Tutorial: Setup with Google Voice and Callcentric for Caller Id Name and e911

[SteveInWA]

Good.  That means your Google Voice phone number is working as expected.  So, something was wrong with your OBiTALK setup.

Delete the OBiTALK device completely off of your OBiTALK dashboard.  Double-check that its SIP entry has been removed from your Google Voice account.

After deleting the device, wait a few minutes, then pick up the attached phone and key in ***8 to restore the device to factory defaults.  This will take some time, so wait until the power light stops blinking.  Power-cycle the device.

Go back to the OBiTALK dashboard and follow the **5 xxxx steps to re-add the device, then configure it to the correct Gmail account for Google Voice.

Did that configuration process complete, such that the SP1 status now shows "Connected"?  If not stop and reply.

If so, then make a test phone call from the OBi-attached phone to some other unrelated telephone number, not another Google Voice number.  Does that call work?  If so, then call the Google Voice number from that phone number.  What happens?

[ThomasL]

The following steps were taken in sequence:

1.  Check Google Voice that OBiTALK is removed
2.  Delete OBi200 from OBiTALK (so that the only thing remaining on the Dashboard under My OBi devices is a Softphone)
3.  Replug the power into Obi200; after a while the left green light becomes steady, the middle green light brinks constantly; the right light is off.   
4.  Press ***8 and then press 1 to confirm factory default.  After a while of silence and occasional clickings, the line's dialing tone retunes.  I then hang up the phone.
                  (At this point, Softphone is still the only device on the OBiTALK Dashboard.)
5.  Add device with **5 xxxx and confirm my Gmail Account.  After a while, the Dashboard indicates that Google Voice is connected as SP1.
6.  Test call from OBi-attached phone to an unrelated number.  The call was successful.
7.  Test call to Google Voice number from the unrelated number.  The call was also successful.

So, all steps went through without hiccups.  Thanks.  I would really appreciate if you could lead me through integrating my Callcentric account into this set up. 

[SteveInWA]

Great.  So, now it is working properly with Google Voice.

There are two reasons to also use Callcentric:  Caller ID name (CNAM) and E911.  CNAM really isn't that useful any more.  There are so many robocalls with spoofed caller ID numbers, that the names are meaningless.  But, if you insist, then do this:

Assumptions:  you already have a Callcentric account, with a Callcentric number (e.g. 17771234567).  CC sells inbound calling and outbound calling separately.  For CNAM, you need to obtain an inbound phone number from them (known as a "DID").  This can be one of their $1/month NY State numbers, which have unlimited inbound calling.  For E911, you need to subscribe to outbound calling.  I suggest signing up for their North America Basic plan:  https://www.callcentric.com/rate/plans/north_america_basic/, which provides both E911 and some outbound calling minutes just in case you need them.

Set up the DID number on Callcentric's dashboard, as an extension, on the "Extensions" page.  You'll need to add a SIP password, which is not necessarily the same as the CC account password. Go to the "Preferences" section and click on the Voicemail tab, then click edit.  Change the ring period to 30 seconds.

Click on the SP2 configuration slot on the OBiTALK dashboard.  On the next page, decline the offer to set up Google Voice on this SP.  Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "OBiTALK compatible service providers" link.  On the next page, fill in your Callcentric 1777xxxxxxx number and SIP password and submit.  Wait, and then SP2 should say "Registered".  Test inbound calling and outbound calling to and from that number to some unrelated phone number.  Fill in the E911 information and submit.

Does the CC DID number properly make and answer calls now?  If not, stop and reply.  If so,

Go to the Google Voice settings page and add your CC DID number as a linked number and enable it to ring on inbound calls.  Toggle off the ringing to the OBiTALK device.   Test it.  You're done.

[ThomasL]

Per your advices, I took the following steps in sequence:

1.  Use the Callcentric default extension 100 for the account and add a SIP password.
2.  On Preference page, click on the Voicemail and change the ring period to 30 seconds
3.  Click SP2 at OBiTALK, instead of setting up Google Voice, click Next for OBiTALK compatible service providers; click "Callcentric"
4.  Fill in 1777xxxxxxx and password, and submit.  Voicemail box is checked, Phone 1 for incoming calls to ring is checked
5.  SP2 now is registered with Callcentric
6.  Test inbound call from an unrelated number.  - Success
7   Test outbound call to an unrelated number -  Success
8   Check the box for 911 and submit
9.  Add CC phone number as a linked number at GV; inbound calls enabled. 
10  Disable rings to OBiTALK device
11  Test inbound call from an unrelated number - failed, it went to a message after 1 ring[/b]
12  Test outbound call to an unrelated number - success

So, there is still a problem.  Any insight?

