Obi and GV calls blank out after a while
sjmyst:
SteveInWA,
I added all of my known numbers (like I configured in my YateServer) into my GV Contact list. However, when I call my Home Phone (my obi202), I don't see my configured GV Contact name in the CallerId display on my home phone. Instead I see my phone number and "Unavailable" on a CID device I have on the line, or "Unknown Name" on my home landline phone.
I did some research and I found where I can import my GV Contacts into my Obihai (on the ObiExtras tabs under my ObiTalk device).
The import seems to act like it's working. But, I still don't see the GV Contact name as CallerId for the incoming call.
I searched some more and I see where CallerId seems to be under the ObiExtras umbrella. And, the ObiExtras are an extra $4.99 a month.
I guess I was thinking you were suggesting a way to get CallerId as an alternative to how I was getting it via the Yate Server (for free). That's fine. It's definitely not worth $4.99 a month for me. The whole purpose of us getting the Obihai was to eliminate monthly costs.
Anyway, you didn't mention that your suggestion would include a monthly fee. Is that still true (it seems to be if I'm reading the ObiExras web pages correctly)? That's fine if it is. I just didn't have that impression when you suggested it.
Regards,
sjmyst
sjmyst:
BTW, after hardware reset and delete/re-add of my Obi202 on ObiTalk, I'm still seeing some blanking voice effects. The number of them is greatly reduced. So, this is definitely an improvement. I'll test this for at least a week and see how it goes.
One possibility for the reason for the blanking still might be that I'm using Wifi from the Obi202 to my router. The router is a Netgear Nighthawk R7800. And, the Obi202 is about 12 feet from the router with a fairly direct visual path. So, not going through walls or anything.
My current testing is using a CAT5 Ethernet cable from the Obi202 to a Netgear network extender device that is providing the Wifi. I had to use this device after I did the hardware reset to get an IP for the Obi202 (or I could have run a very long Ethernet cable; I choose this). I decided to leave the network extender in the path for my first week of testing (and risk the wrath of SteveInWA's spaghetti comments). After I get a feel for the reliability of this setup, I'll configure the Obi202 to use the USB Wifi I also have for the Obi202 (and remove the Netgear network extender). And, try that for a week or so to compare reliability.
Before you urge me to toss the Wifi, let me say that I would LOVE to use CAT5 from my router to the Obi202. But, my ISP connections come into my house to a TV across the room from the phone lines. No phone lines are behind the TV. And, and there really isn't a good way to connect from where the phone lines are to where the router is without using some form of wireless communication.
A third option I may try if blanking is still not improved enough would be to move the Obi202 behind my TV and use a phone line wireless extender. I've used this before when I was using a GVMate device (which was behind the TV because it plugs into my PC located there into a USB port). But, the voice quality was less clear and give my voice a "tin can" type of sound. Maybe it was the GVMate that was the problem. But, my impression was that it was the wireless phone line extender. But, would be interesting to see how being wired directly from Obi202 to router might help with the RTP connections. So, I'm keeping this as an option. I may try it anyway if blanking isn't completely fixed just to see if the blanking effect could be eliminated. If it can, then I could look into higher quality wireless phone line extenders than I currently have.
Regards,
sjmyst
SteveInWA:
Google Voice itself, has never provided carrier-class caller ID name (CNAM). It only provides the numeric caller ID (CID). Recently, Google enabled a feature whereby, if a calling phone number is in your Google Contacts, Google Voice will send that name with the call. You can test this yourself by calling from any telephone number that you have added to the Google Contacts for the same Google account that hosts your GV number. This has nothing to do with OBiTALK; it is being sent by GV. There is no name sent if the number's not in your contacts.
The OBiEXTRAs feature does allow you to import your Google contacts, but it doesn't do anything unless you pay the monthly fee.
Bottom line: there is no free-and-easy CNAM. Somebody's got to pay for the LIDB "dips".
For one dollar a month, you can get a NY State phone number (DID) from Callcentric, forward your inbound GV calls to that number, then provision that number on your OBiTALK device. Callcentric supplies carrier CNAM.
sjmyst:
SteveInWA,
I did put my own cell phone into my Contacts for my Google account that hosts my GV number. I wouldn't think this would matter. But, I ported my previous number from many years ago (which I paid a company for my landline) to GV to that "home phone" Google account.
So, I am calling my home phone number (the one hosted on the Google account in GV that host my home phone number) from my cell (which is in that accounts Google Contacts). But, I don't see the name entered for my cell phone show up on my home phone. Nor show up on the device that is also attached to my phone line that shows the CNAM name that comes in with the call (at least it did with the Yate Server).
When I go into Google Voice when logged into Google for my "home phone" account, I can see where Google Voice lists calls that have been received. There I do see the name that is entered into my Google Contacts for my cell phone. Even though for that same time, the home phone doesn't show that name.
Is there some option that enables/disables this feature you describe in GV that is supposed to send the name from the Google Contacts?
Regards,
sjmyst
sjmyst:
SteveInWA,
I see in this thread:
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=15386.0
...that the feature where GV sends the Google Contact Name for incoming calls was broken as of last Thanksgiving (2018). I think I'm reading this correctly that this is the feature you were describing for me above (that also isn't working for me).
The last post in that thread says you were in contact with Google and that this was a known issue that they were working on. I guess I'll keep looking on that thread for an update. Or, it should magically start working at some point since I already have my Google Contacts configured.
Let me know if I'm not understanding something here...
Regards,
sjmyst
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