CNAM Caller ID Update for me?

[leeleses]

In reference to this thread:

https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9289.0

1) Have people found the number of rings and forwarding to the Google voicemail to be consistent, or are there issues?

2) I live in PA.  I was looking on callcentric's website and it says they have free numbers, but only in NY.  Can I use this free callcentric number with a NY area code, forwarding it to my google voice PA number still getting all free calls?  Will callcentric allow this?  Is anyone outside of NY using this setup that can confirm they will allow it and it's free?  Past posts said something about $1.50 a month for callcentric but what I saw said free on their website?

Thank you!

[SteveInWA]

I'm unclear why you are asking about Google Voice's ringing, but the answer is:  Google Voice rings all of your account's listed, enabled (check-marked) forwarding phone numbers for approximately 25 seconds (it is a timed period, not a number of rings).  This is consistent, except for a couple of seconds one way or the other, caused by delays in your telephone service provider's network.

The point of using a Callcentric number is to act as a pass-through to add CNAM.  Google Voice doesn't care where the forwarding number is located, as long as it is within the 48 contiguous US states.  For example, I have a Seattle 206 Google Voice number forwarded to a 845 NY CC number.  

Be advised that some recently-issued CC free DIDs are not reliably receiving calls from GV.  If you are given a choice, and they're still available, try to get an 845-582 number.

The $1.50/month is for CC's E911 service.  It's a good idea to add it.

[restamp]

1) I have always found accurate the statement that Google Voice will transfer a call to voicemail if it is not answered elsewhere within 25 seconds.  It might vary a second or two from call-to-call, but I set my own timers according to the 25 seconds rule.

2) I have a free Callcentric NY number.  I lied and said the number would not be used in the US in order to get around paying for 911 service, but it is a white lie in that this line is used in a capacity where adding 911 service to it would only be detrimental to its operation.

I use this number as a forwarding phone on my GV account and have unchecked the "chat" box.  Thus, when a call comes into my GV line, instead of delivering it via the GV "chat/xmpp" interface, the Callcentric number gets rung (along with possibly other forwarding phones associated with that GC account).  CC adds CNAM if you turn it on in your CC account (GV chat never provides CNAM info) and then CC initiates a SIP call to whatever is registered to it.  In your case that's probably an OBi box.  The advantage of doing it this way are (1) you get CNAM on your calls, and (2) you don't need to be tethered to the OBiTalk portal to program your box -- instead of having to mess with OATH2.0 under the Chat protocol, you only have to set up a SIP connection.  A possible downside is that you'll get wrong numbers on your CC line, but so far that has not been a problem for me.

Give it a try and I think you'll find it works decently in practice.

[leeleses]

Thanks guys.  I may try CC out.  Thanks for all the good information.

Lee

[leeleses]

I bit the bullet.  I signed up for a Callcentric number, and it took like an hour to set up.

I have a few minor questions, I'll probably post them as a new thread too but here they are.

1) I got billed $3 for the first month.  I'm fine with that, I'd like to have the 911 service.  I carefully picked over the settings.  I'm assuming even though I don't have any outgoing Callcentric service that if I call 911 it will be routed through Callcentric.  It seems to clearly state this in the Obitalk SP2 interface.

2) Is it $1.50 to set up 911 service, $1.50 for the first month, and $1.50 per month after that, do I have that right?

3) I didn't seem to need or use this part in setting up SP2, I don't fully understand what this text in the set up instructions is trying to tell me?

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3640.0

Inside your OBi 100/110/202:

•Configure the following based on which SP/Profile you chose to use with CC:

* Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > General -> Name: Callcentric
* Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> ProxyServer: callcentric.com
* Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> RegistrarServer: callcentric.com
* Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> UserAgentDomain: callcentric.com
* Service Providers > ITSP Profile X > SIP -> OutboundProxy: callcentric.com

4) Any particular reason why it seems this set up can only work with the OBI202 and not the OBI200?

5) In the dashboard for Obitalk, it mentions something about a voicemail notification option.  Does this have anything to do with the message waiting indicator on the cordless phone, or what is this notification option?  Does anyone understand what this option would do for me?  Right now it's all blank in Obitalk, nothing set.

