Dropped Calls

[garyw]

I've been using OBi with Google Voice for a couple of years now and I'm mostly happy with it.  However, if I'm on the phone for a while, say 20 - 30 minutes, the call is usually dropped.  The phone just goes dead.  I then have to redial and get back on the call again.  It's really annoying and makes my phone seem second rate, especially when I'm on a business call.  Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Gary

[MikeHObi]

If it happens again, check and see if your Obi rebooted, or if the call was actually lost.  Depending on your voip provider, there may be a max call time limit that you can configure but is set to a default value when you started the service.

[garyw]

How do I check to see if it rebooted?  Do I just look at the box and know it rebooted if the light turns red or is there some other way?  Thanks!!!  Gary

[drgeoff]

How do I check to see if it rebooted?  Do I just look at the box and know it rebooted if the light turns red or is there some other way?  Thanks!!!  Gary

Open the OBi's local web page, click on 'Status', then 'System Status'. In the 'Product Information' section you will see a line 'Uptime'.  That is how long since the unit was powered up or rebooted.  I believe the final number in brackets is the reason for the reboot.

[Rick]

I have experienced frequent drops in the past few months also.  I plan on totally leaving GV before the May 15th change, just figuring out where to go.  Likely going to get a free inbound and $.01 per minute outbound, but make all my outbound calls on cellular. 

[garyw]

What's the May 15th change that coming???  I haven't heard.  Thanks, Gary

[Rick]

http://blog.obihai.com/2013/10/important-message-about-google-voice.html?m=1


Many, many posts on the forum about this.

[garyw]

Is there any consensus regarding the best alternative to GV?  Or possibly a few of them?

Thanks,
Gary

[MikeHObi]

Is there any consensus regarding the best alternative to GV?  Or possibly a few of them?

Thanks,
Gary

See this thread over in the other area where a poll of what people were choosing was done and some discussion has occurred.
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=7452.0

A "best" alternative really depends on what your consider to be good.  If you are willing to live with a work around you can still use GV for free or at least just the cost of E911.  But that requires you to click on things on a computer to place a call.

Cheapest are going to probably be the services that Obi has partnered with but they may not have as many minutes as you need.

Next cheapest may be the services that charge per minute until you use enough minutes to make buying a flat rate package of minutes.

It depends.   I picked Anveo (not the Anveo program Obi is promoting) because I'm actually paying for two households (my moms and mine) and Anveo makes it easy for me to manage both of them from one pool of funds but give separate E911 addresses.

[garyw]

Mike,

Thanks so much for your reply.  I've looked at a few different plans and the Power Phone OBi Unlimited looks great for me.  Are there any downsides that I might be overlooking? 

Thanks,
Gary

[MikeHObi]

Thanks so much for your reply.  I've looked at a few different plans and the Power Phone OBi Unlimited looks great for me.  Are there any downsides that I might be overlooking? 

Power Phone has not been commented on much here in the past so it seems to be new to much of the Obi community.  They are also a new offering so I don't know that many have signed up.  The only risk I can think of would be the initial cost to sign up, and any porting cost. (if you decide they are not doing well and you go to someone else)

[garyw]

Thanks again!