ObiBT - multiple phone scenarios

[mish]

I understand that one can pair more than one phone with ObiBT.

Some questions:
1. If my cell phone rings, can I ring Ph1?
2. If my wife's phone rings, can I ring Ph2?
3. If we need to make a call, is it possible to make my cell phone default outbound trunk for Ph1? And for Ph2, can I make my wife's cell phone as default calling option?
    And in case, the cell phones are not connected (say are not in the same location), then can I make Obi202 default to some other Service Provider?


Is this described anywhere?

Thanks.

[jimates]

ObiBT is a configurable service on the Obi just like the SPs, Obitalk, AA etc.

All services, including ObiBT are configured independently.

There are not individual settings for each paired device. The settings are for the ObiBT in general.

1 & 2 - You set the inbound call route for ObiBT (not each device) like any other service on the Obi. That can be one or both phones, plus forking the call.
3 - You set the default outbound service for each phone, not for each service.

To place a call using ObiBT when it is not the default for the phone, you prepend when dialing just like you would to use any other non default service from that phone.


OBiBlueTooth Call Features

OBiBlueTooth is the voice service that is made possible with an attached OBiBT dongle that is connected with a (in-service) mobile device. This service allows you to make or receive mobile calls using a conventional phone attached to the OBi phone port, or by bridging in a VoIP call over a SP service or OBiTALK service. OBiBlueTooth only allows one incoming or outgoing call on OBiBT at a time. In other words, there is no 3-way call or call-waiting support on OBiBlueTooth. The supported call features are similar to the equivalent ones supported under SP or OBiTALK service

[mish]

Thanks for the reply.

I asked the question in the wrong manner. I meant to ask as to whether two phones can paid with 1 ObiBT at the same time. I gather that the answer is yes.

I understand from the last paragraph that you pasted, that if ObiBT is in use (i.e. one cell phone is being used through Obi202), then the second cell phone will not be available for outbound or inbound call through Obi202.

Correct?

And thanks again.

Just ordered an ObiBT and looking forward to pairing our phones.

[GregoryZ]

I don't want to confuse things, especially since I don't have an OBi202 let alone an OBiBT.  

But, I thought I had read that if you used a USB Hub, that you can use both the Wifi and the OBiBT.  Wouldn't the same thing work with two OBiBT??

So I'm thinkng that each Cell Phone could connect to it's own OBiBT.  And Each OBiBT configured to it's own phone port.  If this were possible, This may allow for the setup you are looking for.  

Hope I haven't muddied up the water.  

Someone with knowledge of the OBi202 & OBiBT can take this idea further.  

-G

[jimates]

Thanks for the reply.

I asked the question in the wrong manner. I meant to ask as to whether two phones can paid with 1 ObiBT at the same time. I gather that the answer is yes.

I understand from the last paragraph that you pasted, that if ObiBT is in use (i.e. one cell phone is being used through Obi202), then the second cell phone will not be available for outbound or inbound call through Obi202.

Correct?

And thanks again.

Just ordered an ObiBT and looking forward to pairing our phones.

You can pair up to 10 phones to one ObiBT.

You are correct. Only one session at a time on the ObiBT.



GregoryZ,

Since the ObiBT is actually a service on the Obi (which requires a secondary module), and not just an add on service, I doubt multiple devices would be supported.



Personally I would think making outgoing calls with multiple BT connected phones may be problematic. In the list one phone is selected as the preferred phone. I don't know if that means it is the default phone for outgoing calls or not. Why else would there be a preferred device.

I think this would be great (for some) for receiving calls on your cellular service(s) while at home. For me, since we use our google voice number exclusively and can configure google voice on the Obi directly, this device doesn't really have a place with us.

And you can configure conditional call forwarding on your cell phone itself to forward to either google other destinations, like a free callcentric DID. And these can be configured separately on the Obi.



Disclaimer:
I do not have an ObiBT device.

