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