I noticed that Google Voice does not forward the caller name, only the phone number.
There was a solution proposed, by having incoming calls forwarded from Google Voice to Callcentric or Anveo. This would display caller id, all outgoing calls would still go though Google Voice directly. These were discussed here:
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3024
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=3640
However, I never saw anyone bring up the fact that the reason I (and I'm sure many others) use Google Voice because of the voice quality and reliability. If I have my incoming calls routed to my Obi110 from Google Voice though Callcentric (or any other company), won't this create a higher latency in the voice call? Can't this also lower the quality of the call, as well as probably lower the reliability (percentage wise)?
I've never seen anyone bring up any of these concerns. If the quality of the call is effected, then I don't think it would be worth it to reroute the call.
Any input would be appreciated.
I forward my GV number to CC for exactly that reason - to get CNAM. I haven't experienced any latency or call quality problems. If I did, I wouldn't use it that way.
Why don't you try it yourself and see. AFAIK, you can still get up to two free CC DIDs.
Quote from: gderf on April 17, 2015, 10:51:09 AM
Why don't you try it yourself and see. AFAIK, you can still get up to two free CC DIDs.
I recently switched to GV from Future Nine, and the quality has significantly improved, I just don't want to jeopardize it. I setup Anveo for my E911, so I'd probably use them if I did this. But if I did, the actual voice call would technically take a longer path to get to the phone, correct?
There is no jeopardy in forwarding your GV number to a CC DID. If you don't like it, just stop doing it. It takes seconds to move things around like this. It may take a fraction of a second longer for the phone to ring via a non-GV path, but that kind of difference is meaningless.
Just found this interesting thread:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/voice/veF9ZjKwlpw (https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/voice/veF9ZjKwlpw)
Quoteif you use Callcentric as documented, Google Voice is working as designed, to forward calls to one of a user's selected forwarding targets. It's a minimal path, and with a high-quality ISP connection at YOUR home/office, AND a high-quality telco (POTS or VoIP), it should sound no different than Google's native XMPP connection. Remember, regardless of if you are using Google Voice/Chat via XMPP to the OBi, or using a VoIP provider, once the call is "set-up" using SIP or XMPP, the underlying traffic is over RTP...same protocol for both services, ignoring any tweaks to the protocol settings.
From his comments, it seems to be the same voice quality, so I may give Anveo a try.
I already have Anveo for E911. Any reason I should switch to Callcentric?
Quote from: xtwister161 on April 17, 2015, 05:38:39 PM
Just found this interesting thread:
https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/voice/veF9ZjKwlpw (https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/voice/veF9ZjKwlpw)
Quoteif you use Callcentric as documented, Google Voice is working as designed, to forward calls to one of a user's selected forwarding targets. It's a minimal path, and with a high-quality ISP connection at YOUR home/office, AND a high-quality telco (POTS or VoIP), it should sound no different than Google's native XMPP connection. Remember, regardless of if you are using Google Voice/Chat via XMPP to the OBi, or using a VoIP provider, once the call is "set-up" using SIP or XMPP, the underlying traffic is over RTP...same protocol for both services, ignoring any tweaks to the protocol settings.
From his comments, it seems to be the same voice quality, so I may give Anveo a try.
I already have Anveo for E911. Any reason I should switch to Callcentric?
As the author of that quote, about 2 years ago, I'll just note that 2 years later, I'm still forwarding GV-->CC DIDs, and it still sounds fine. It's all digital, up to your telephone plugged into the ATA, there's no signal loss such as with an analog circuit. Call quality problems can occur at any point along the IP network, depending on service provider issues, or more commonly, your own home network and ISP connection.
As gderf already said, twice, just try it. It's certainly your choice as to which ITSP you use (Callcentric, Anveo, voip.ms are my top three picks). You can get a free DID from Callcentric, and if you don't like it, no loss.
Are you able to set this up without paying CC for E911 service? I thought I would try this out, but don't need E911 and the setup is referring to 911 recovery fee. Taken literally, it appears there is a setup fee and 1.50 per month for E911, which I already have.
Quote from: ceg3 on April 20, 2015, 07:32:43 AM
Are you able to set this up without paying CC for E911 service? I thought I would try this out, but don't need E911 and the setup is referring to 911 recovery fee. Taken literally, it appears there is a setup fee and 1.50 per month for E911, which I already have.
As long as your address is not in the U.S. or Canada, you won't have to pay for the E911 monthly fee. Hopefully you can take it from there when registering.
Quote from: ceg3 on April 20, 2015, 07:32:43 AM
Are you able to set this up without paying CC for E911 service? I thought I would try this out, but don't need E911 and the setup is referring to 911 recovery fee. Taken literally, it appears there is a setup fee and 1.50 per month for E911, which I already have.
