Where is everyone porting their Google Voce number now that things are changing?

Started by Stu-be, March 08, 2023, 10:02:21 AM

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Stu-be

I understand that to still use my OBiHAI 200, I will have to port my Google Voice phone number to a different provider prior to December of this year.  In the past, I used CallCentric.  I was less than impressed by their customer service.  That is why I am now only using Google Voice and my OBi.  Suggestions of cost-effective providers to port to would be sincerely appreciated.

I have found that my OBIHAI 200 is ALREADY getting squirrely causing me to unplug/replug it to get it to work correctly, again.  How do I find out if I have the most current firmware possible prior and if not, how do I get it prior to porting the Google Voice number elsewhere?

drgeoff


Lavarock7

Although I have Callcentric accounts, my primary is Voip.Ms.

CC uses a single server while Voip.ms has them all over the world. I have seen times when one server was offline and I was not configurged to use another. Voip.Ms is using Cloudflare in front of the servers which was put in place after the multi-voip provider outage caused a denial of service atatck.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

Stu-be

I must have that latest firmware because it usually works dependably with my Google Voice number. (Except when it doesn't. In this case, I unplug OBi-wait-replug and reboot and find that everything is working again. I just don't know if this is a luxury that I will have after December 23, 2023. As my friends all have my GV number, I want to find a way to keep it.

Does anyone have experience porting their Google Voice number and switching to Ooma Telo?  If so, I would be interested in your opinion of it vs. your OBiHAI device.

vtsnaab

When our Obi110 went EOL we got an Ooma Telo.

All it was, truly - was a huge waste of $$ & time & efforts.

Their (so-called) 'tech support' is just script readers, and since they are unable to solve problems they just kept sending new, sealed units - none of which worked any better.

We gave up on that waste of life & got a new Obi200 - which has been fine ever since, BUT:
With the EOL approaching & no valid GV device appearing thus far, we'll just reuse our Obi boxes as plain ATAs via VOIP.MS 'cuz their services & pricing are the most attractive.

HTH.

Stu-be

Thank you.  Your answer is very clear and helps me a great deal.  Having tested my number, I see that VOIP.MS will accept the existing GV phone number. That was my primary concern.
Past that, they only need to beat Spectrum's "Flat $15/month" rate to be the most cost-effective solution I have found to date.  While I cannot find a clear answer to exactly what their service costs is in their FAQs, I am sure that I can get it from them. My bet is that using my OBiHAI 200, VOIP.MS will beat that.
I genuinely appreciate your assistance and learning from your experience.  Thanks.

vtsnaab

Beating $15/month with them will be very simple to accomplish.
Their site seems only to show pay-as-you-go pricing now, but I thought they also had a fixed price deal too.
A friend of ours is using them with his ancient Obi110 & is delighted with both pricing and services there.
I ported a rarely used number to them for use via Android if/when we have an internet outage here - and depositing $15/year covers it with some to spare.

Lavarock7

Voip.MS pricing is pretty simple and pretty cheap. You can have auto pay to keep the account funded.

They are a pre-paid service so you will not have a surprise. You can limit countries callable, the max time of calls and can even decide if you want to use Premium calling or cheaqp service.

Porting into them is free. Having them host your number is about 80 cents a month. You pay outbound or inbound minutes or you can have a fixed monthly cost. I use the per minute. Toll free calls out are free.


If you are not making or receiving massive numbers of calls, I would be surprised if you ever hit $15 a month.

By the way, I gave up my 110 years ago, have numerous 202's and multiple 2182's. The 2182's are $50 to $60 or so often and I have some of my GV numbers and some Voip.Ms numbers and a CallCentric number configured on them.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

PusBucket

My understanding is that consumer Google Voice should continue to work on currently configured (for GV) Obi-200 devices, until Google Voice requires a firmware update. GV configuration/changes via the ObiTalk portal (dashboard), however, will not be possible.   

You should still be able to configure via the device's built in web interface (at its local IP), after December EOL.   

The paid Google Voice service (Workspaces?) should still work into 2024 (no ObiTalk portal). But please correct me if I am wrong.

drgeoff

Quote from: PusBucket on June 02, 2023, 08:57:14 AMMy understanding is that consumer Google Voice should continue to work on currently configured (for GV) Obi-200 devices, until Google Voice requires a firmware update. GV configuration/changes via the ObiTalk portal (dashboard), however, will not be possible.   

You should still be able to configure via the device's built in web interface (at its local IP), after December EOL.   

