Google Voice keeps cutting out .....

[Cut-Throat]

I have 2 services set up on my OBi100 ... Anveo and Google Voice.... My Google Voice Number keeps cutting out for the other party. (I can hear them, but they say my voice is choppy and keeps cutting out) This never happens with Anveo.

Is this normal and should I just give up on Google Voice? Or is there something I can do?

[Jackson]

Is this normal

No it's it's not, I have the same setup.  Is this a new development?

[Cut-Throat]

No it's it's not, I have the same setup.  Is this a new development?

This is the first time I've tried Google Voice, so yes it is new in the last month. After I ditched RingTo (Or they ditched us).... I tried Google Voice, and Kept having this problem. So, I got Anveo and have been using it. But, if someone does call my Google Voice number, they may have some cutting out problems. I have to have them call me back on my Anveo Number.

[zorlac]

Here's a repost from Steve, it may help you.

You can troubleshoot this by using the VoIP simulator test on this website:

http://myspeed.visualware.com/index.php

Select your location and use the G.711 codec, which is the most demanding of a quality internet connection. The test will simulate an actual end-to-end VoIP conversation, and will show you a MOS score that reflects factors such as jitter, latency and drop-outs, in addition to raw speed. This is the only valid test of an internet connection's suitability for VoIP -- sites like speedtest.net can't do this. If your score is below 4.0, you will need to beat on your internet provider to fix their crappy service. If your score is 4.0 or higher, and you continue to have problems, there is a small chance you have defective network hardware or cables, but more likely, it's PP's fault.

My GV works OK & here are my results.

[mtmind8]

I have the same problem.  I hear perfectly, but the other side always complain.  Can anyone explain how to improve with settings?  I think that if it is caused by the network, then I would have problems too.  I use default settings on the obi200.  May be it  needs adjustment.  Did anyone solve this problem?  What did you do?

[drgeoff]

I have the same problem.  I hear perfectly, but the other side always complain.  Can anyone explain how to improve with settings?  I think that if it is caused by the network, then I would have problems too.

Your thinking is incorrect.

Dial **9 222 222 222. Do you hear cutting out on your echoed voice?

Have you run the quality test mentioned above?

[mtmind8]

Thank you drgeoff for your help.  The echo test sounded good, but would not run the other test.   When I click on the link, it did not exit.  Here is what I got;

http://www.search-error.com/index.php?origURL=http%3A//vac.visualware.comindex.php/&r=&bc=

Any other idea?  Thanks!

[drgeoff]

The problem with the test link is obvious if you look at the error message.

http://myspeed.visualware.com works.

[Taoman]

http://myspeed.visualware.com works.

Does your connection pass all tests using that version? I always get warnings and "critical" errors for "Max Delay" yet my VoIP works flawlessly.

I prefer using the old version which I always seem to pass with flying colors.

http://www.whichvoip.com/voip-test-html5.htm

[mtmind8]

Some tests were critical or warning, but the voip testings were ok.  The Sprint 4G LTE network is not the best and I am not sure if they can improve much.  Since the echo test was good and I can hear fine, only the other side cuts out, I am wondering if adjusting the settings will work better.  Does anyone know where to find info on description of the settings, the acceptable range  for each and whether high or low is better.  The user manual does not have enough information on each of the settings and I am afraid to change them. Thanks!

[SteveInWA]

Some tests were critical or warning, but the voip testings were ok.  The Sprint 4G LTE network is not the best and I am not sure if they can improve much.  Since the echo test was good and I can hear fine, only the other side cuts out, I am wondering if adjusting the settings will work better.  Does anyone know where to find info on description of the settings, the acceptable range  for each and whether high or low is better.  The user manual does not have enough information on each of the settings and I am afraid to change them. Thanks!

Wait, whut?  Are you using Sprint LTE as your internet service provider?  That's not going to provide the consistent level of quality required for a standard SIP VoIP call.  Given that it is an asymmetrical service (download speed faster than upload speed), that's why your callers hear choppiness or other problems with your voice:  your connection is causing it.  The SIP VoIP calls you are making/receiving use an old CODEC (G.711) that depends on low-latency, low-jitter, internet connections.  It wasn't designed for mobile phone network use.

