone_home on February 24, 2014, 07:46:48 PM
So, with a bit more testing I got up to (1.9+3.3).

Yes, I understand what's happening with these settings. I'm trying to get as many normal sounding rings as possible within the moronic 25 second limit by Google. In my case it's four rings, and I want the phone to pick up the voicemail instead of the calls being directed to my GV voicemail after the fourth ring.  The phone doesn't care about the longevity of each ring...as long as there's four of them (or whatever you set it to in the phone settings), the in-built voicemail kicks in.  

I personally don't mind where the voicemail ends up, but my non-techie parents and family members don't even get the concept of VOIP let alone Google voice or online voicemail, so i'm trying to make this as simple as possible for them to retrieve their voicemail.

Quote from: azrobert on February 24, 2014, 06:45:03 PM
Just want to clarify what's happening with this method.

This solution doesn't change the GV 25 second limitation.
First, there is a lag after GV forwards the call, so you don't have the full 25 seconds. This can vary depending on the service provider.

Because of the ring pattern of 2 seconds ringing and 4 seconds silence, there can be up to 4 seconds of silence just before GV voicemail picks up.

This method shortens the ring pattern plus uses the silence period before GV VM picks up to squeeze out one more ring.

Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: giqcass on February 24, 2014, 09:28:50 PM
Quote from: QBZappy on February 24, 2014, 05:04:58 PM
Quote from: et_phone_home on February 24, 2014, 04:19:09 PM
...It worked out great. I'll probably tweak it a bit more when i get the time but for now I can get 4 ring tones in before the 25 second limit so the phone's voicemail picks up without issues.

This question has been asked for over two years on/off. This is the first time someone figured out a simple work around for the 25 second limitation. Too bad this work around comes when it seems that people are getting off the GV bandwagon.
We have all seen this question a few times.  The answer seems so obvious after you hear it.  Someone just needed to learn to think like a 15 year old answering machine. lol
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: QBZappy on February 25, 2014, 06:14:23 AM
Quote from: azrobert on February 23, 2014, 08:30:14 PM
You can try changing the ring pattern.
The default for a SPx is Ring Profile A and Ring Pattern 1.
This is Ring Pattern 1:
60;(2+4)

The 2+4 means ring for 2 seconds and the silence for 4 seconds.
The pattern keeps repeating.
That's 6 seconds for each ring.
3 rings equals 18 seconds before the 4th ring.

If you change the ring pattern to:
60;(2+3.5)

Now 3 rings equals 16.5 seconds.
Keep adjusting the Ring Pattern until you get the longest pattern that works.


To memorialize this, we will hence forth refer to it as the "azrobert method".  :D
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: oecra on February 25, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
Quote from: et_phone_home on February 23, 2014, 05:42:53 PM
I'm currently using Obihai with Obivoice. I'm also forwarding my GV number to OV.

Before, when I was using GV directly with Obihai, the 4-ring setting before the phone voicemail kicked in worked fine. Now that I'm forwarding my GV to OV, the 25 second limit is making it so that the calls are going directly to GV voicemail instead of being recorded on the in-phone voicemail. Why is this happening? Is it because the calls are being routed to OV and it's taking longer than usual for the phone to ring?  Anyway around this apart for changing the voicemail setting on the phone?

I was having the same issue as you and the only solution Obivoice could give me was to port my number or change my answering machine to pick up after 2 rings.  In another post, someone mentioned that classifying your forwarding # in GV settings as "mobile" will give you the option to deactivate GV voicemail all together.  This is what I did and is it's now behaving just how it was when I was using GV+obi combo. My phone rings 4 times before the answering machine picks up (without changing ring pattern).
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: giqcass on February 25, 2014, 05:28:10 PM
Quote from: oecra on February 25, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
In another post, someone mentioned that classifying your forwarding # in GV settings as "mobile" will give you the option to deactivate GV voicemail all together. 

You can't deactivate GV Voicemail for calls that were placed directly to your GV number.  That "might" buy you a half a second because Google knows it takes a little longer to connect to a cell phone.  That's why it might have helped your situation but GV Voicemail is still active! 

@SteveInWA  You are a GV Top contributor.  Would you chime in on this one?
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: oecra on February 25, 2014, 06:40:32 PM
Quote from: giqcass on February 25, 2014, 05:28:10 PM
Quote from: oecra on February 25, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
In another post, someone mentioned that classifying your forwarding # in GV settings as "mobile" will give you the option to deactivate GV voicemail all together. 

You can't deactivate GV Voicemail for calls that were placed directly to your GV number.  That "might" buy you a half a second because Google knows it takes a little longer to connect to a cell phone.  That's why it might have helped your situation but GV Voicemail is still active! 

@SteveInWA  You are a GV Top contributor.  Would you chime in on this one?