[SteveInWA]

WHAT message, exactly, are you hearing after one ring?

[ThomasL]

The message:  

"The person your are trying to reach is currently not available.  Please leave a message after the tone. ...."

I also received an email notification from Callcentric about having a message. 

[SteveInWA]

That's the Google Voice system default greeting, so your call is getting forwarded to Callcentric, and Callcentric is somehow rejecting the call.  I can't help you with that; perhaps they can.  At minimum, you should look at the Callcentric calls log and confirm that the call is received, and perhaps there will be a clue as to how it is then handled on their side.

[SteveInWA]

...and, I hope you did not try to set up any call forwarding rules on your Callcentric account.  There needs to be a call treatment that rings your default extension for up to 30 seconds (I actually use 25 seconds, but 30 is safer), then drop to Callcentric voicemail.  See my screenshot attached.

[ThomasL]

The failed test calls indeed were captured in call history by Callcentric.  

The Callcentric setup is the most basic as there is no call treatment besides the default which directs calls to one destination: the default extension 100.  

I sought help from Callcentric a couple of days ago to no avail.  They asked me to do a few things, including the delete/add, unplug/replug, etc as you had done with me.  Eventually, the guy told me everything functions the way they expected on their end and suspected that something might have gone wrong on the OBiTALK side, or even possibly a hardware issue with OBi200.  That's why I turned to this Forum for some help.  

I am at the point of dropping Callcentric all together as this seems going no where, but I really like its call treatments feature and the E911.

Any further thoughts from you would be greatly appreciated.  

[SteveInWA]

I'd recommend not using the inbound call forwarding to a CC DID.  Just use Google Voice directly.  You can still use CC for E911, though - those are separate functions.

When you configure SP2 to use your CC credentials, click the box to use that SP for 911 service.  That modifies the digit map such that, when you key in 911, the OBi will route the outbound all to SP2 instead of to SP1.

[ThomasL]

Thank you greatly for your expertise, spending time and being patient with me! 

[SteveInWA]

You're welcome.  You may want to create a call treatment like mine (although mine shows it forwarding to multiple different CC extensions, which you can ignore and just use your default extension, 100.

You may also get a clue by looking carefully at the full call log (https://my.callcentric.com/call_history.php)  to see if the call is being answered, and also look at the call log for the OBiTALK device on it's local web user interface (the local IP address), to see if it shows any sort of error status code.

[ThomasL]

Hi SteveInWA - I am back with information from Callcentric and a look at call history of OBiTALK.  Perhaps you can decode the mystery?  First, some background behind my exchanges with Callcentric might be useful:

Two categories of calls were checked:

Category 1.  Calls that are sent to voice mails after 1 ring: may be just a coincidence, but these calls happened to be from my own cell and people I recognize.  
Category 2.  Calls that are sent to voice mails after about 5 rings:  they are numbers that I do not recognize.  Some of them left a voice message with Callcentric and some with Google Voice.  

Response from Callcentric based on their investigation, in summary -

1.  For category 1 - calls were "terminated" by either Google Voice or their underlying carriers for a lack of "200" ok (whatever this meant I do not understand).  I quote "your OBi200 issued an immediate 486 Busy Here then our system forwarded the call to your Callcentric Voicemail"

2.  For category 2 - calls were handled by (I quote) "your OBi200 issued a 180 Ringing at .8 secs and after 30 seconds our system forwarded to Voicemail".  They did not explain why some has recording with CC while others with GV.  

So, in a nutshell, Callcentric was basically saying it handled calls properly.  

As to the call history of my OBi200, one interesting pattern is that

1.  For the category 1 calls, it indicates that calls are from SP1 (GV) to PH1
2.  For the category 2 calls, it indicates that calls are from SP2 (CC) to PH1

I could only imagine that the category 2 calls were made by robot callers directly into my Callcentric number which I supposed was not publice anywhere. 

