Request a Survey to Find a GV Replacement

[bsdaiwa]

Now that Google is shutting down the ability to use GV on the OBi, and other devices, it would be nice to know which Internet phone service provider comes closest to duplicating the GV service. Perhaps OBi can assist us by putting up a survey allowing for users to vote for the best?
I think the first thing would be to list the current features that GV offers then put up the survey.

Here is what I have on my list:
•   One number
•   Ability to ring all my phones (Cell, Home, Office, etc.)
•   Block unwanted caller
•   Text messaging
•   Voice mail transcription
•   Personalized greeting
•   SMS to email
•   Share voicemails
•   Screen callers
•   Mobile app
•   Conference calls
•   Number porting

I know that GV offers free calling to USA, Canada and the Caribbean, and that includes a free inbound number but it would be wishful thinking to find a service that offers that. So, who offers the lowest cost to provide calling to those same areas and provides the same GV features?

What do you think, would you like to request the forum to run the survey?

[toysareforboys2]

Here is what I have on my list:
•   One number
•   Ability to ring all my phones (Cell, Home, Office, etc.)
•   Block unwanted caller
•   Text messaging
•   Voice mail transcription
•   Personalized greeting
•   SMS to email
•   Share voicemails
•   Screen callers
•   Mobile app
•   Conference calls
•   Number porting

Anveo offers every feature you are looking for (plus free fax receiving, e-mails to you as PDF, and also free voicemail to e-mail as audio attachment as well). They have the most insane/advanced auto attendant/voicemail system on the planet. Super easy to block callers (just pull up call list, click block, done). Until Dec 31st they'll port your phone number for free if you pre-pay a years worth of service ($2/mo = $24 for the year).

Monthly cost: $2
Includes: A new phone number (or porting of your existing one). $2 per additional number (any USA or Canadian number).
Unlimited incoming minutes.
Cheap long distance (half a penny per minute to all of Canada, a penny per minute to all of USA, average overseas rates, etc.).
2 lines/channels, can setup on up to 2 sip/ATA devices.
Voicemail, CallerID, etc. etc. etc. etc.

https://www.anveo.com/consumer/default.asp

Any questions just let me know, only had their service for a few days, ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT SO FAR!!

-Jamie M.

[Shale]

Monthly cost: $2
Includes: A new phone number (or porting of your existing one). $2 per additional number (any USA or Canadian number).

I like Anveo, but their SMS to email is only available with the plan that includes that and several other things for an extra $6.55 per month. They do offer SMS into an application they provide with the basic account. You also left out $0.80 per month for 911.

With the basic account you can still do a lot of non-basic features.

[toysareforboys2]

You also left out $0.80 per month for 911.

Who pays for 911 anymore? Just change your "country" to Afghanistan in your Anveo control panel and POOF, no 911, no 911 fee

-Jamie M.

[mnjeepmale]

Here is what I have on my list:
•   One number
•   Ability to ring all my phones (Cell, Home, Office, etc.)
•   Block unwanted caller
•   Text messaging
•   Voice mail transcription
•   Personalized greeting
•   SMS to email
•   Share voicemails
•   Screen callers
•   Mobile app
•   Conference calls
•   Number porting

Anveo offers every feature you are looking for (plus free fax receiving, e-mails to you as PDF, and also free voicemail to e-mail as audio attachment as well). They have the most insane/advanced auto attendant/voicemail system on the planet. Super easy to block callers (just pull up call list, click block, done). Until Dec 31st they'll port your phone number for free if you pre-pay a years worth of service ($2/mo = $24 for the year).

Monthly cost: $2
Includes: A new phone number (or porting of your existing one). $2 per additional number (any USA or Canadian number).
Unlimited incoming minutes.
Cheap long distance (half a penny per minute to all of Canada, a penny per minute to all of USA, average overseas rates, etc.).
2 lines/channels, can setup on up to 2 sip/ATA devices.
Voicemail, CallerID, etc. etc. etc. etc.

https://www.anveo.com/consumer/default.asp

Any questions just let me know, only had their service for a few days, ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT SO FAR!!