Hmm..well when I switched the classification of my forwarding # from "home" to "mobile", I am given 3 options: Receive text messages on this phone, Notify me of new voicemails via text, and Activate Google voicemail on this phone (none of which I selected).  I turned off my answering machine completely and the line keeps ringing when I call my GV #. I let it ring at least 10 times, which is way over the 25 seconds in which GV should have picked up.  Either way, if I am incorrect about being able to disable GV voicemail, I am happy with how it is currently behaving.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: giqcass on February 26, 2014, 12:48:53 AM
Quote from: oecra on February 25, 2014, 06:40:32 PM
Hmm..well when I switched the classification of my forwarding # from "home" to "mobile", I am given 3 options: Receive text messages on this phone, Notify me of new voicemails via text, and Activate Google voicemail on this phone (none of which I selected).  I turned off my answering machine completely and the line keeps ringing when I call my GV #. I let it ring at least 10 times, which is way over the 25 seconds in which GV should have picked up.  Either way, if I am incorrect about being able to disable GV voicemail, I am happy with how it is currently behaving.

I just tried this and Google Voice picked up as I expected.  I am waiting for someone to say "April fools".
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: SteveInWA on February 27, 2014, 07:23:39 PM
Quote from: giqcass on February 25, 2014, 05:28:10 PM
Quote from: oecra on February 25, 2014, 10:43:58 AM
In another post, someone mentioned that classifying your forwarding # in GV settings as "mobile" will give you the option to deactivate GV voicemail all together. 

You can't deactivate GV Voicemail for calls that were placed directly to your GV number.  That "might" buy you a half a second because Google knows it takes a little longer to connect to a cell phone.  That's why it might have helped your situation but GV Voicemail is still active! 

@SteveInWA  You are a GV Top contributor.  Would you chime in on this one?

Warning:  very long post ahead!

Yes, many aspects of GV are confusing.  If they weren't, I wouldn't be wasting enjoying so much time on the GV forum.   ::)

The confusion here is over the concept of forwarding one's GV number to a forwarding (target) phone, vs. forwarding the target phone's unanswered/busy calls back to GV, using the target phone's carrier's Conditional Call Forwarding feature.  (See, even that sentence is mind-blowingly confusing!)

When you click the "Enable voicemail" link on the Phones tab, next to your forwarding target phone, you are actually doing absolutely nothing in the GV system.  All it does is display the instructions for you to enter the command string on your target phone, to enable CCF of calls from your phone's network back to your GV number.  CCF is a feature that lives on the forwarding phone's telco network, not GV.  You can click that "Enable" or "Disable" link all day, and all it does is toggle the instructions.

There is no setting on Google Voice to disable Google Voice's voicemail.  The whole point of being a Google Voice user is to make use of its features, above all, its voicemail.  Many OBi customers missed this distinction, being lulled into a state of bliss by the hype about "free phone service".  GV is a call forwarding and message management system, not just a barebones free phone service.

When you add a phone number to your GV list of forwarding phones, GV will ring phones on the list, according to either the default settings on the Phones tab, or (overridden by) the settings on the Groups and Circles tab, or (again, overridden by) the settings for an individual contact.

If that called party's phone doesn't answer within 25 seconds (yes, it's a fixed time interval, not a number of rings), and you have not enabled CCF, then GV will give up and take the call back to its VM. If the target phone "wins the race" and answers before 25 seconds, it takes the message.

If the called party's phone is busy, out of service, or otherwise can't answer, and you have not enabled CCF, then your target phone's VM or answering machine takes the message.

If the any of the above conditions apply, and you have enabled CCF, then the two systems (GV and your target phone's carrier) will cooperate to route busy or unanswered calls back to GV.  This is the preferred option, but many mobile and landline phone plans don't support CCF.

A common workaround to force unanswered/busy calls back to GV VM is to enable GV's "Call screening" feature.  This requires whoever or whatever answers to press "1" to accept the call.  Since your target phone's answering machine or VM isn't human, and can't do that, GV will give up and take the message.  There is no trick to make the opposite happen, other than to shorten that phone's ring-to-answer interval if possible.

There is an obscure setting to have GV ring all your other forwarding phones before taking a message if the target phone in question doesn't answer, to further confuse things.

Note that the 25 second interval isn't constant nor precise.  The delay incurred while the call is being completed to a (typically mobile phone) carrier's network can shorten the actual ring duration at the target phone.  An infamous example of this is with Sprint integration.  In this scenario, if you call my integrated Sprint number, the call actually first gets detoured to GV's network, then fans out to all forwarding phones, including the Sprint phone.  Then, depending on Sprint's wireless network variables, it can take so long to start ringing my mobile phone that the call gives up and goes to VM before I can answer it.

TL;DR:

No, you can't disable GV VM, and you can't change the ring period on GV.
Title: Re: 4 rings not enough time for in-phone voicemail anymore
Post by: giqcass on February 28, 2014, 01:18:48 AM
@SteveInWA Thanks for the clarification.  I've tried to say this a few times on this forum but people just don't seem to believe it.  They probably still won't. Good work making Top Contributor over there.  I only made it to level 9 myself. I haven't spent a lot of time in that forum lately.  There just hasn't been a lot of new features to keep it interesting.