Have you taken a look at the Simonics GV gateway? Works very well, no detectable latency, and includes CNAM for a one time fee of $5.99.
https://simonics.com/services/ (https://simonics.com/services/)
I have since gotten a quick answer from CC support and the setup fee and monthly charge for 911 does apply. I guess it was naive of me to expect to get something for nothing, so I understand. Maybe this will be an option to consider when my e911 subscription with Anveo expires. I could cover my e911 needs and get the CNAM too. Oh well. The search for the Holy Grail goes on. ;D
Quote from: Taoman on April 20, 2015, 08:25:21 AM
Have you taken a look at the Simonics GV gateway? Works very well, no detectable latency, and includes CNAM for a one time fee of $5.99.
https://simonics.com/services/ (https://simonics.com/services/)
Taoman...do you know how Simonics is able to make money long term with this type of business model that only requires a one time fee of $5.99. Just wondering because I think the old adage of "If it is too good to be true, it probably is..." may apply.
Quote from: LTN1 on April 20, 2015, 09:52:15 AM
Taoman...do you know how Simonics is able to make money long term with this type of business model that only requires a one time fee of $5.99. Just wondering because I think the old adage of "If it is too good to be true, it probably is..." may apply.
Good question and no, I don't. I do know he has a good reputation and has been running the gateway since 2011.
Quite a few very experienced VoIP users connect their Asterisk PBX platforms to Google Voice through the Simonics GV gateway.
I got in for $4 but even at $6 I figure it's worth the gamble. For me, the latency has been less than any DID I have tried forwarding to (IPKall, IPComms, & Callcentric) in the past. And the CNAM has been spot on correct.
Edit: And he has a 30-day money back guarantee so it really isn't much of a gamble. Try it. If you don't like it then just get a refund.
Quote from: Taoman on April 20, 2015, 08:25:21 AM
Quote from: ceg3 on April 20, 2015, 07:32:43 AM
Are you able to set this up without paying CC for E911 service? I thought I would try this out, but don't need E911 and the setup is referring to 911 recovery fee. Taken literally, it appears there is a setup fee and 1.50 per month for E911, which I already have.
Have you taken a look at the Simonics GV gateway? Works very well, no detectable latency, and includes CNAM for a one time fee of $5.99.
https://simonics.com/services/ (https://simonics.com/services/)
I am interested in learning more about this. I will monitor the discussion.
I have two Google Voice accounts using Simonics Google Voice Gateway service. The service has been stable since the infrastructure upgrade was completed this past Saturday morning.
My lightly used V-OFC service on a OBi200 is set to use the Google Voice Gateway for both incoming and outgoing calls.
I've taken a more cautious approach for our Home Phone service. Our Home service is on a OBi202 with a two-line phone. I use Vestalink for Home phone service incoming calls. Phone Line-1 uses Google Voice for outgoing while Phone Line-2 uses the Simonics Google Voice Gateway service for outgoing calls. If any issues return, I can quickly convert back to all outgoing calls using Google Voice.
I also have voip.ms setup for testing and as a "Fall-Back" service.
I can now testify that the forwarding to a CallCentric number solution recommended by SteveInWA and gderf works beautifully. I thought I had seen the last of CNAM on my GV number. ;D
Can someone help me! I thought I did it all correctly, but I cannot get CallerID to work using OBiTALK, Google Voice & Callcentric. Incoming & outgoing calling works fine but no incoming caller ID. My current configuration on my OBi100 is SP1 GoogleVoice - set up using OBiTalk's Google Voice Setup button. SP2 is Callcentric Account - set up using OBITalk's Service Provider Setup for Callcentric. CNAM is enabled on my Callcentric account and Google Voice is set to forward to the Callcentric 914 number only. Do I have something wrong here?
Quote from: inhops on October 05, 2015, 04:00:26 PM
Can someone help me! I thought I did it all correctly, but I cannot get CallerID to work using OBiTALK, Google Voice & Callcentric. Incoming & outgoing calling works fine but no incoming caller ID. My current configuration on my OBi100 is SP1 GoogleVoice - set up using OBiTalk's Google Voice Setup button. SP2 is Callcentric Account - set up using OBITalk's Service Provider Setup for Callcentric. CNAM is enabled on my Callcentric account and Google Voice is set to forward to the Callcentric 914 number only. Do I have something wrong here?
It's too hard to tell, based on your description so far.
Carefully read: http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=10483.msg69018#msg69018
and make sure you have correctly set it up. Points to consider: you must remove the check mark next to Google Chat, and add a check mark next to your Callcentric NY DID number.
Log into the local web page for your OBi device (192.168.x.x) and look at Status-->Call History. Do you see caller ID names along with telephone numbers ("FROM" followed by a name and number), or only numbers? Make sure that the calls are coming into the Callcentric service provider, not the Google Voice service provider.
