News:

On Tuesday September 6th the forum will be down for maintenance from 9:30 PM to 11:59 PM PDT

Main Menu

obi right for me?

Started by panvn, March 31, 2013, 03:28:35 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

panvn

Hi,

My uncle in Vietnam wanted me to buy him a magicjack.  But I suggested the obi100 since I thought GV could call from Vietnam to US for free.  But it turns out that it costs 1ยข per minute.

I hear the mj has a lot of problems with calling and customer support.  Actually, my uncle could not renew his magicjack because no one answered him back.


Anyway, what other options are there for obi100 and are they cheaper than Magi Jack?  Thanks!

Rick

You can utilize VoIP services with the OBi.  However, I cannot imagine than any are less expensive than $.01 per minute.  I suggest you do some Googling for VoIP in Vietnam. 

RFord

From my understanding, if you set up the Gmail/GV Account in the US and configure the OBi device in the US and send it to Vietnam, there will be no cost to call out to the US from the device.  Actually, the device doesn't necessarily have to be configured in the US, just the Gmail/GV must be "open" in the US.  I have done this here in the US and send a OBi110 overseas and it does not attract any cost when making outgoing calls to the US!

Felix

@RFord,

I think it used to be that way, but now GV recognizes (I guess, by IP) that the call originates abroad and charges for it. That said, if he calls you occasionally, 1c/min isn't that much; and if you guys stay on the phone for hours - there are plenty of monthly plans.

Alternatively, you can sign up with one Betamax companies. You need to replenish balance on a regular basis (usually, every 90 or 120 days); as part of the plan you get calling US for free and you can use that money for calling non-free destinations

ianobi

Another option is for the OP to also buy an OBi, then his uncle can "bridge" calls into the US for free. Of course, the link works both ways and if the uncle has an OBi110, then the OP has access to the Vietnam PSTN at local call rates. Also, they can both call each other for free at any time using the OBiTALK network.

Lavarock7

Another alternative is to get a Voip.Ms account and create subaccounts (extensions) and have his box use that as his primary US connection. You can configure your Obi to connect to another subaccount and now you have extension to extension calling for free. Your connection to Voip.Ms could be put into the AA to allow calls coming in that connection to dial out your GoogleVoice. Alternatively, he could use Voip.Ms to make outbound calls with a monthly plan or per minute.

If he needs to be able to access a local  phone line over there, look into a 110.

BTW, outbound Voip.Ms rates to Vietnam range in the 4 to 6 cent range per minute, which is why having him as an extension on the account gives you free calls to him because extension to extension calls are free.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

panvn

#6
Quote from: ianobi on March 31, 2013, 11:05:15 AM
Another option is for the OP to also buy an OBi, then his uncle can "bridge" calls into the US for free. Of course, the link works both ways and if the uncle has an OBi110, then the OP has access to the Vietnam PSTN at local call rates. Also, they can both call each other for free at any time using the OBiTALK network.
Hi ianobi, this sounds good.  I was actually going to buy an obi for myself too.  I don't know how to bridge calls though.  Is there a guide/thread for it?  Searching got me nothing.

Also, @Lavarock7: I can't seem to find the monthly cost for voip.ms.  I'm looking for unlimited calling to US and I don't think he'll mind paying monthly/yearly.  He did so for magicjack but that stopped working. 

carl

Quote from: Felix on March 31, 2013, 10:55:54 AM
@RFord,

I think it used to be that way, but now GV recognizes (I guess, by IP) that the call originates abroad and charges for it. That said, if he calls you occasionally, 1c/min isn't that much; and if you guys stay on the phone for hours - there are plenty of monthly plans.

Alternatively, you can sign up with one Betamax companies. You need to replenish balance on a regular basis (usually, every 90 or 120 days); as part of the plan you get calling US for free and you can use that money for calling non-free destinations

Since when did they exactly start to charge?  You see , my mother used GV through  overseas till Dec 01 without any problems. If there is any change I would like to know before she travels again in May.

Betamax are crappy. For calls to US phone numbers, Localphone has 0.5 c/minute rate.

giqcass

#8
I don't think Google is actually doing this but assuming it is you could set up Google Voice using the Callcentric method. Then he can call for 1 cent and have the person call him back for free.  The return call would be routed through callcentric and Google would think the call is being terminated in the US.  Another option is to route outbound calls through a Gateway like simonics.com.  It would use Google Voice to make the call for free and Google wouldn't know the call originated outside of the US.

I would test the standard Google Voice setup first as I don't believe they are charging extra based on location.  They charge extra to terminate to PSTN in other countries because it costs them extra.  IP traffic has the same cost (to them) no matter where they send it.

