OBiTALK Community

Hello:

I am trying to understand the purpose of using the Callback feature and how to use it.

I think that I can use it to place calls from my cell phone, right?

I have entered my cell phone number as a 'Trusted Caller'.

Now what do I do? Is the callback auto attendant automatically working?

When do I enter the phone number I wish to dial?

I'm sorry about this but I just don't understand the whole concept.

I have googled & read but it just is not sinking in to my obi-challenged brain.

Any help would be appreciated.

Have you read this tutorial?

http://www.obihai.com/cbtutorial

Or are you asking about using Google Voice callbacks?

Hi gderf:

Yes, that was one of the pages that I read.

Maybe what I am trying to do is not possible.

I read somewhere that you can saving on out-going cell minutes (if your incoming calls are free) by calling your obi and having it call you back and then you place the call you want.

Here it how my ObiTalk is set up:

I set up my cell number as a Trusted Caller (1514592xxxx)
I set up my cell number as speed dial # 3  (**21514592****)
I set up my wife's office number as speed dial # 5 (**21514365****)

Am I correct to think that I can call my obi's Anveo number, press 3, then press 3# & hang up. Then the obi will call my cell and then I can use 5# to call my wife - all of this without using any out-going cell minutes?

Is this even close?

Thanks,

Rob.

Sorry, but I have never used the feature myself. But the way it is pitched what you are trying to do sounds achievable. I am sure someone will read this thread and offer some assistance.

Replace Voice Services -> SP2 Service -> X_InboundCallRoute with:
{(1514592****|1514365****):aa($1)},{ph}

Set Voice Services -> Auto Attendant -> Primary Line To:
SP2 Service

Call your SP2 phone number.
Let it ring 1 or 2 times then hang up.
The AA will call you back.
The above works with GV because GV sends an 11 digit CallerID.

If you SP2 provider sends a 10 digit CallerID then use:
{(<1>514592****|<1>514365****):aa($1)},{ph}


Edit:

Under Voice Services -> Auto Attendant
AnswerDelay is how long the OBi waits after receiving your call before it answers. You want to hang up before this delay expires. The default is 4 seconds. You should be able to hang up after 1 ring. If you let it ring twice, the AnswerDelay might have to be increased.

Edit 2:
I didn't read your post completely and didn't realize your provider is Anveo on SP2.
I adjusted my suggested setup.
After AA calls back, you will hear a prompt.
Enter "2" for new call then enter a Speed Dial or a number followed by a "#".
I set it up so the wife can do the same.

The method you described should work, but you will be changed 1 minute for calling the OBi.

I made numerous mods to my post, so check it again.

Thanks azrobert, I appreciate the time you took to help me out! :)

Your setup works perfectly!

I have been using the "Voice+ (Google Voice Callback)" android app to 'convert' my out-going calls into incoming calls to take advantage of the 'free incoming calls' option on my cell phone plan – the Obi Callback option does (almost) the same thing.

From my limited testing, the one difference seems to be that the "Voice+ (Google Voice Callback)" allows you to select a phone number from the contacts on your cell phone, place the call using Voice+ and then GV calls yo back & connects you to the contact phone number. Using the Obi Callback, you either need to dial the number you wish to reach, or have it already set up on ObiTalk as a Speed Dial number – no big deal.

The major problem, of course, is that the Voice+ app may not work after May 15 2014, given that it utilizes Google Voice. Taking GV out of the equation is probably a good idea anyway.

Thanks again,

Rob.

Quote from: Robert.Thompson on January 04, 2014, 06:57:29 AM
The major problem, of course, is that the Voice+ app may not work after May 15 2014, given that it utilizes Google Voice.

I think you maybe mistaken about this.

Quote from: gderf on January 04, 2014, 07:45:39 AM
I think you maybe mistaken about this.

I agree. It looks like Voice+ uses the non-XMPP GV callback feature and if nothing else changes should work after the drop dead date.

Well, that is good news.

Living in Canada, I only used GV for Voice+ and a bit on my Obi. I never liked the fact that my caller ID was my GV number. I have set a few friends up on the Obi/GV paradigm and they have been using it exclusively for their home phones - I guess that they will need to adjust in May.
My main reason of using GV was to save $, mostly on the cost of cell minutes.
Now, I think that I will use the Obi Callback for a while to see how it goes. (without the integrated dial-er)
Maybe GV will come to Canada some day and be more useful but, after reading the posts on the "Google Voice group", I'm not sure that GV is the way to go anyway.

Rob.