Thank You,

Lee

[SteveInWA]

This should have taken about 10 minutes to set up.  I can't tell how you turned this into such a complex exercise.

There are two ways to configure an OBi device, and it doesn't matter if you are using a 200 or a 202 (except for the additional features on the 202):  Either use the OBiTALK portal, or use the device's own, local web page, but do not use both.

Since you are using Google Voice, which requires configuration via the OBiTALK web portal, you should also configure Callcentric via the portal.

Rather than try to untangle your mess, I am going to again summarize the steps (this has already been described in detail elsewhere in this forum).

• Configure Google Voice on SP1, via the OBiTALK web portal.
• Get a Callcentric inbound telephone number DID) -- either a free NY number or a local, paid number; your choice.
• Go through all the account setup steps on Callcentric's own web portal.  At minimum, you will need to add a SIP password, to use in combination with your SIP user ID, which is the 1777xxxxxxx number.  You will also need to enable inbound caller ID name service.
• Using the OBiTALK web portal, click on SP2 for your OBi device.  It will take you to a page offering to set up the SP with various service providers, including Google Voice.  Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, and click the "OBiTALK compatible service providers" link.
• On the next page, select Callcentric.  On the form that appears, enter your Callcentric SIP credentials:  the 1777 number and the SIP password you created previously.  Submit.
• Test by calling your Callcentric DID number from some other telephone, such as a mobile phone. Confirm that the OBi rings and you can answer the call on your OBi-attached phone.
• On the OBiTALK portal page, confirm that you have set it to use SP1 as the default for OUTbound calls, and that the Callcentric SP2 is set to ring on your OBi-attached telephone line.  Confirm that you have checkmarked to use SP2 for 911 calls.  The OBiTALK portal will automatically handle the proper call routing for you.
• Sign onto your Google Voice settings page:  https://www.google.com/voice#phones.  Click the "Add another number" link, add and verify the Callcentric number, and ensure there is a check mark to the left of that number".  Remove the check mark to the left of Google Chat.

You can email Callcentric with your service-specific questions (regarding billing and cost).

[leeleses]

Hi Steve,

To answer your question, for some reason when I checked in Google voice to forward calls to my one cell phone, it seemed to reduce  the number of rings until Google Voice picked up from 25-30 seconds to only 1-2 rings.  Not sure why and have not tested it further.

However, (thankfully) forwarding the Google Voice number to the Callcentric number seems very stable and predictable so far, ringing for 25-30 seconds as expected, before going to the Google voicemail.

BEST,

Lee B.

[leeleses]

It's questionable whether you needed to address me this way.  Was this really necessary or appropriate?

"This should have taken about 10 minutes to set up.  I can't tell how you turned this into such a complex exercise."

"Rather than try to untangle your mess"

This was not a good way to greet a new member, but thank you again for your help.

This will be the only time I will respond to any comments similar in nature to these.

BEST,

Lee

[SteveInWA]

It's questionable whether you needed to address me this way.  Was this really necessary or appropriate?

"This should have taken about 10 minutes to set up.  I can't tell how you turned this into such a complex exercise."

"Rather than try to untangle your mess"

This was not a good way to greet a new member, but thank you again for your help.

This will be the only time I will respond to any comments similar in nature to these.

BEST,

Lee

The procedure you were trying to follow was written four and a half years ago, and not by anyone at either Google or Callcentric or Obiahi; just some individual on the forum.  It contains obsolete information.  That is why I didn't try to troubleshoot those now-outdated instructions.  Obihai has the official setup instructions for Google Voice in their help documents, and we can help describe how to set up Callcentric, for example, but Callcentric is the definitive source of answers for their offerings and prices.

[leeleses]

That makes total sense.  Thank you.

If I'm reading Callcentric's help pages right, it's $1.50 for a setup fee for 911 and $1.50 a month.  With CNAM included how can you beat that?

They also said the OBI200 is almost identical inside to the OBI202, the big difference being it does not have a built in router.  The OBI200 will also work with Callcentric.

BEST,

Lee