GV=>Ring.to=> (???); anyone using this yet ??

[vtsnaab]

Since my ultimate plan is to either just ditch my GV number after a while, OR use it via Android/Wifi this Ring.to service interests me greatly.

It seems as if their site is offering totally free stuff as I can find very little info about any costs (except in the text of their TOS...).

Will others here who may be using this service please verify=>

1. It is actually totally free, including porting the GV number to it ??

2. Is it ONLY a forwarding service and as such one needs an ITSP besides ??

3. If using their Android app, is it also just a forwarder as it's pictures seem to show ??

4. Is this really just useful for taking a number away from someplace and aiming it to some other service, or is there also some very clever way to use this in part to mimic what we all had for free for so long with GV ??

Their app page at google says this:

P.S. Want to make FREE calls anywhere in North America? Using your RingTo number, you now can! http://bit.ly/1dmSd3R

And the sneaky bit.ly link leads to here=>
https://bandwidth.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/334735-make-a-phone-call-with-my-ringto-number

Which is a very uninformative/convoluted page that starts by saying this:

Make a phone call with my RingTo number

RingTo is a call forwarding service. However, sometimes you need to have your RingTo number appear as your caller ID when you are calling your friends. If that sounds like you, then you'll be happy to know that RingTo now allows you to place calls anywhere in the US and Canada. All you need to do call your RingTo number directly from one of your authorized numbers.

Which makes me wonder st the true nature of what they are offering and/or how they may profit from it...?

I saw mention of this service in other very recent postings and there is mention of lots of different possibilities, but nothing very concrete just yet and searching here for ring.to produced about a zillion pages of results, each having both words...sigh.

[7Priest7]

Ring.to attempts to be a full GVoice replacement.

It allows you to forward numbers, and it has xmpp support(I'm guessing based of the GrooveIP support).
I've found no mention of cost, they could just be waiting until they have enough users then start charging everybody.

[yosif]

Ring.to attempts to be a full GVoice replacement.

It allows you to forward numbers, and it has xmpp support(I'm guessing based of the GrooveIP support).
I've found no mention of cost, they could just be waiting until they have enough users then start charging everybody.

They provide free service. It is on their home page. They are part of Bandwith. They don't need to be sneaky.

If you would call them and ask you would know that they don't use XMPP. Their contact information is on their home page.

[vtsnaab]

I spent some time looking through their site:

If you would call them and ask you would know that they don't use XMPP. Their contact information is on their home page.

And DID call their number - which goes directly to VM.

I asked here because rather than leaving a VM or sending an email to them, it seems better to get info from anyone who is actually USING a service and folks here can be very good & helpful too.

Thanks.

[azrobert]

You'll be happy to know that RingTo now allows you to place calls anywhere in the US and Canada. All you need to do call your RingTo number directly from one of your authorized numbers.

This sounds like how GV currently works without an OBi. Call your GV number using a forwarding number (GV must be configured correctly). After the prompt enter "2" followed by the outbound number. You will be charged for calling your GV number.

Don't know how RingTo will work with an OBi.

[yosif]

I asked here because rather than leaving a VM or sending an email to them, it seems better to get info from anyone who is actually USING a service and folks here can be very good & helpful too.

People here can be very misleading and guessing.

[7Priest7]

If you would call them and ask you would know that they don't use XMPP. Their contact information is on their home page.

You discredit my theory without giving any alternate information.
Why would I waste my time calling a voicemail to get no answer.
You go ahead and call for us, while your at it why don't you get us all the sip/xmpp connection info.

I stated from the getgo that I was just guessing.
Go troll elsewhere!

[yosif]

If you would call them and ask you would know that they don't use XMPP. Their contact information is on their home page.

You discredit my theory without giving any alternate information.
Why would I waste my time calling a voicemail to get no answer.
You go ahead and call for us, while your at it why don't you get us all the sip/xmpp connection info.

I stated from the getgo that I was just guessing.
Go troll elsewhere!

Sure. They said: They will not use XMPP. The Obihai connection information will be available when they will finish integration. Obihai said to wait for a few weeks.

[Odysseus-forum]

Did not understand this

Call your GV number using a forwarding number (GV must be configured correctly). After the prompt enter "2" followed by the outbound number.

nor this:

You will be charged for calling your GV number.

Could you expand a bit (e.g., in the former, is this the setup procedure, and in latter case, who will charge you for calling your GV number?)

[vtsnaab]

Odysseus-forum, anyone with a GV number can call it & log in, then from its main menu make free outgoing calls.

This can be useful if one is visiting someone who has a landline with LD charges, and so you call your local GV number & make your calls NOT on their LD dime.

I do this when I am at a client location and want to make calls using my own caller ID info too.

Best Wishes !!

[nitzan]

And the sneaky bit.ly link leads to here=>
https://bandwidth.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/334735-make-a-phone-call-with-my-ringto-number

Which is a very uninformative/convoluted page that starts by saying this:

Make a phone call with my RingTo number

RingTo is a call forwarding service. However, sometimes you need to have your RingTo number appear as your caller ID when you are calling your friends. If that sounds like you, then you'll be happy to know that RingTo now allows you to place calls anywhere in the US and Canada. All you need to do call your RingTo number directly from one of your authorized numbers.

Which makes me wonder st the true nature of what they are offering and/or how they may profit from it...?

OK that makes more sense. I was wondering why Bandwidth would shoot themselves in the foot with this offering, but I guess now the other shoe drops:
1. You still need to have (purchased) VOIP service with another provider to use ring.to (making it pointless).
2. Bandwidth is getting reciprocal compensation when you call any of their numbers. Since CLEC reciprocal compensation is typically higher than cell phone and RBOC reciprocal compensation, it is likely that there is an arbitrage situation here where BW is getting paid more than it is paying to forward the call. We're talking a fraction of a cent a minute though - likely not enough to keep BW interested for long unless they get millions of users, which they probably won't.

Either way - assuming this is how it works and you really can't make outgoing calls then this is useless as anything but a phone number parking service. There's no point in another forwarding service - GV has that covered.

[Odysseus-forum]

vtsnaab,

anyone with a GV number can call it & log in, then from its main menu make free outgoing calls.

I knew that you could call your GV number from the phone that the Obi was connected to and log in, but if GV is now disconnected from Obi, how do you do that?

If you call from a completely different line, won't GV just forward to whatever forwarding number you have set up?

confused.

[azrobert]

If you call from a completely different line, won't GV just forward to whatever forwarding number you have set up?

confused.

See my reply #4 above.

Then see following for setup detail:
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=8064.msg52669#msg52669

After you get the voicemail prompt you can select option #2 which is to make a new call.

[Jackson]

... then this is useless as anything but a phone number parking service. There's no point in another forwarding service - GV has that covered.

Not useless to me if I no longer have to deal with GV's voicemail.