Small Business Setup with a Complex Question. Please Help!

[p3ernie]

Hello,

I currently have 2 business landlines with Spectrum. I plan on using a 2 line phone such that when my customers call my number and I pick up, and someone else calls, it will line hunt/roll over to line 2 so that my front desk can answer the additional call. I also want my customers to be able to text me on the same number. (This is the main reason why I am using GV) I also want to have three 2 line phones setup throughout the office. I prefer to use one google voice number but am open to using other providers.

I know there are a number of different ways to accomplish this and one way is to use google voice along with the obi without using the landline service. However, I would like to be able to dial 911 and don't mind paying for the 2 landlines.

So my question is:

1. Can I setup the obi using obiLine so that when customers call my google voice number, it is routed through the landline and I could answer the call using a 2 line phone and enable line hunt/rollover?
    1a. If possible, would the incoming caller ID reflect the name since it is being routed through the
    landline and not google voice?
    1b. Also, if I were to place an outgoing call, could that also be routed through the landline but have it
    show up as my google voice number when customers receive the call?
    1c. Is there a simpler solution to set up outgoing calls to show my GV # using the landline? I know
    with incoming calls, I can have the GV number just forward to the landline without using an obi. If
    there was a simpler way to make calls using the landline but have my GV# as the caller ID, that would
    solve everything.

2. Assuming the above is possible, if I want to setup three 2 line phones throughout the office, would I need 3 separate Obi devices?


3. To make matters more complicated, I also want to use a fax line. One thought I had was get rid of one of the landlines and use the obi and GV to setup the obi to handle a 2 line phone. Then use one landline strictly for fax. If I did this, would I be able to connect this landline to an obiLine to make 911 calls? This way, I can save money by not having to pay for 2 landlines but still get all of the features I am looking for.  I don't need the fax # to be the same as the GV#.


I know my question is complicated so any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help!

[SteveInWA]

No, don't do that.  The requirements you describe are too complex, and the consumer version of Google Voice is neither recommended for business use, nor is any direct support available from Google.

Use a paid Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) that has the features you need.  For example, Callcentric can provide as many inbound phone numbers, in whatever area code(s) you need, and you can dedicate one number to be an inbound fax mailbox (not using the OBiTALK device).  It also supports hunt groups, multiple extensions, and an IVR.  It even supports SMS.

Setting up an OBiTALK device to use an ITSP like Callcentric is very easy, since OBiTALK has pre-defined configuration templates.

[Lavarock7]

I sent you a PM. Let me know if you don't get it.

[p3ernie]

Thanks for your response. I will look into callcentric.

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

Because at the end of the day, I can just use my landline number strictly for outgoing calls. I can give my customers my GV number for them to call me on (have it fwd to the landline) and I'll just call back using my landline number. But I'm not sure if they call my GV number, it would line hunt on my 2 line phone. If it doesn't line hunt then I might have to go with callcentric or something similar.

No, don't do that.  The requirements you describe are too complex, and the consumer version of Google Voice is neither recommended for business use, nor is any direct support available from Google.

Use a paid Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) that has the features you need.  For example, Callcentric can provide as many inbound phone numbers, in whatever area code(s) you need, and you can dedicate one number to be an inbound fax mailbox (not using the OBiTALK device).  It also supports hunt groups, multiple extensions, and an IVR.  It even supports SMS.

Setting up an OBiTALK device to use an ITSP like Callcentric is very easy, since OBiTALK has pre-defined configuration templates.

[p3ernie]

Yes I got your PM. Thanks for taking the time to write out those scenarios. I will look into voip.ms as well

I sent you a PM. Let me know if you don't get it.

[SteveInWA]

Thanks for your response. I will look into callcentric.

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

Because at the end of the day, I can just use my landline number strictly for outgoing calls. I can give my customers my GV number for them to call me on (have it fwd to the landline) and I'll just call back using my landline number. But I'm not sure if they call my GV number, it would line hunt on my 2 line phone. If it doesn't line hunt then I might have to go with callcentric or something similar.

No, don't do that.  The requirements you describe are too complex, and the consumer version of Google Voice is neither recommended for business use, nor is any direct support available from Google.

Use a paid Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) that has the features you need.  For example, Callcentric can provide as many inbound phone numbers, in whatever area code(s) you need, and you can dedicate one number to be an inbound fax mailbox (not using the OBiTALK device).  It also supports hunt groups, multiple extensions, and an IVR.  It even supports SMS.

Setting up an OBiTALK device to use an ITSP like Callcentric is very easy, since OBiTALK has pre-defined configuration templates.