No, there are no settings that can significantly improve this.

[mtmind8]

Thanks Steve for explaining.  I was hoping to use a hotspot for the phones in my home after cutting the landline.  Looks like it would not work.  The download speed of most networks are faster than upload speed, but the latency and jitter are not good on my tests.  Part of the problem may be caused by Google Voice.  Similar problems were reported on Hangout, which uses Google Voice:
l
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/hangouts/ZOyNbbTsR40;context-place=topicsearchin/hangouts/voice$20cutting$20out

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/hangouts/xw0qul8sYno;context-place=topicsearchin/hangouts/category$3Acall-a-phone-from-hangouts

Also, the obi can only connect to one phone.  When plugged into a wall jack, the obi200 shows off-hook status, even when all the phones are on hook.  Do you know why?  Is there a way to fix it?  I did disconnect the supply line from the phone company.  So the wall jacks are only connected within my house.

[SteveInWA]

Thanks Steve for explaining.  I was hoping to use a hotspot for the phones in my home after cutting the landline.  Looks like it would not work.  The download speed of most networks are faster than upload speed, but the latency and jitter are not good on my tests.  Part of the problem may be caused by Google Voice.  Similar problems were reported on Hangout, which uses Google Voice:
l
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/hangouts/ZOyNbbTsR40;context-place=topicsearchin/hangouts/voice$20cutting$20out

https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/hangouts/xw0qul8sYno;context-place=topicsearchin/hangouts/category$3Acall-a-phone-from-hangouts

Also, the obi can only connect to one phone.  When plugged into a wall jack, the obi200 shows off-hook status, even when all the phones are on hook.  Do you know why?  Is there a way to fix it?  I did disconnect the supply line from the phone company.  So the wall jacks are only connected within my house.

No, your call quality issues are not caused by Google Voice.  They are caused by you trying to use a Sprint network connection to make VoIP calls that use G.711, which cannot adapt to constantly varying amounts of latency and jitter in the Sprint network.  You may not notice this when watching a video, for example, because the video player can store enough data in the buffer to allow the network to catch up.  VoIP buffers can only store a small amount of data, because a buffer large enough to overcome the problem would cause you and your caller's voices to be so far out of sync that you'd go crazy trying to have a conversation.

I brought up the download/upload speed issue, as it explains why you may be able to hear your caller's voice better than they can hear yours... the quality (not just speed) of your upload side is insufficient to reliably carry your voice.

If your OBi goes off hook when plugged into your house wiring, then you have a wiring error.  You either have a short somewhere, or you are connecting the wrong wires.  An OBi can easily support a house-full of phones plugged into a properly-wired set of conductors.  I've attached a diagram below, showing how it should be wired.  The center two pins of the modular telephone jack are line one.  Line one should be connected to the building's blue/blue-white wires only.  The phone company's wires must be disconnected from those two conductors.

[mtmind8]

Thank you very much again, Steve. You are very knowledgeable and helpful.  The wiring is right, because it was done by the telephone company long time ago, and was working before.  Now I have to figure out how to find the short.  Any good idea?

[SteveInWA]

Thank you very much again, Steve. You are very knowledgeable and helpful.  The wiring is right, because it was done by the telephone company long time ago, and was working before.  Now I have to figure out how to find the short.  Any good idea?

It depends on your comfort/experience level with electrical troubleshooting.  If you have a multimeter, then do this:

• Disconnect all telephones, and disconnect the OBi, from the house wiring.
• Open up the telephone wall plate/modular jack, where you tried to plug in the OBi.
• Take a close-up photo of the wiring connections on the inside of the wall plate, so you won't mix up the wires later.
• Test your meter:  put it on a low range of the resistance scale (Ohms) and touch the two meter leads together.  Confirm you get zero ohms (short circuit).
• Set the meter to a DC voltage range over 50V (e.g. 100VDC max).  Look at the color-code of the wires attached to the green and red wires of the wall plate.  It should match the diagram I posted earlier.  The blue wire from the wall should go to red, and white with blue stripes should go to green.  Now, clip the meter leads to those two screws:  red meter lead to green phone terminal, black meter lead to red terminal.
• The meter should read zero volts DC.  If it reads 48VDC, then it is still connected to the telephone company.
• If it does read zero volts DC, then change the meter to measure ohms at the lowest scale.  It should have infinite resistance (open circuit).  If it reads 600 ohms or less, then you haven't disconnected all the telephone equipment.
• Tell us the results so far.

