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Google Sets the Date for the End of XMPP with Google Voice

Started by AntonS, October 31, 2013, 05:04:03 PM

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mo832

Correct, I did not read the amazon reviews, but I have read other reviews, and I recommended it to a friend who is distrusting of anything that is not the phone company or the cable company and is very unwilling to mess with complicated settings. He loves it and he renewed it for the second year when it came up about 4 months ago. So he's had it for about 16 months and no complaints. He even called cust svc a couple of times and had good things to say. I know it's just one story, but it does count for something.

And even magic jack, while they have lots of horror stories, if it was complete crap, they couldn't sell millions of them. For the most part, it does what it is supposed to, and for the price, people tend to cut it some slack. People pay the phone companies and the cell companies hundreds of $$$ a month, and they *still* screw up your billing and your service and have call centers in foreign countries and they tell you their name is Keith when it's really Rajesh.

FameWolf

If I understand this correctly I should be able to use the new york did for free incoming....I believe based on my reading I should also be able to setup a washington ipkall number that ALSO points to callcentric....then in callcentric setup a rule that looks at the number that was dialed and routes all calls to the washington number to callcentric's internal fax receive service that goes to email...this gets you a permanent fax line and it doesn't expire every 30 days like the other free one's (90 days with no activity I think)....but I'm a little fuzzy on the actual steps so if someone has time to break it down for me please drop me a pm/email.     The main part of confusion is setting up callcentric's rules so main # still gets calls and washington # goes to fax.

azrobert

Route your IPKall number to 17771234567@in.callcentric.com.
Where 17771234567 is your Callcentric account number.

Setup 2 call treatments in Callcentric.
Route your DID to the default extension.
Route your Callcentric account number to FAX.

In the past I couldn't get an IPKall number to route a FAX to either a real FAX machine or Callcentric's FAX to Email. Try it. Maybe it will work for you.

If it doesn't work you could reverse the numbers. Send your DID to FAX, but you won't get cname with IPKall for inbound calls.

mo832

azrobert wrote:
"If it doesn't work you could reverse the numbers. Send your DID to FAX, but you won't get cname with IPKall for inbound calls."

---

Hi there, azrobert- I posted a very related question on the Callcentric (CNAM) thread, and your answer above seems to contradict what they told me over there. If you point an IPkall number to your CC 1777xxx.... number for incoming calls, and you skip the NY free number altogether, will you still see the incoming caller name from CC if you use this setup with an Obi box? I am only referring to voice calls and without special treatments.

azrobert

Quote from: mo832 on November 11, 2013, 06:23:26 AM
azrobert wrote:
"If it doesn't work you could reverse the numbers. Send your DID to FAX, but you won't get cname with IPKall for inbound calls."

---

Hi there, azrobert- I posted a very related question on the Callcentric (CNAM) thread, and your answer above seems to contradict what they told me over there. If you point an IPkall number to your CC 1777xxx.... number for incoming calls, and you skip the NY free number altogether, will you still see the incoming caller name from CC if you use this setup with an Obi box? I am only referring to voice calls and without special treatments.


I haven't tried, but assumed you won't get cname using an IPKall number pointed to a Callcentric account. If I'm wrong I apologize.

Edit:
First, I don't have any DIDs with my Callcentric account.
When I clicked on Preferences/Cnam I recieved message "There are no phone numbers on the account". This implies cname only works with Callcentric DIDs.

Have you tried getting cname with an IPKall number?


mo832

I have not tried any of this yet. I'm still trying to get details as to how it would work since I really hate signing up for lots of trial registrations for things that I don't intend to actually use. Also, I don't want to go thru all the settings if it gets me nowhere and I have to change everything back that is now working.

But on CC, the CNAM tab says what you saw on yours. However the General tab has a field saying "Caller ID with name (Inbound calls):", which I was able to change to "enable".
I don't know if this actually does anything, but it is set up that way.

It seems like it should work with *any* DID number, since I can't imagine everybody would want a NY DID number. But that is just a guess. Perhaps CC enhances those numbers are registered with their own company?

gderf

Download your OBi configuration to a file before making changes. You can restore it to that state rather than editing it back to the way it was.
Help me OBiHai PhoneOBi. You're my only hope.

mo832

Quote from: gderf on November 11, 2013, 09:55:44 AM
Download your OBi configuration to a file before making changes. You can restore it to that state rather than editing it back to the way it was.

I didn't know you could do that. How do you download and how do you restore? If you do it this way, does it also save your password that has been hidden?

gderf

On my OBi200 I put its IP address in my web browser and log in. Then I go to the System Management | Device Update page. From there you can download and upload the configuration file. It comes down in xml format.

I don't know whether the login information is there or not.
Help me OBiHai PhoneOBi. You're my only hope.

sir_rob

Quote from: FameWolf on October 31, 2013, 05:15:25 PM
apparently obihai has no plans to adapt the device even though their competitors have already announced they have versions that will work using google hangouts.

