GV's Elimination of Google Chat Disables Obi as a User Designated Calling Phone

Started by Charlemagne, January 29, 2015, 03:20:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Charlemagne

Yesterday, Google Voice unilaterally removed Google Chat as a "Forwards calls to:" option under the Phone tab, and also removed Google Chat from the drop down list under "Phone to call with" from which users could designate when placing a call from GV.  The drop down list replaced Google Chat with Hangouts, which does not interface with Obi.

While the Obi's functionality with GV appears to remain otherwise unaffected, the elimination of Google Chat disables the user from directing GV web initiated calls to be placed through Obi.  None of the researched techniques I've tried for restoring Google Chat by using the same Gmail account as Google Voice have been effective. 

Is this a solvable problem or is there a workaround which will give users the option to designate Obi as the "Phone to call with"?

Thanks very much to any that can help.


SteveInWA

Well that's a pretty inflammatory title.  This was a bug in the production GV web page code, not some "unilateral elimination".  It's being fixed as I type this.

Here's a direct link to the discussion where I'm posting status:

https://productforums.google.com/d/msg/voice/W1H4WQHWygA/z08a6f0z2pwJ

giqcass

Quote from: Charlemagne on January 29, 2015, 03:20:36 PM
Yesterday, Google Voice unilaterally removed Google Chat as a "Forwards calls to:" option under the Phone tab, and also removed Google Chat from the drop down list under "Phone to call with" from which users could designate when placing a call from GV. 
Google Voice unilaterally fixed the error.
Long live our new ObiLords!

SteveInWA

Quote from: giqcass on January 29, 2015, 04:46:50 PM
Quote from: Charlemagne on January 29, 2015, 03:20:36 PM
Yesterday, Google Voice unilaterally removed Google Chat as a "Forwards calls to:" option under the Phone tab, and also removed Google Chat from the drop down list under "Phone to call with" from which users could designate when placing a call from GV. 
Google Voice unilaterally fixed the error.

And, I'm unilaterally declaring that to be a humorous ending.

mo832

OK everyone---- please help me if you can.

I just today noticed that if I go to my GV web browser page as usual and try to initiate a call out, Google Voice or Google Chat is no longer an option for "phone to call with". It only shows an alternate phone number and Hangouts. But when I click on the gear icon/setttings and go to Phones, Google Chat is listed as a forwarding phone (which rings my Obi). But I cannot figure out how to recover the GV or Gchat option for "phone to call with".

In fact, today only a few hours ago I made a call from the web and clicked on Google Chat (or voice, can't remember how it looked) to place the call. So it just disappeared in the last few hours, and I am not aware of this ever happening before today.

I am completely stumped.

SteveInWA

Your issue has nothing to do with the original issue in this discussion thread, which was a mistake.  Google has been telling users for a good year now to stop using Chat, and to convert to Hangouts for PC-based calling.  They're now removing the Chat pseudo-phone as a "call-with option" for the red and white "CALL" button on the GV web page, since it hasn't been supported for a long time, and it's creating too much confusion.  This will not impact the ability of OBis to continue using the Chat/XMPP protocol.

Use Hangouts to make your calls on your computer.   Hangouts works from Gmail, just like Chat did, and it also has been added to the drop-down list for the red and white CALL button, as you described, to replace Chat.  You can also call via Hangouts using the Chrome Browser web app, or from Google+, or from the Android or iOS Hangouts mobile clients, all over VoIP.

mo832

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.

SteveInWA

Google Voice has millions of users.  When Google makes changes like this, they're rolled out to batches of users, to make sure that, if a previously-undetected bug pops up, it impacts fewer users.  Eventually, all users will see the change.  Logging out of GV, clearing browse cache and history, and logging back in may also clear out stale data that is preventing a user from seeing a change.

This the same rationale that is used when Android OS or app releases are pushed out to new users in batches.

mo832

Forgive me if I am reacting too quickly (you may be posting in progress), but I am eager to get back up... so could you please address the other question re: how do I simply start the phone call from the browser, but it sends the call to my Obi 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.

mo832

Thank you, cluckercreek. I don't know exactly how you mean "problems", but I didn't have the issues others have had with the Google phone disappearing (as was described as a bug). However, in my personal case, I do consider this new development a problem for me, in that it removes functionality that was there before. It's not a *serious* problem, but still an issue that I care about. So, yes, the removal is unfortunate, but I can manage.

Thanks again.

SteveInWA

Quote from: mo832 on February 12, 2015, 07:57:03 AM
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??

Yes.