Call Back via Auto Attendant on the OBi Device
RonR:
mkarian,
Does the OBi Call Status (while the callback in in progress) or the OBi Call History (after the callback has completed) shed any light on what is going on?
mkarian:
I checked call status & tried a few more variations. Turns out that if I hangup RIGHT AWAY after entering the callback number, then it works! But, I must do so AS SOON as the AA starts saying "thank you for using Obi..." (in other words, before the confirmation even finishes talking).
That is to say, somehow the extra second or two I was taking to hang up when calling in & initiating the callback interferes with the callback call. Maybe there is a setting somewhere to delay the start of the callback another few seconds to avoid this?
Anyway, it does work now, so thank you!!
Stewart:
Quote from: mkarian on December 12, 2011, 10:59:06 am
I am located in Costa Rica, and my Obi 110 is hooked up to a landline here. I am trying to be able to call the Obi from a local cell phone to the landline number, and request a callback to the same cell phone so I can place an international call through SP1 (with the local call having originated from the land line--which is MUCH cheaper).
I'm glad to hear that you got it working, but have a couple of comments:
1. If your landline has caller ID, you can set up the OBi to recognize your cell phone number and call you back automatically. It does not answer the original call, so there is no charge to your cell.
2. If (1) is inapplicable, but you have a DID with your SP1 provider, you could call that number to trigger a callback. Since the OBi does not answer, you should not be charged for the (international) trigger call. However, some international carriers give False Answer Supervision, so you should make a test call and confirm that you are not charged. If your phone shows connected and starts counting time, even though the OBi has not answered, you're out of luck on this one.
3. Possibly, there are less expensive, higher quality and/or more convenient ways to accomplish the overall goal (international calls from cell phone). How much does it cost to call from your landline to your cell? Who is SP1 provider? Which countries do you call the most? Landlines or cellular? Using a smartphone?
mkarian:
I did some checking on current phone charges here just to be sure, and it turns out that incoming & outgoing calls to cell phones now all have the same cost (about 7 cents/min). Thus, there is no savings to having the Obi call back after all (any which way)! >:(
In the end it seems that the best option, when available at least, is simply using WiFi (no dedicated internet) to connect via the Obi App (Android) on the smart phone. Using that method, one can call the U.S. via GV at no charge for the moment.
Thanks all!
FM9295:
Wondering if someone could please provide a brief overview or some examples of when/how someone in the US might want to use the AA to do callback? Looks like maybe phone charges and finding the best way to get free calls depends a lot on which country one is in.
Is this feature primarily used by those outside the US or are there applications here in the US that I'm just not understanding? Thanks.
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