Since the original poster never answered, here is an example: http://www.gvmate.com/gvmate-phone-adapter-unaffected-by-xmpp-retirement-May-2014.html

I am going to hold off making any changes for a few months.  Like others, I am hoping that some attractive options come to light before May.  I really have no idea what is in store for Google Voice, but I want to learn more before I make changes.  Google Voice and Android phones are my biggest anchors to Google.  If they cut off the former, my attachment to the latter will be greatly reduced.  Gmail is not that unique anymore.  Going "Google free" may be easier than it has been in years, however, they may just provide a better tool that we like even better.  I am not holding my breath...

mo832

The biggest downside I can see to the GVmate product is that it must be connected to a working PC to use it. The Obi is a stand-alone solution. Bummer...

gderf

If you must have a PC running then use it to make click to call callbacks and continue on with your OBi and Google Voice for free.
Help me OBiHai PhoneOBi. You're my only hope.

sir_rob

Quote from: mo832 on November 11, 2013, 03:51:20 PM
The biggest downside I can see to the GVmate product is that it must be connected to a working PC to use it. The Obi is a stand-alone solution. Bummer...

Agreed.  I actually run a server on my home network, so this is not an issue for me, but I would really prefer to continue to use my current setup.  It is certainly not ideal, but for me the configuration is supportable.

drgeoff

Quote from: mo832 on November 11, 2013, 11:09:29 AM
Quote from: gderf on November 11, 2013, 09:55:44 AM
Download your OBi configuration to a file before making changes. You can restore it to that state rather than editing it back to the way it was.

I didn't know you could do that. How do you download and how do you restore? If you do it this way, does it also save your password that has been hidden?
See page 45 of the Admin Guide (September 2013 edition):

"IMPORTANT Note: All passwords and PINs are excluded from the backup file. Hence they will not be available to restore. Call history is excluded from the backup , but can be saved as an XML formatted file separately from the Call History web page. "

More info on backup and restore on page 44.

Ansextra

I've given up on GV.  I just got an account with Voipo.  $185 for the first 2 years, unlimited calling in NAM and 1 hour / month calling to specific countries.  Customer service is great!  I just put in an app to transfer my Vonage home line to them as well.
I can also use my Obi100 with them as well if I want so it won't go to waste...
Even after the price goes up in 2 years to approx. $15/month it's still a great deal for everything I get.  WAY more features than GV in my opinion. 

aopisa

Ok, So I am a pretty technically inclined person, but the whole phone thing and all of the acronyms makes my head swim. I have read all 6 pages so far and I am just trying to cull out the simple answer.

I have an Obi 100. Google Voice is configured on sp1 and Anveo E911 is on sp2. What is the simplest and lowest cost (not free) way to still keep my GV number for incoming calls and show my caller ID for outgoing calls? Can it be done on the 100? I am not married to Anveo if there is a way to make low cost calls and still have E911.

Right now it seems like it would be easier to port my GV number over to the NetTalk device and just be done with it.

I really only need the phone to keep some of my cell minutes down and most importantly to have E911.

FameWolf

Sign up for callcentric, forward google voice to it. Incoming is taken care of.  You could even consolidate your e911 to callcentric freeing sp2 up entirely for a new service. The specifics for this are mentioned in detail several times in this thread including the first page.

lhm.

Consider gv911.com as an alternative to Anveo or Callcentric for e911

giqcass

Voice Gateways give you the ability to set extra service providers for outbound only calls.  For example: You could have a gateway for dialing 911, a gateway for local, a gateway for long distance, a gateway for overseas, and a gateway for 800 calls.  It obviously does not need to be that complex but I want you to understand you have a lot of  options available.

Something else to consider is there is no need to port your number.  Many providers will spoof your number.  I would put incoming on SP1, 911 on SP2, and outbound calling on a gateway using the cheapest provider that does spoofing + allows calls without registration.

Another option:  Pay $1.50 per month for unlimited incoming plus 911 with Callcentric.  Forward Google Voice to Callcentric to free up a spot.Then use SP2 for cheapest available outgoing calls such as localphone for 1/2 cent per minute and set it to spoof Caller ID.  You would only pay for outbound calls this way and would not have to port your number.
Long live our new ObiLords!

aopisa

Quote from: giqcass on November 14, 2013, 11:56:05 AM
Voice Gateways give you the ability to set extra service providers for outbound only calls.  For example: You could have a gateway for dialing 911, a gateway for local, a gateway for long distance, a gateway for overseas, and a gateway for 800 calls.  It obviously does not need to be that complex but I want you to understand you have a lot of  options available.

Something else to consider is there is no need to port your number.  Many providers will spoof your number.  I would put incoming on SP1, 911 on SP2, and outbound calling on a gateway using the cheapest provider that does spoofing + allows calls without registration.

Another option:  Pay $1.50 per month for unlimited incoming plus 911 with Callcentric.  Forward Google Voice to Callcentric to free up a spot.Then use SP2 for cheapest available outgoing calls such as localphone for 1/2 cent per minute and set it to spoof Caller ID.  You would only pay for outbound calls this way and would not have to port your number.

OK, that makes sense. That was the explanation I was looking for.

At any rate I will sit tight until May and check here frequently for any new developments on this front.

Thanks you very much.