If you both had an OBi then OBi to OBi calls are the simplest.  They can be dialed like regular phone numbers from the Obi or a speed dial could be added.
Long live our new ObiLords!

Lavarock7

Quote from: panvn on March 31, 2013, 02:32:41 PM
Quote from: ianobi on March 31, 2013, 11:05:15 AM
Another option is for the OP to also buy an OBi, then his uncle can "bridge" calls into the US for free. Of course, the link works both ways and if the uncle has an OBi110, then the OP has access to the Vietnam PSTN at local call rates. Also, they can both call each other for free at any time using the OBiTALK network.
Hi ianobi, this sounds good.  I was actually going to buy an obi for myself too.  I don't know how to bridge calls though.  Is there a guide/thread for it?  Searching got me nothing.

Also, @Lavarock7: I can't seem to find the monthly cost for voip.ms.  I'm looking for unlimited calling to US and I don't think he'll mind paying monthly/yearly.  He did so for magicjack but that stopped working. 

With their DID's inbound and outbound calls are billed separately.

If you buy a DID, you might pay perhaps $1 or $1.50 a month for the number and then can pay per minute of talk time at perhaps a penny a minute. (I say perhaps because depending upon the rate center, the phone number might cost $1 or $1.50).

Their monthly plan is something like $5 and includes 3500 inbound minutes and you would pay per minute outbound or perhaps a penny.

Rather than getting a DID, you could use the Voip.Ms account to just forward his calls to an extension that your OBI might connect through GoogleVoice. Voip.ms has servers overseas.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

Felix

Quote from: carl on March 31, 2013, 07:39:35 PM
Since when did they exactly start to charge?  You see , my mother used GV through  overseas till Dec 01 without any problems. If there is any change I would like to know before she travels again in May.

Betamax are crappy. For calls to US phone numbers, Localphone has 0.5 c/minute rate.
I kept reading about it for awhile. For example, here is a post from August 2011.

Personally, I started seeing charges for calls from Israel in early 2012, and also for calls from Mexico last August.

RFord

Felix:

Did your Gmail / GV account set up IN the US?  You are the first person to state that GV is charging for calls outside of US for those accounts that was established within the US .  That has not been my experience.  Could others who have OBi ATAs overseas and Gmail/GV accounts that was set up here in the US, confirm what Felix is saying?

ianobi

panvn,

"Bridging" is just a general term for connecting an incoming call to an outgoing trunk. If you both have an OBi you can put each other in your "Circle of Trust".

If your uncle calls your OBi number, then he will get your auto attendant. He can then choose Option 2 and make an onward call using your OBi service providers.

If your uncle sets a speed dial in this format: pp(ob200123456*12345678912), where 200123456 is your OBi number, then he will automatically use your Primary Line (let's say GV) to send the call to number 12345678912. If he chooses speed dial slot 4, then he just has to dial 4# for the call to be placed. Such a call will be totally free for him.

It works both ways. For instance you can dial your uncle's OBi number and use the PSTN connected to his OBi110.

Much more can be said about how it all works. The basic principle is that the OBiTALK network joins all OBIs together for free. You can decide who you trust to have access to the service providers on your OBi.

Your decision now is what sort of Obis to buy. I suggest that your uncle will need an OBi110, so he and anyone he trusts has access to the local PSTN. This is not such an issue in the US, so long as GV stays free PSTN is not really required. You might want to consider an OBi100 or OBi202 depending on how many services etc you might need.

You may wish to read the first post here:

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3094.msg20656#msg20656


Felix

Quote from: RFord on April 01, 2013, 02:33:37 AM
Felix:

Did your Gmail / GV account set up IN the US?  You are the first person to state that GV is charging for calls outside of US for those accounts that was established within the US .  That has not been my experience.  Could others who have OBi ATAs overseas and Gmail/GV accounts that was set up here in the US, confirm what Felix is saying?
Yes. In fact, Israeli OBi worked fine for over a year before it started incurring charges. Now, I thought it was common knowledge that at some point Google started charging for calls originating outside US... Now I am not so sure. In fact, I now think that when I was calling from Mexican I made a mistake and that's why the call didn't through (at the time I thought I was calling from GV account that didn't have any balance on it).

I guess, I'll have to confirm one way or another... or if somebody else confirms that would be great too. The good problem with calls from Israel is that calls to US from mobile phones on many plans is just 1c/min. So, for my non-technical aunt Millie it's much easier to just call US from her cell phone the same way she calls her friend down the street than it is to have OBi connected to all the jacks :)