Confirm my understanding of how OBI works

[SRservices]

I've tried searching this noobs area to read confirmation of how I think the OBI 200/202 works with Google Voice.  I don't want to buy it until I'm sure I understand how it will help me.

Currently I have 2 Google voice numbers:

• 1/ personal use to home & primary cell
• 2/ my condo assoc. line to my 2nd cell

I'm starting an ebay biz & would like a separate Google Voice Line for that too.  But I have no more physical phones to hook it up to.

My understanding is that the OBI202 will allow me up to 4 Google Voice numbers (the 2 I have, plus 2 more). 

I also gather from reading here, that the 2 'extra' numbers can be sent to any of my current physical phones.

Normally, without Obihai service, to create the 3rd Google Voice account I must have another physical phone to attach the GV # to.  But if I use the Obi202, IT will be my 'physical phone'.

Is that correct?

Thanks for clearing up what Obihai does.

[SteveInWA]

Don't confuse the technical capability of an OBi 200 with the separate/unrelated rules and procedures regarding Google Voice.

Google Voice is a service, just like Gmail, Calendar, Contacts, Docs, etc.  All Google services are assigned to a Google account (consumer Gmail or G Suite address).  When you set up Google Voice on an OBi device, you are authorizing the device access to the Google Voice service on a particular Google account.  You can have up to four different Google accounts provisioned on an OBi 200.

You are only entitled to one free Google Voice number per Google account.  Google enforces this by requiring that you submit a personal phone number as an "admission ticket".  You can't re-use that personal number to get another Google Voice number.  No, you cannot use one Google Voice number to to claim another Google Voice number.

There are now two different versions of Google Voice; the original, consumer version (Gmail account) and the new, paid, business-class version (G Suite account).  G Suite Google Voice cannot use OBiTALK devices.

Use consumer Google Voice at your own risk for business purposes.  There is no direct customer support from Google.  Certain usage patterns may cause your service to be suspended for abuse, and you may permanently lose the number.  For example, making large numbers of outbound calls to different phone numbers, sending mass text blasts, or suspected fraud.

Google Voice is not the only solution.  You can also/instead provision a SIP VoIP ITSP, such as Callcentric or voip.ms, on one or more of the four service provider slots on the OBi.

[SRservices]

Thanks for your explanation, Steve.

I have no plans for spamming anyone with calls.  I'd simply like a different phone # (Google Voice) for incoming ebay calls, and maybe an occasional outgoing one.

I'd like to create a gmail account & set up another GV line with it for ebay, but as I said, I'm out of physical phones, so I'm looking at OBi202, if it will do that for me  =)

Am I understanding this correctly, that the calls I make from this 3rd line for ebay, my outgoing calls will show the 'primary' OBi number, rather than the Google Voice number attached to the ebay gmail account?

Apologies, I'm not sure why I'm having such a difficult time wrapping my head around what exactly OBi202 does.

PS:  Good to know that GSuite phone service doesn't work with OBi.
An aside....
I have a GSuite account, and HAD a GV # attached to it, but they cancelled it out from under me.  Now they want $10 p/mth for a GV on GSuite.

Unfortunately GVoice for GSuite from our desktop set-up is a train wreck!  At least for a 1 person small business.  Maybe all the fancy telephony upgrades is good for a larger operation, but what I need it for, making B2B calls, no longer works on GoogleVoice, whether paid GSuite or FREE version.

From your desktop GV dashboard try looking up a business name from within the GV Contacts area (an airline, dry cleaners, FedEx, etc.)  You can't do it!  For some asinine reason desktop GV is  only set up for calling individual people whose name you know (within GContact's name field).  If you're trying to call a business, which is properly listed within the GContact's Company field, from your GSuite  (or regular) Google Contacts, there is no way to do so.  Isn't that INSANE!?  After all, it's a BUSINESS product we're suppose to be paying $10 (or more) a month for, yet we can't call other businesses who are listed within the proper 'Company' field within GContacts!  (Support forum seemed to think we should be putting a company name within the persons name field.  Idiots.)  It's a trainwreck.

For non-GSuite folks, I can understand you take what Google gives you for FREE.  But if you're paying, you need to call businesses.  Sheesh!

I'm so frustrated, and pissed, at GV/Google Contacts, for destroying what was a great system.

If anyone here is a GSuite member too, and pissed you can't call businesses, please call GSuite Support and let them know it's an issue for you.  Maybe they'll do something about it.
TIA
End o'rant.

[SteveInWA]

I generally don't respond to people who rant and rant.  Good luck.

[namangarg]

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