-Jamie M.

Where is it located on the website that shows $2/month? I want to port a GV number and start looking for another service besides GV

[Shale]

Where is it located on the website that shows $2/month? I want to port a GV number and start looking for another service besides GV

Phone number for incoming calls:
http://anveo.com/consumer/mainphonenumbers.asp
plus one of these http://anveo.com/consumer/service.asp (can be free)
plus 911 @ $0.80

[mnjeepmale]

So $2/month for unlimited incoming/outgoing calls?

[gderf]

So $2/month for unlimited incoming/outgoing calls?

No, the $2/month is for unlimited incoming only.

If you can live with a New York City regional number, you can get free unlimited incoming DID from CallCentric. If you are using it within the US or Canada, they are going to want to charge you for 911 recovery fee, $1.50 per month I think. I don't think that allows you to make outgoing 911 calls though - somebody correct me if I am wrong. To avoid the 911 fee you can lie to them about where you are using it from. No idea if that will hold up or not, and they may challenge you on that eventually or just cut you off.

[toysareforboys]

Where is it located on the website that shows $2/month? I want to port a GV number and start looking for another service besides GV

Their website is super confusing, I know. Here it is in simpler terms:

On: https://www.anveo.com/consumer/mainphonenumbers.asp
Price: In USD per month, Personal Unlimited plan, $2 (valid for Canadian or USA phone number, probably a bunch more).
Features: Personal Unlimited Plan comes with 2 dedicated channels and all incoming calls are free.
Free porting info: https://www.anveo.com/faq.asp?code=faq_did_portin#howlong

Also includes everything in the top box and under the FREE column on this page: https://www.anveo.com/consumer/service.asp

Free Setup
Free Visual Drag & Drop IVR Call Flow Builder (freakin amazing)
Free Anveo Communicator
Free Anveo API access
Unlimited Voicemail boxes
Unlimited Extensions
Unlimited ContactMe/Click to Call Buttons for your website
Call Campaigns/Voice Broadcast/Outbound IVR
Auto Attendant/IVR
Visual Voicemail
Voicemail to Email
Voicemail To Text Transcription (fee)
Voicemail SMS Notification
Call Queues
   
Online FAX including:
Fax to Email
Web Activated Calls
Conference Calling

Use your own SIP device/ATA

So $2/month for unlimited incoming/outgoing calls?

Ummmm, no! lol.

Outgoing calls are per their rate table: https://www.anveo.com/consumer/rates.asp (i.e. half a penny per minute to Canada, 1 penny per minute to the USA, etc.)

Just to be clear, there's no reason you HAVE to use Anveo for your outgoing, you can use any voip provider for your outgoing (i.e. VoipJumper, amazing for overseas rates, they let you spoof your CallerID info too!)

I hope that makes it a little easier

If you are using it within the US or Canada, they are going to want to charge you for 911 recovery fee, $1.50 per month I think. I don't think that allows you to make outgoing 911 calls though - somebody correct me if I am wrong. To avoid the 911 fee you can lie to them about where you are using it from. No idea if that will hold up or not, and they may challenge you on that eventually or just cut you off.

The 911 fee is $0.80 with Anveo (see bottom of page, beside e911). When I was talking to them on the phone I asked them if it was mandatory and they said to just change my country to Afghanistan if I didn't want to pay it, so obviously they are OK with it, lol.

What makes you think you can't dial 911 on Anveo? That's what the $0.80 is for, lol. I've tested it (by dialing 933, their 911 test number) and it works perfectly. I called my local police station switchboard and asked if I could test 911 and they said no problem, just let them know my phone number and address and they'll flag it as non emergency for the next 10 mins.

-Jamie M.

