GV's Elimination of Google Chat Disables Obi as a User Designated Calling Phone
SteveInWA:
Quote from: mo832 on February 11, 2015, 07:50:17 pm
Steve, thanks for the prompt reply. Some follow-on comments:
I just checked with a family member, and he looked on his red CALL button, and he still has the option listed, but I forgot it is called "Google Talk". He just got his Obi about a month ago and signed up at that time for GV. He still has the option and I don't. Plus, my option just disappeared today. What gives? Is Google Talk still viable?
Also, if I use the Hangouts option as you say, to dial a number from the PC, will the call actually be made thru the Obi, or will it try to ring my computer? I don't want the computer to handle these calls.
Thanks.
The standalone Windows executable Google Talk app is completely obsolete. The Google Chat/Talk support forum was shut down a year ago, and the Talk application was no longer offered for download, nor was it being maintained. All access to the Talk app is being removed next week. The imminent shutdown was announced to Talk users via a instant message in the app last week.
Hangouts calls will not be made through your OBi. Hangouts works independently of the Chat infrastructure used by OBi devices. If you want to use your OBi to place a call, then pick up the OBi-attached phone and call someone that way.
OBi users that have non-GV forwarding phone numbers (e.g. Anveo, Callcentric, cell phones) can still use those actual telephone numbers as bridged "call with" numbers. GV will make an inbound call from its gateway to the call-with phone, then it will make an outbound call from its gateway to the desired called party's number, and finally, bridge them together, as it has always done.
mo832:
I believe I understand your descriptions. Very helpful, thank you.
So let me see if I can still accomplish what I could before. I generally make calls from my Obi phone by dialing the handset keypad, and the calls are placed thru Google Voice using the Obi registration. But sometimes, it is convenient to look at my GV page call log, and just click the link with the callback number already listed. Before today, I would click the link, click "place call" with Google Talk, and then my Obi phone would ring.
Is there any way to replicate this setup after Gtalk is removed either using hangouts or simply some other procedure? I know I can direct the call to an outside ITSP, but I would rather use GV for some of these calls. So in other words, I want to "dial from screen", as if I was dialing from the Obi phone, just not having to press the phone keys, and use GV. I could do this up till this afternoon.
SteveInWA:
There isn't an exact substitute for that method as of now. The old Google Voice Chrome Browser extension has a "turn phone numbers into clickable links" feature. It also has a "call with" feature similar to the red CALL button in GV. As of tonight, it still shows Chat as a call-with target. I dunno when they will pull that one too, but my guess is fairly soon. The devs are aware of the need for Hangouts to perform a function like that, and they're looking into it, but no ETA.
Your options (aside from what I already mentioned above), are to use a non-GV telephone number as your call-with phone number, or, if you depend on this for your living, like an inside salesman or broker, or other person who uses a CRM software package, to use a new add-on that provides true CTI (Computer-Telephone Integration) between Hangouts and a CRM product. Big bucks, but instant ROI. There is no freebie/cheapskate alternative software option.
Way down the road, would just be idle speculation, that Hangouts will gradually support more of these VoIP telephony functions natively.
Last comment here, and then I need to move on: rest assured that several GV team members at Google are OBi fans and they are now avid OBi users, too. They'll be making ongoing changes to GV and Hangouts with an eye to ensuring that GV support for OBi devices continues, with the appropriate continuation of access to the GV infrastructure by OBi users. None of the Chat "sunset" actions happening now will shut down nor cripple GV use on OBi products.
mo832:
So, bottom line, just to make sure I'm crystal clear on all this, is that the selection of "Google Talk" in the "phone to call from" box was removed ON PURPOSE, it is NOT A BUG, it will NOT be coming back on my account unless the developers change their mind at some point, and the fact it was removed at a random hour of a random day is of no special significance---- all correct??
cluckercreek:
I'll answer for Steve. Yes to your questions. I'm also one that has had the GTalk portion removed with no problems.
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