Quote from: LTN1 on April 20, 2015, 09:52:15 AM
Quote from: Taoman on April 20, 2015, 08:25:21 AM
Have you taken a look at the Simonics GV gateway? Works very well, no detectable latency, and includes CNAM for a one time fee of $5.99.
https://simonics.com/services/ (https://simonics.com/services/)
Taoman...do you know how Simonics is able to make money long term with this type of business model that only requires a one time fee of $5.99. Just wondering because I think the old adage of "If it is too good to be true, it probably is..." may apply.
I believe that the answer to that question is my universal adage, "you [don't] get what you [don't] pay for".
I tested the Simonics gateway recently, and in my personal experience, the CNAM service he's using is really rudimentary. It often has no data, or stale data, or it substitutes a generic city and/or state, based on the area code and prefix. High-quality CNAM does cost money for each data base dip. If users find it sufficient, so be it, but I didn't think it was useful.
SteveInWA,
Thanks for your response. I have everything set up as specified in the link you provided (topic 10483 msg 69018). When I call my 914 Callcentric number directly, our phone rings and DOES have the correct Caller ID. But when I call our home phone number (which is registered with Google Voice with Forwards calls to Google Chat UNCHECKED and Callcentric checked) the caller ID is blank. I checked the Call History and I do see a call coming into Terminal ID = SP2 with Pear Name correct - I am assuming this is when I called the 914 Callcentric number directly. But the call coming into Terminal ID = GoogleVoice1 has Peer Name blank. How do I get incoming calls to come into SP2? In the OBiTalk settings, SP1 has a check next to Phone 1 for "Primary Line of Outgoing Calls". SP2 has that unchecked. And in the SP2 configuration, there is a check next to Phone 1 for "Incoming Calls will Ring On". But when I uncheck that, I can't get incoming calls at all. I have included screenshots of the SP1 & SP2 settings. HELP!!!!
The screenshots and your description sound correct. I assume that you obtained a New York State free telephone number from Callcentric, and that is the one that you set up as a forwarding phone in Google Voice settings?
Just to confirm, you are testing this by calling your GV phone number from a telephone number that is known to have a caller ID name field populated? You proved this by calling your CC NY DID number directly from the test phone number, and caller ID NAME displays on your OBi-attached telephone, but it doesn't do so when calling your GV number from that same test phone number, which is forwarded to the CC NY DID?
QuoteI believe that the answer to that question is my universal adage, "you [don't] get what you [don't] pay for".
I tested the Simonics gateway recently, and in my personal experience, the CNAM service he's using is really rudimentary. It often has no data, or stale data, or it substitutes a generic city and/or state, based on the area code and prefix. High-quality CNAM does cost money for each data base dip. If users find it sufficient, so be it, but I didn't think it was useful.
I doubt you tested it very long then. It has been working great for me (and many others on this and other forums).
CNAM is a crapshoot these days depending on which database gets queried. As a lark, I went and looked at my Callcentric call log. The last call I received today was from 305-713-1010. The CNAM that Callcentric gave me for that number was "Marathon, FL."
I then did a CNAM lookup on the same number at PrivacyStar and the CNAM was "Customer Servic."
I then did a CNAM lookup on the same number at CallWithUs using their North American number lookup. Their CNAM for that number was "Customer Servic."
I then spoofed my outgoing CID from CallWithUs (using the same number) and called my GV number. The CNAM that the Simonics gateway gave me was "Customer Servic."
So what does this prove? Not much except your beloved Callcentric also gives some "rudimentary" CNAM data on occasion just like every other carrier.
Note that I was not comparing Simonics' CNAM with Callcentric CNAM. I was simply answering LTN's question, how can he do it for essentially nothing? Since you brought up Callcentric, the same answer applies: they are giving it away, so they can't be spending much money at all to acquire it, and my same axiom applies.
I agree that CNAM, in general, has become rather crappy (leaving off the "shoot" part of your description). Post-deregulation, there are just too many players, and too many database providers. Some carriers and ITSPs do real-time queries of carrier LIDBs via the SS7 or IP networks, and some just rely on whatever they get from low-cost or free databases. The latter seem to range from acceptably useful to mostly junk. Callcentric didn't offer CNAM for a long time, because offering good CNAM was expensive. They eventually offered it, but in my own experience, it's probably just as good or bad as Simonics. It's definitely not carrier-grade.
This service is the best I've found: http://www.cidname.com/
Quote from: SteveInWA on October 05, 2015, 07:06:50 PM
Note that I was not comparing Simonics' CNAM with Callcentric CNAM.
Thanks for pointing that out. I missed that.
Quote from: SteveInWACallcentric didn't offer CNAM for a long time, because offering good CNAM was expensive. They eventually offered it, but in my own experience, it's probably just as good or bad as Simonics. It's definitely not carrier-grade.