[gderf]

What makes you think you can't dial 911 on Anveo? That's what the $0.80 is for, lol. I've tested it (by dialing 933, their 911 test number) and it works perfectly. I called my local police station switchboard and asked if I could test 911 and they said no problem, just let them know my phone number and address and they'll flag it as non emergency for the next 10 mins.

My comments about possibly not being able to dial 911 either with or without paying the monthly fee were about the free CallCentric DID, not Aveno.

[toysareforboys]

My comments about possibly not being able to dial 911 either with or without paying the monthly fee were about the free CallCentric DID, not Aveno.

Ahhhhh I see I have to sign up for a free Callcentric number (or two) every time I sign up for a google voice number (to pass the validation). Never get charged the 911 fee on the free numbers and I assume that's because you can't use them for outgoing? I guess if you signed up for outgoing with Callcentric then they'd tack on the 911 fee and of course it'd work.

-Jamie M.

[gderf]

Well, I just don't really know about outgoing 911 on the free CallCentric DID. Maybe if you pay the 911 fee it would work, maybe not. I just don't know. Maybe you can contact them and ask? Also ask what they will do if you lie about not using the service within the US/CA, just like you did with Aveno? I am sure we would all want to know!

I used my cell phone for GV verification call back as I have no hard wired land line here. But now I can use my Obi lines for that.

[jimates]

Now that Google is shutting down the ability to use GV on the OBi, and other devices, it would be nice to know which Internet phone service provider comes closest to duplicating the GV service. Perhaps OBi can assist us by putting up a survey allowing for users to vote for the best?
I think the first thing would be to list the current features that GV offers then put up the survey.

Here is what I have on my list:
•   One number
•   Ability to ring all my phones (Cell, Home, Office, etc.)
•   Block unwanted caller
•   Text messaging
•   Voice mail transcription
•   Personalized greeting
•   SMS to email
•   Share voicemails
•   Screen callers
•   Mobile app
•   Conference calls
•   Number porting

I know that GV offers free calling to USA, Canada and the Caribbean, and that includes a free inbound number but it would be wishful thinking to find a service that offers that. So, who offers the lowest cost to provide calling to those same areas and provides the same GV features?

What do you think, would you like to request the forum to run the survey?

Google isn't shutting down. You can still have everything you currently have, you just need to use a service like Callcentric or Anveo to direct incoming calls to the Obi and for outgoing calls. They allow you to assign the outgoing caller id so your google voice number will still show.

I see no change in my setup other than possibly having to pay for outgoing calls, which are minimal for me anyways.

The worst thing for me will be the smartphone app changes like GrooveIp or Talkatone.

[giqcass]

You can always use the Google Voice official app to replace GrooveIp or Talkatone.  An excellent app for saving your cell phone minutes by using wifi or data is the Vonage app.  The Vonage app spoofs caller ID so it appears the call is coming from your regular number.  Sipdroid is good for free incoming calls while on wifi.

I'm a fan of Callcentric for a service provider. 

[mmjj]

Lets ask this Q. in different way; Is there a reliable review site that compere the service of company's and is unbiased ?

[ProfTech]

Don't think so. I've looked at various review pages several times and it seemed to me they all slant one way or another. You pays your money and takes your chances...

[SteveInWA]

I agree with ProfTech and I also agree with giqcass re Callcentric:

Every time someone asks this question, it will turn into a "fanboy" discussion over which service people like best.  There's no objective, spreadsheet-based comparison of the services; it's just the nature of forums, techie opinions, and sometimes, advertising sponsorship.  Some people prefer a ITSP for its feature set, some for its quality of service, but too often, it's a race to the bottom for who has the lowest cost.

Simple answer:  you have the freedom to experiment with as few or as many of the competing providers as you wish, until you find one that meets your needs.  No one service will be perfect or have every feature that Google Voice has.  As jimates already said, GV isn't shutting down.  Just forward your calls to an ITSP and don't fret over it.  IMO, people spend too much time debating on a dollar or less difference per month.