Please help with basic Obi and GV capabilities, number of numbers

[thatbl]

I have spent a lot of time searching, but cannot find the answers to my questions. Here is how I envisioned using the OBI100:

Get rid of landline. No porting. Use Google Voice. Get numbers from them.

My searching led me to believe that each Google account can get two numbers – home and work. Is this correct? The process on GV was asking me to pick one number and I'd like to know of any limitations before I do this.

If my husband also gets two GV numbers, can we use the one OBI100 for all four numbers? We don't need any fancy routing, answering, separate "lines".

The reason for wanting four numbers is to have the following:

An exchange that would be local for our extended families so that each of our families could call us toll free

An exchange local to us for utilities, doctors, neighbors

A universal number whose digits are easy to remember. We would keep this number indefinitely. This would be given out to all friends and family who can call with their own unlimited phones. Hope to relocate in a few years and have just this one number.

If we can't get and easily use four numbers, I would choose my new numbers differently, so I need to know before I proceed with Google Voice.

Thanks for your patience with an old newb.

[Rick]

I have spent a lot of time searching, but cannot find the answers to my questions. Here is how I envisioned using the OBI100:

Get rid of landline. No porting. Use Google Voice. Get numbers from them.

My searching led me to believe that each Google account can get two numbers – home and work. Is this correct? The process on GV was asking me to pick one number and I'd like to know of any limitations before I do this.

No, this is not correct.  Each GV account gets ONE number.

If my husband also gets two GV numbers, can we use the one OBI100 for all four numbers? We don't need any fancy routing, answering, separate "lines".

No, this is not correct.  The OBi 100 and the 110 can handle TWO numbers, not FOUR numbers.  Get the 202 if you want 4 numbers, but you can only use 2 at a time AND GV doesn't give you 2 numbers per account as noted above.

The reason for wanting four numbers is to have the following:

An exchange that would be local for our extended families so that each of our families could call us toll free

An exchange local to us for utilities, doctors, neighbors

A universal number whose digits are easy to remember. We would keep this number indefinitely. This would be given out to all friends and family who can call with their own unlimited phones. Hope to relocate in a few years and have just this one number.

If we can't get and easily use four numbers, I would choose my new numbers differently, so I need to know before I proceed with Google Voice.

Thanks for your patience with an old newb.

You can't get 4 GV numbers.  There is no reason in this day and age why you can't move a number all around the country as you move.  More and more people either call with a cell that doesn't care, or an unlimited calling plan.

Or, you can buy 3 OBi devices.  Put 1 each in a house where your extended families exist (seems like 2 places, and then ANYONE who is given the info can access that OBi and call your OBi for free. 

I don't know where you figured out all this stuff in your lot of time searching, but it's not right.

[Johnny]

I have spent a lot of time searching, but cannot find the answers to my questions. Here is how I envisioned using the OBI100:

Get rid of landline. No porting. Use Google Voice. Get numbers from them.

My searching led me to believe that each Google account can get two numbers – home and work. Is this correct? The process on GV was asking me to pick one number and I'd like to know of any limitations before I do this.

No, this is not correct.  Each GV account gets ONE number.

If my husband also gets two GV numbers, can we use the one OBI100 for all four numbers? We don't need any fancy routing, answering, separate "lines".

No, this is not correct.  The OBi 100 and the 110 can handle TWO numbers, not FOUR numbers.  Get the 202 if you want 4 numbers, but you can only use 2 at a time AND GV doesn't give you 2 numbers per account as noted above.

The reason for wanting four numbers is to have the following:

An exchange that would be local for our extended families so that each of our families could call us toll free

An exchange local to us for utilities, doctors, neighbors

A universal number whose digits are easy to remember. We would keep this number indefinitely. This would be given out to all friends and family who can call with their own unlimited phones. Hope to relocate in a few years and have just this one number.

If we can't get and easily use four numbers, I would choose my new numbers differently, so I need to know before I proceed with Google Voice.

Thanks for your patience with an old newb.

You can't get 4 GV numbers.  There is no reason in this day and age why you can't move a number all around the country as you move.  More and more people either call with a cell that doesn't care, or an unlimited calling plan.

Or, you can buy 3 OBi devices.  Put 1 each in a house where your extended families exist (seems like 2 places, and then ANYONE who is given the info can access that OBi and call your OBi for free.  

I don't know where you figured out all this stuff in your lot of time searching, but it's not right.

I believe it is possible to have two numbers with a GV account.

Once you get your first number you have the option to get a second one and keep the first one as a secondary number.  This would cost $30.00 I believe to accomplish this.

I've never done this so I don't know what the advantages are of having two numbers on one account.  The OP asked if it were possible to have two numbers per account and I just wanted to offer my understanding of the subject.

[Rick]

I believe it is possible to have two numbers with a GV account.

Once you get your first number you have the option to get a second one and keep the first one as a secondary number.  This would cost $30.00 I believe to accomplish this.

I've never done this so I don't know what the advantages are of having two numbers on one account.  The OP asked if it were possible to have two numbers per account and I just wanted to offer my understanding of the subject.

When you setup your GV account you get a number, let's call it 111-111-1111.  Then, you port your phone number over, let's call it 222-222-2222.  GV will give you the option to keep 111-111-1111 as a secondary number. 

That means that if people call 111-111-1111, the call will go to 222-222-2222.  You cannot make a call from 111-111-1111.  You can't set it up on your OBi device, as the OBi just links to Google Talk and therefore has the primary number. 

So, if you gave a lot of people your GV number, then decided to port your landline and these people were too lazy to change the number that they use to call you, you COULD pay to keep it as a number.

So, I GUESS that if the OP wanted to setup a GV number in the area of the husband's family, a number that they called locally and have that number ring at the OP's house, it would be possible to KEEP that original number AND then make the ported number primary.

However, that's a ported number.  I don't know if you can have two original GV numbers setup like that.  Haven't tried it.

Good point Johnny!

[Johnny]

I believe it is possible to have two numbers with a GV account.

Once you get your first number you have the option to get a second one and keep the first one as a secondary number.  This would cost $30.00 I believe to accomplish this.

I've never done this so I don't know what the advantages are of having two numbers on one account.  The OP asked if it were possible to have two numbers per account and I just wanted to offer my understanding of the subject.

When you setup your GV account you get a number, let's call it 111-111-1111.  Then, you port your phone number over, let's call it 222-222-2222.  GV will give you the option to keep 111-111-1111 as a secondary number. 

That means that if people call 111-111-1111, the call will go to 222-222-2222.  You cannot make a call from 111-111-1111.  You can't set it up on your OBi device, as the OBi just links to Google Talk and therefore has the primary number. 

So, if you gave a lot of people your GV number, then decided to port your landline and these people were too lazy to change the number that they use to call you, you COULD pay to keep it as a number.

So, I GUESS that if the OP wanted to setup a GV number in the area of the husband's family, a number that they called locally and have that number ring at the OP's house, it would be possible to KEEP that original number AND then make the ported number primary.

However, that's a ported number.  I don't know if you can have two original GV numbers setup like that.  Haven't tried it.

Good point Johnny!

Thanks Rick,

As I mentioned, I have never had two numbers on the same GV account, so I had no idea as to how you could actually use them together.

I have enough problems trying to use just one.

I just thought I would mention it in case it would be something the OP could utilize.

[rogera_bit]

Why not setup an actual toll free number for those family members to call?

https://les.net/products/product_ip800.php
http://www.voip.ms/tollfree.php

other VSP offer tollfree