[SteveInWA]

Here is a list of some of the expected measurements on a telephone line:

• Telephone central office or ATA connected, all phones on-hook:  approximately -48VDC
• Same, but at least one phone off-hook:  approximately -12VDC
• Phone line ringing:  approximately 90VAC @ 20Hz, superimposed on the -48VDC

Voltages can vary considerably.  As long as they are within ~20%, it's working properly.  Note:  ring voltage can cause electric shock; be careful.

[mtmind8]

Wow Steve, thank you so much!  I'll get a multimeter.

[Lavarock7]

As I read these messages about voltages, I am reminded of one that most people may ignore (possibly for good reason). All but a few are probably removed, but you never know.

A decade or two ago, the consumer advisor Clark Howard talked about people who were still paying phone companies for phones. You remember long ago that you didn't own the phone, you leased it.

Very few people probably still pay the phone company for a phone BUT if the house is old, there may still be a remnant lying around.

There was a time that the Princess phone was all the rage and it had a lighted dial that came on when you picked up the phone. Long before LEDs were common, there was a small transformer on the wall somewhere in the house and it connected to the second pair of wires in the house telephone wiring. In an apartment house, it might have been on a different pair as sometimes there was multi-pair run through the apartments.

In both a hotel and condo I have been in in recent years, I have seen weird transformers attached to connecting blocks. It brings to mind that as older houses are upgraded to new phone, perhaps some of those transformers still are plugged in. Little grey modules about an inch and a half qube.

[mtmind8]

Well, I finally ran the tests.  Don't know if I did it right.   When I put the leads together,  the meter went wild, from over 180 to a low of 2.0 when I barely touched the tips together.  May be because it is a cheap Cen-Tech digital multimeter, but it is new. Zero volts and 8.5 ohms, but nothing is connected to any wall jacks.   Two of the wall jacks are hard to get to.  I just took off the phones and left the cords on the jack.  Would this make a difference? The tests  were done on the wall jack that shows on shook status with the obi.  The other jacks gave off hook status.  There is no transformer in my 1970 house.  In fact, all the wires from inside the wall have red, green, yellow and black wires, same as the jacks, making it easy to connect correctly. 

[SteveInWA]

Well, I finally ran the tests.  Don't know if I did it right.   When I put the leads together,  the meter went wild, from over 180 to a low of 2.0 when I barely touched the tips together.  May be because it is a cheap Cen-Tech digital multimeter, but it is new. Zero volts and 8.5 ohms, but nothing is connected to any wall jacks.   Two of the wall jacks are hard to get to.  I just took off the phones and left the cords on the jack.  Would this make a difference? The tests  were done on the wall jack that shows on shook status with the obi.  The other jacks gave off hook status.  There is no transformer in my 1970 house.  In fact, all the wires from inside the wall have red, green, yellow and black wires, same as the jacks, making it easy to connect correctly. 

Primer:  Resistance, measured in Ohms, is the measure of difficulty in passing an electric current through a conductor.  Zero Ohms means no resistance (a "short circuit").  When using an Ohmmeter, you first need to firmly touch the two meter probe leads together, and calibrate the meter to read zero ohms. This takes into account the inherent resistance of the meter wires.  You then measure your desired conductors.  Typically, this is just a "continuity" test; meaning, you'll either get a very low resistance (below 10 Ohms) or a near-infinite resistance (the meter will usually display "OL" for "out of limits of measurement".

So:  perform the tests as I described and report back.  With all telephones disconnected, the green/red pair of wires must read near infinite resistance, or you've failed to disconnect something.