I hope these might shed more light for you to help me solve this mystery.  Thanks again.  

[SteveInWA]

Sorry, but I can't make any sense out of your post.  There is too much ambiguity around forwarding to "voicemail" -- Google Voice voicemail vs. Callcentric voicemail.

Generally speaking, and ignoring Callcentric:  by design, if you link a mobile phone number as a forwarding number, and you call your Google Voice number from that linked number, your call will go directly to your Google Voicemail system, where you would enter your voicemail PIN to listen to messages.

Also by design:  if you have multiple forwarding numbers linked, and one of those numbers is busy or powered off, its own voicemail will grab the calls after one ring.

So, you have some sort of configuration error, but I give up.  I can't offer any further assistance.

[ThomasL]

I understand the non-sensible part of my issue as I have been frustrated.  Perhaps you could allow my one more question on the following OBiTALK expert setting.  

Under Voice Services -> SP1, there are these parameters and values (in parentheses) that I do not know what exactly they do.  My question is - could any of them dictate how long an incoming call forwarded from GV (SP1) will ring?

- X_KeepAliveExpires (15)
- X_DefaultRing (1)
- X_CallOnHoldRing (8 )
- X_RepeatDialRing (5)
- X_BargeInRing (4)
- X_CallParkedRing (10)

Thanks.

I should add SP2 for Callcentric has the same setting as SP1.

[SteveInWA]

NO expert-mode settings changes are necessary for the proper operation of Google Voice nor of Callcentric, nor when forwarding GV to CC.

[Taoman]

1.  For the category 1 calls, it indicates that calls are from SP1 (GV) to PH1
2.  For the category 2 calls, it indicates that calls are from SP2 (CC) to PH1

I could only imagine that the category 2 calls were made by robot callers directly into my Callcentric number which I supposed was not publice anywhere. 

You said you enabled incoming GV calls to Callcentric (SP2) and you disabled incoming GV calls to your OBiTALK device (SP1). Is that correct? How exactly did you do that?

If so, you shouldn't be getting any incoming calls to SP1 but you apparently are but from "people you recognize." Does this mean all those callers have Google Contacts? If so, then just unchecking the box in front of your OBiTALK device will not uncheck it for all those callers in your Contacts.

If you want all your incoming GV calls to be forwarded to your Callcentric line (SP2) the easiest way (at this point) would be to just block all incoming calls to SP1 using {} in your X_InboundCallRoute.
In OBi Expert:
Navigate to Voice Services-->SP1 Service-->X_InboundCallRoute and uncheck both boxes to the right of the field. Then change the field to be {} instead of ph and save your settings.
Make some test calls (including from your Contacts) and report back your results.

To confirm whether the calls to your Callcentric line were direct "robot calls" check your Callcentric call log with your GV call history. Do the Callcentric calls also show up in your GV call history?

[Kate]

For some reason caller name sometimes works with Call Centric other times it just says unknown name. Like previous posts I didn't  really get much support from Call Centric in this regard . In fact it has been several hours now with no reply .

Anybody have a solution to this problem ?
I have used them for years with out a problem but I accidentally deleted their number and had to go and reconfigure it again and nowise hit or miss with caller id with name

Thanks

[Kate]

I just received a telephone call from cal Centric . Of course they hung on me. I went to the message board and they stated that they made a call and the call was successfully forwarded to me. But once again it says unknown number .

[CALYTA]

I know this is old post but r  Bluestacks Lucky Patcher Kodi eally useful information, thanks a lot for the details.
I have setup this with Google Voice and CallCentric works really good as expected and no issues.
Does anyone know that we can use CallCentric feature called "Call Treatments" with this setup for "Simultaneous ringing", "Hunting", "Telemarketer Block" or "Spam call probability"?
Thanks

Google Voice provides free, unlimited calling, but does not support 911 or Caller Id Name. With this setup, calls coming into to your Google Voice number forward to your Callcentric number and then to the OBi to get Caller Id Name. Outbound 911 calls go through Callcentric, all other calls use Google Voice. You pay $1/mo (for phone number) + $1.50/mo (for 911 service) to Callcentric.