[jimates]

mish,

You may consider this for the most versatile when using an Obi202.

- Get separate google voice numbers for both cell phones. (If you currently use Sprint, you can integrate with google voice without changing any phone numbers).
- Set the phone as a forwarding phone
- Enable the "Activate google voicemail on thisl phone"
- Configure the google voice account on the Obi
- Set Google Talk as a forwarding phone at google voice

- Calls to google voice will ring the cell phone, and the Obi
- Unanswered calls at the cell phone will go to google voicemail instead of the cell providers vm
- This will allow you to configure each cell phone's google voice separately on the Obi, and use each one as a separate service for both incoming and outgoing calls. You can also set each to ring separate phones on the Obi if desired.
- You can also set custom ring schedules for Google Chat if you don't want the Obi ringing during the weekday, etc.

EDIT:
At google, enable the "When someone calls this phone directly and I don't pick up, ring my other phones before going to voicemail" option for the cell phone.
This way when someone calls the cell phone's number directly it will ring the Obi before going to voicemail if unanswered. If a call comes into the cell you can hit ignore, instead of letting it time out, and it will immediately ring the Obi before going to voicemail.

[mish]

Hi jimates,

This sounds good. And I have thought about it.

Let me recap my understanding of what you are suggesting:

1. Have two Google Voice numbers - one for each cell phone.
2. When owner of Cell phone 1 calls from Ph1, GV1 (Google Voice 1) is used to call out.
3. When cell phone 1 rings and the phone is home, Ph1 rings - due to Obibt connection.
4. When owner of Cell phone 2 calls using Ph2, GV2 is used to call out.
5. When Cell phone 2 rings and the phone is home, Ph2 rings - due to Obibt connection.
6. When GV1 rings, Ph1 rings, and so does the Cell phone 1. And the same for GV2, Ph2 and Cell phone 2.
7. And then setup VM such that GV becomes VM recipient - these are AT&T phones.

Is the above how you envision it?

The only issue in this, is that the outbound number is different from the cell phone. It is the GV number.
But otherwise it is a scenario worth doing - at least until GV is free it does not cost any extra.

---

Edit:
Responding to your edit - It sounds like you are describing a situation where ObiBT is not needed. If the cell phone is not answered, it will ring GV number before going to VM. Right?

[jimates]

True, the outgoing number from the Obi will be the google voice number instead of the cell number. With google voice it is understood that one would migrate away from using their regular number.

Even the possibility of porting an existing number to google voice leaves the situation where calls made directly from the phone would have a different number (unless you incorporate an app into your usage on a smart phone, or use the google voice callback).

Yes, I wasn't considering using the BT at all however, the use of the device may be beneficial to a point. You can set up google voice on SPx but not have it ring any phones. The phones would only ring when the BT is connected to the cell phone. Of course outgoing calls could still be made using google voice directly from the phone port. Incoming calls would still use the cellular service and minutes, but that usually isn't a concern anymore.

[mish]

As for minutes on cell phone plan, just moved to a unlimited plan.
Until last month it mattered...

But if I can do without ObiBT, I would be happy to.
How do I make Google Voice 1 ring if Cell phone 1 is called?

There is a certain convenience in having cell phones ring on the cordless phones at home.
And as far as I know, only an ObiBT kind of solution can achieve that.

Or a cordless phone set that pairs with our cell phones.

[jimates]

Yes, only the BT will allow your home phones to ring from the cell phone.

How do I make Google Voice 1 ring if Cell phone 1 is called?
google voice can ring both the Obi and the cell at the same time, but only for calls that come in on the google voice number.

[mish]

Got it.

Next project would be to configure ObiBT once I receive it tomorrow!

Thanks for your help!

[Ostracus]

A thought occurred to me. I paired an HTC with the Obi202 which basically treats it like a hands free handset. Why couldn't one pair an Obi202 to a computer? Some interesting possibilities open that way?