Newbie Question: Is the Obi110 the right choice?

[nichmj01]

Here is the situation:

My family lives in the Caribbean and I live the in US. In the past we had a Skype/Phone setup that allowed them to call my Skype computer directly from their phone but this had a few problems:
1. The Skype computer on their side always had to be on.
2. The phones that interfaced to Skype to make the call were expensive and I think they are no longer made.
3. I had to be on Skype and they couldn't call my cell phone using it.
4. They couldn't call other US numbers directly (Toll-Free numbers or other friends).
5. I couldn't call them using my cell phone (without using the Skype app).

Because of these issues, most of the time we reverted to calling each other directly and incurring the high fees for doing so. I recently found out about Obihai and it seemed like it might work for what we need.

My basic requirements:
1. No "always-on" computer.
2. They can call my cell phone directly.
3. They can call other US numbers.
4. I can call them directly from my cell phone.
5. Use the same phone for both their local and the US (VOIP) calls.

I think any of the Obihai products will address needs 1-4 if/when paired with Google Voice as the Service Provider.

For requirement #5, I was originally thinking of getting an Obi100 or Obi202 or something and getting a 2-line phone. They would then use line 1 for local calls and line 2 for US calls. However, it looks like the Obi110 will handle what I need without the need for a 2-line phone. In other words, the Obi110 would let them use their existing 1-line phone to make/receive both local and US calls.

Is this right?

The setup above lets me call my family at home and also lets them call the US pretty easily. This alone is worth it.

However, after learning about the Auto Assistant on the Obi110 it also seemed like it could be setup to "forward calls". It would be amazing if I could use the Obi to call other local phone numbers from the US. For example, if I could call their cell phones, or other friends by forwarding my call through the Obi110 onto the local phone line. The opposite would also be great. They could call my US cell phone using their local cell phone and have it go through the Obi and not pay a ridiculous fee for an overseas call.

Am I understanding this right and the Auto Assistant can be used to allow this functionality?

Thank you for your time!

[azrobert]

I don't think your family can define GV on an OBi from outside the US, but you can set it up in the US and then ship it to them.

Since your family will have a GV account defined on their OBi, they will be able to call any US number.

You can call their GV number from your OBi or cell.

You can use their landline from your OBi. The call will go from your OBi to theirs over the OBiTalk network and the out their landline.

There are several ways to use a cell with an OBi or GV. There is an app call Hangouts to make GV calls. There is an app call OBiON to access your OBi, but this app is buggy and a lot of people have problems. You could call your GV number or they could call their landline and get connected to the OBi Auto Attendant. You could use a SIP softphone with another free service. The point is you can access all the functions of the OBi from a cell phone. You will have to see which method is best for you.

The OBi110 is used to connect to a landline, so you will need one for your family. The OBi100 would be the cheapest for you, but I recommend an OBi200. The OBi200 is a newer model with more features. You can register to 2 providers with an OBi100 and 4 with an OBi200 plus other features.  

[Tango]

Before deciding on the OBi110, you need to understand how to use the additional port: LINE port first.

The OBi LINE jack is an FXO port for connecting to an outside PSTN landline.

The OBi PHONE jack is an FXS port for connecting a phone or multiple phones via your house telephone wiring.

Read this thread for more insights:
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9334.0

I got an OBi110 for a different reason, may even appear irrelevant (disclaimer).

I don't need an extra PHONE line, nor 4 different Service Providers offered by the OBi202.

I look at the physical size of the OBi200 and the OBi100, they are very size "efficient", reads: relatively small foot print. Then I remember reading a review somewhere (amazon?) someone complaint that the 100 runs hotter relative to the old 202 side by side. Reading another review claiming that they replace the OBi100 after 1 year of use, I suspect "physical size", or how the heat is naturally convected, dissipated would/may have something to do with a shorter life span. Looking at the 110, it is almost double in size, with those venting slots on tops, I just go for this one! After a few days running, I check the case temperature, it seems fine to me (not hot, slightly warm).

As for your need, I am out on a limb to suggest this: if you and yours in 2 different locations, and if WiFi is affordable, and if you both have an iPad, Apple computer, or an iPhone, FaceTime would be an elegant solution !

[nichmj01]

Thanks for the replies guys. I decided to go with the Obi110 and got it setup with Google Voice. I'm working on getting it set up correctly for the routing using the digitmap / outboundcallroute but that's another post.