No.  There is no call hunting capability at all in the consumer version of Google Voice, and you should not be depending on it to run a business.

[drgeoff]

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

[p3ernie]

I read in another thread that it is possible to line hunt using obi and google voice. Am I missing something?
https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=6046.0

Thanks for your response. I will look into callcentric.

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

Because at the end of the day, I can just use my landline number strictly for outgoing calls. I can give my customers my GV number for them to call me on (have it fwd to the landline) and I'll just call back using my landline number. But I'm not sure if they call my GV number, it would line hunt on my 2 line phone. If it doesn't line hunt then I might have to go with callcentric or something similar.

No, don't do that.  The requirements you describe are too complex, and the consumer version of Google Voice is neither recommended for business use, nor is any direct support available from Google.

Use a paid Internet Telephone Service Provider (ITSP) that has the features you need.  For example, Callcentric can provide as many inbound phone numbers, in whatever area code(s) you need, and you can dedicate one number to be an inbound fax mailbox (not using the OBiTALK device).  It also supports hunt groups, multiple extensions, and an IVR.  It even supports SMS.

Setting up an OBiTALK device to use an ITSP like Callcentric is very easy, since OBiTALK has pre-defined configuration templates.

No.  There is no call hunting capability at all in the consumer version of Google Voice, and you should not be depending on it to run a business.

[p3ernie]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

[drgeoff]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

Configurations for incoming and outgoing calls are independent of each other.  You need an OBiLINE if either (or both) will user a POTS landline.  No problem to have incoming calls from landline through an OBiLINE and outgoing calls using GV over the internet.

[SteveInWA]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

Now you are just being a stubborn cheapskate.  Lavarock and I already gave you two ideal solutions for your needs. 

I am the resident expert here on everything Google Voice, and I am telling you that it is not suitable for your use case.  There is no point whatsoever to try merging Google Voice into a convoluted solution.  It cannot provide hunt groups, and all of the features you need are easily and inexpensively configured with either voip.ms or with Callcentric.

[p3ernie]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

Configurations for incoming and outgoing calls are independent of each other.  You need an OBiLINE if either (or both) will user a POTS landline.  No problem to have incoming calls from landline through an OBiLINE and outgoing calls using GV over the internet.

Thanks for the helpful response!

[p3ernie]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

Now you are just being a stubborn cheapskate.  Lavarock and I already gave you two ideal solutions for your needs. 

I am the resident expert here on everything Google Voice, and I am telling you that it is not suitable for your use case.  There is no point whatsoever to try merging Google Voice into a convoluted solution.  It cannot provide hunt groups, and all of the features you need are easily and inexpensively configured with either voip.ms or with Callcentric.

As I mentioned earlier I have no problem paying for services. I am just partial to GV because it's so easy to use and links to my other google accounts and would be much easier to train my employees.

[SteveInWA]

Is it possible to use the obi and google voice to only make outgoing calls (without obiLine) and continue to use the landline for incoming calls?

But is it possible to use ObiLine for outgoing calls but have my gv number show up on the receiver's caller ID instead of my landline?

No. That CallerID is set by the landline service provider.

Now you are just being a stubborn cheapskate.  Lavarock and I already gave you two ideal solutions for your needs. 

I am the resident expert here on everything Google Voice, and I am telling you that it is not suitable for your use case.  There is no point whatsoever to try merging Google Voice into a convoluted solution.  It cannot provide hunt groups, and all of the features you need are easily and inexpensively configured with either voip.ms or with Callcentric.

As I mentioned earlier I have no problem paying for services. I am just partial to GV because it's so easy to use and links to my other google accounts and would be much easier to train my employees.

This is an example of one way small companies fail:  the owner takes on tasks and responsibilities that have nothing  to do with the core competency or purpose of that business.  You're in business to do something other than be a telephony technician.  You should leave that up to one service provider that can provide all the features you need, simply, without convoluted fiddling to route calls between providers, and certainly not something that you will have to remember what you did, when it breaks 6 months from now.

There is nothing simple about your proposal to use Google Voice for some things and not for others, and, for the last time, it won't even do what you want.

Google now has a business-class version of Google Voice for G Suite customers.  Unlike the consumer version, it has  direct customer support, business-class management and call handling functions, and a service level agreement.  At the moment, it doesn't have hunt groups either, but I expect that this will become available at some unknown point in the future.  See:  https://cloud.google.com/voice/

Just pick a paid service provider like the two already discussed and get back to actually making money doing what your business is intended to do.