So in your opinion, is CWU's North American number lookup "carrier-grade?" I have found no difference in those numbers I have checked at CWU and then thru the Simonics gateway.
AFAIK, there is no
single authoritative source for CNAM lookups....... hence my use of the word "crapshoot." CNAM lookup is "like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
i've been using bulkvs.com ($0.009/lookup) with good results.
I also, however, load my google contacts into an Asterisk server and use that as the first preference.
SteveInWA,
Yes, I did get a free (had to pay the $1.50 setup + $1.50 monthly 911 fees) 914 number from Callcentric which is the one I have configured on SP2.
And yes, I am testing it by calling the OBi phone (SP1 GV & SP2 Callcentric) which is forwarded in Google Voice to the NY Callcentric number only - Google Chat forwarding is UNchecked. I am calling from my cell phone which has my name as the CallerID. I know that there is a CallerID associated with the number (I set it a long time ago on my Sprint account) because it does correctly show up on my phone when I call the 914 Callcentric number directly. But callerID is blank when calling to the GV number.
I also tried swapping SP1/SP2 such that SP2 is GV and SP1 Callcentric. Same result. Incoming & Outgoing calls work fine but still no incoming caller id showing up.
I have created a trouble ticket with Callcentric and they have been very willing to help. I sent them screenshots of my GV & Callcentric setups in OBiTalk. But now they say that they do not "see any Caller ID options" in the OBiTalk configurations. Are there any caller ID settings in the OBiTalk configurations? I didn't see any. GRRRR.
Would I have better success using another Caller ID solution? Maybe Simon Telephonics?
I'm afraid I don't know what is causing your caller ID name issue. It would be helpful if you could try calling from some other telephone (ideally, a land line) that has a known-good CNAM entry.
As Taoman and I discussed, CNAM is flaky, period. If Callcentric can figure it out for you, great. If you set up your Callcentric account using the OBiTALK portal, then the default settings it applied would automatically enable CNAM. If you set it up locally, you may want to try deleting SP2, and then setting it up again via the OBiTALK portal, by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and selecting the other service providers link, which will then let you select Callcentric.
Aside from that, perhaps somebody else will have a brainstorm. And, yes, if this is important to you, by all means feel free to try the Simonics alternative.
Quote from: inhops on October 05, 2015, 04:54:26 PM
I checked the Call History and I do see a call coming into Terminal ID = SP2 with Pear Name correct - I am assuming this is when I called the 914 Callcentric number directly. But the call coming into Terminal ID = GoogleVoice1 has Peer Name blank. How do I get incoming calls to come into SP2?
Since CNAM is correct when calling your CC DID directly we can "assume" the problem is not with Callcentric.
What you describe above should not be happening. If you
only have Callcentric checked in your GV settings and
not Chat then all calls to your GV number should be forwarded to your CC line.
Have you tried calling your GV number from a variety of different numbers with the same results? Do the numbers you are calling from have Google Contact entries?
Have you looked at your "Groups & Circles" settings in your GV settings?
OK. Maybe it was just a timing issue. I made no changes since last night but we appear to be getting incoming CallerID working correctly now. So my advice to anyone reading this post is - Give it 24 hours. I have also been communicating with Callcentric via a Trouble Ticket. So maybe they did something to our Callcentric account to get it to work. But I am a happy camper now!!! Thanks for your help SteveInWA and Taoman!!!
So, my current configuration which is working is: Callcentric Account on SP1 & Google Voice on SP2. The way I got this configuration was to delete (garbage can) both SP1 & SP2 settings. Expert Config & then Revert to OBiTalk (maybe redundant, but I wanted to clear out all settings). Service Provider Set-Up for Callcentric - automatically uses SP1. Then Google Voice Set-up which sets it on SP2. SP1/Callcentric has Primary Line for Outgoing Calls UNchecked & Incoming Calls Will Ring On Phone 1 checked. SP2/Google Voice has Primary Line for Outgoing Calls Phone 1 checked also. Callcentric CNAM enabled. Google Voice forwards to Callcentric line only.
And this will work just fine... until I decide I need to mess with it again!!!
Sheesh. Well, glad you finally figured it out.
Hello Everyone,
I recently added GV to my Obitalk account. I got Anveo for the 911 service. I would like the caller ID with name as described. I'm not exactly the most tech knowledgeable person, but it seems like the Simonics option here seems to be the easiest. Where can I find instructions on how to set this up? Also, what are the disadvantages to doing this? I checked out Simonics websites, but I'm not exactly getting how this works.
Thanks!
Quote from: UD2012 on January 17, 2016, 02:07:58 PM
I checked out Simonics websites, but I'm not exactly getting how this works.
Follow the instructions at https://simonics.com/gw/. You don't have to know
how it works any more than most people can drive a car or use a computer without knowing how those work.