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"Call" option within Google Voice

Started by Rick, October 02, 2014, 12:59:53 PM

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Rick

I realize this may not be related to the OBi, but since I didn't know I figured I would post it here and see.

My 110 is currently configured for my CC numbers.  My GV numbers forward to my CC numbers, and that rings my house phones via the OBi.

A few weeks ago I noticed that my cell (which is also set to ring at the same time) would start ringing and the house phone would not ring.  This problem eventually went away.

I then noticed that if I went into GV on my computer, clicked "Call", typed in any number and clicked "Connect" that my house phone would take a very long time to ring, or in the last day or so not ring at all.  If I tell it to ring my cell, it rings immediately.

I do NOT use Hangouts (nor want to), nor do I want to configure my OBi at this time to use GV's new setup - I'm happy paying CC $1.50 a month for E911 and forwarding my GV numbers to it.  I don't mind that when I go to make an outgoing call (assuming I don't want to pay CC for them), that I have to use my computer to dial the call - but that option needs to work.

Didn't see any posts that would address this.


CoalMinerRetired

I have been seeing very similar issues over the last few days. My suspicion is the problem is in GV handing off a call to CC.

As a test, how dies it work if you:
1. Call the CC number(s) directly?
2. Use GV to call a number directly (with forwarding to the CC numbers disabled)?
3. Use your GV to call the CC number(s)?

I did a few informal tests, and the issue only seems appear (inconsistently) in #3 above. 

I would think, no, let's say expect, the phone carriers, including GV, have embedded monitoring in their massive networks for handing off calls to flag when a call handoff is delayed. And I'd hope things are being flagged with the situation at CC.  We shall see.

Rick

1) Rings immediately.

2) I'm using GV on the computer, and it rings a phone so that phone then is making the call over GV.  If I tell it to ring my cell and make the call, it rings instantly as I said.  If I tell it to ring the house phone (i.e. Callcentric), it does not ring or takes forever. 

To clarify, see the pic below.


CoalMinerRetired

That means you're experiencing the same thing I am.

By the process of elimination, since it's not a problem calling a CC number directly, and it's not a problem using GV to call any number directly, then the issue seems to be isolated to calls forwarded from GV to CC.

Rick

I don't see the forwarding part.

It's GV trying to dial a Callcentric phone number that isn't working in this situation.

The other situation I described WAS GV forwarding to Callcentric.

SteveInWA

Hi guys:

We're aware of some issues with call completion between GV and CC, and so you may see this behavior change over time.  However, I don't recommend using the red and white CALL button any more, as its behavior is unpredictable.  It's part of the old Chat infrastructure, and will eventually be replaced by Hangouts.

I assume you're doing this to avoid paying Callcentric for outbound calls?  If so, the better solution would be to go ahead and reconfigure your OBi:

Use the OBiTALK portal to add Google Voice as a service provider.  Set it as your default SP for outbound calls.  You can still use CC for inbound calls.  This is the "best of both worlds" scenario.  You'll get free outbound calls, with a more direct call path.

CoalMinerRetired

Quote from: SteveInWA on October 02, 2014, 02:14:01 PMUse the OBiTALK portal to add Google Voice as a service provider.  Set it as your default SP for outbound calls.  You can still use CC for inbound calls.  This is the "best of both worlds" scenario.  You'll get free outbound calls, with a more direct call path.
^ Thanks. I think the two of us are well past this.

Rick

I have no desire to use the OBi portal and update firmware. 

Even if the Call button did not work, GV is not calling CC numbers successfully.

SteveInWA

If you want Google to troubleshoot this specific issue, then create a new post over on the GV Help Forum, while logged into your Google account that hosts the failing GV number, explain that your calls made via the CALL button on GV are either not ringing your CC number or experiencing delayed rings, and then list 3-5 sample calls that failed.  You can make it to my attention.

We'd need the last 4 digits of your GV number, the L4D of your CC number, and the date and times of the test calls.  Without this level of detail, Google won't be able to locate the logs for the calls to find the failure.

To eliminate other possible complicating factors, I recommend that you temporarily disable all forwarding destination numbers on this page, except for the one CC DID:  https://www.google.com/voice#phones

Thanks.

Rick

Tested things this morning.  It "appears" that everything is now working.  I got callerid on my display calling both GV numbers.  I also was able to use the Call button.   Either something got fixed by Google, or it fixed itself (reboot?).

If the Call button is going away, I guess I will have to read more on Hangouts.  However, I have no intent of joining Google+ to do so, nor of having any ability to receive calls from people over the computer.

If I setup GV to make outbound calls on my OBi, then I lose one of the two SPs, which means I can't differentiate incoming calls on my two different GV numbers, i.e. they will ring the same.  I like that distinction.  Further, I don't want to have to setup things on the OBi portal, right now I control whether my firmware gets updated and OBi can't update it automatically.  And, if OBi did anything drastic (closed, sold assets off, etc.) I would still have my CC service just fine. 

I rarely make outbound calls when I'm not working at my PC, so having to use the GV call button is not a problem.  We can dial 911 on the phone just fine. 

CoalMinerRetired

#10
Quote from: Rick on October 03, 2014, 04:32:11 AM
..., which means I can't differentiate incoming calls on my two different GV numbers, i.e. they will ring the same.  I like that distinction.

I can't help picking up on this particular point.  I have one one analog phone, and I use the ring patterns (cadences) to immediately tell when line (what SP) a call is coming from, two examples of the modified ring patterns are:

Two short rings:   60;(.6+.4,.6+.4,0+4.0) -- sounds like a European phone ringing.
Three short rings: 60;(0.5+0.4,0.5+0.4,0.5+0.4,0+3.3) - Not modeled after anything in particular.
These are in addition to a default ring cadence for the main/default line.