The paid Google Voice service (Workspaces?) should still work into 2024 (no ObiTalk portal). But please correct me if I am wrong.
1.  It will still be possible to configure via the OBi's built-in web interface for the same non-GV ITSPs as now.

2.  AIUI the OBi2xx devices do not support the paid version of Google Voice.

GeeObi

Quote from: PusBucket on June 02, 2023, 08:57:14 AMMy understanding is that consumer Google Voice should continue to work on currently configured (for GV) Obi-200 devices, until Google Voice requires a firmware update.
Firmware has nothing to do with it. It will continue to work until Google takes the Obihai server offline.

drgeoff

Quote from: GeeObi on June 02, 2023, 01:14:38 PM
Quote from: PusBucket on June 02, 2023, 08:57:14 AMMy understanding is that consumer Google Voice should continue to work on currently configured (for GV) Obi-200 devices, until Google Voice requires a firmware update.
Firmware has nothing to do with it. It will continue to work until Google takes the Obihai server offline.
Firmware has something to do with it. Google made changes to GV in the past which required Obihai to revise the firmware. GV operation on OBi1x0 devices fell victim to that.

But agree that other events could also deal a death blow to GV on OBi2xx ATAs and OBiphones.

GeeObi

They did say "currently configured for GV" which implies compatible firmware is being used.
My point is GV continuing on an Obi device has everything to do with the Obihai server at Google which is required to update the OAuth2 credentials each hour or so.

mo832

This question came up a few years ago when they EOL'ed the Obi1xx . It was my position then (as it remains today) that once you move from no charge and no billing of any kind to "paid" and loading credit and/or monthly billing, the calculation is different.

As I saw it, if you have to pay per minute, per call, or per month, once you get over approx. $2-3  a month or 19.95 a year flat rate type of fees, there is no longer a reason to go for a ITSP where you get nickeled and dimed. Only for rare usage or that type of thing, else it no longer pays. At that time, you had magicjack and netTalk devices offering unlimited calling over a net connection for a flat annual cost.

vtsnaab

This thread's title remains as the actual, main question:
Where to choose - as in WHICH ITSP ??

Then the secondary query becomes:
WHEN to do it ??

Choice of ITSP can be opinion based and/or personal - but ultimately ought to be based upon stability, reliability and economy.

I have found that VOIP.MS meets those requirements with their flat rate offering - which I could not locate at their site recently...

Aside of all the above=>
When we MUST make this change we will do so, either via keeping our numbers alive on Android with GV & forwarding to the ITSP, or porting.
Being prepared with good info in advance will help with this effort.

Thanks for any/all useful pointers here.

Lavarock7

Each telephone number hosted in a Voip.MS account has the option for per minute or flat rate calls.

I have only ever used per minute myself.

You can try adding a telephone number to your account to see what the rate would be.

Outbound and inbound calls are billed on per minute plan.

Here is one in California I found:

Per Minute Plan $0.85 per month, (Residential or Commercial use) $0.009 per minute
   
Monthly Flat Rate Plan
(Intended for residential use)  $4.25 per Month, $0.00 per minute
2 Channels Setup Fee:$0.85
Billing Increment: not applicable
Channels: 2
up to 3500 INCOMING minutes per month

I believe that you can also do just outbound without a number but have to set your Caller-ID. That allows you to test things without having to spend that 50 cents to actually buy a number just to test.

You can change between flat rate and per minute or the other way.
My websites: Kona Coffee: http://itskona.com and Web Hosting: http://planetaloha.info<br />A simplified Voip explanation: http://voip.planet-aloha.com

Stu-be

I see that Polycom now offers a Polycom 300 unit.  Is that unit also facing end-of-life status on December 23, 2023?  Would that be a viable option to switch to so that I can continue just as I currently do with my OBi 200 and Google Voice?

drgeoff

Quote from: Stu-be on July 14, 2023, 12:52:00 PMI see that Polycom now offers a Polycom 300 unit.  Is that unit also facing end-of-life status on December 23, 2023?  Would that be a viable option to switch to so that I can continue just as I currently do with my OBi 200 and Google Voice?
The  Poly 300 is not new. The OBi300 and OBi302 have existed alongside the OBi200 and OBi202. All four had the same firmware but the 30x two never supported Google Voice, the free consumer version.

The Poly 300 is still the same hardware inside and does not support consumer GV. I see no prospect of that changing.

For clarification, my use of the word "support" above means "does not work". This difference between OBi20x and OBi30x was deliberate from the beginning. Not the same "support" as in Lavarock's post at https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=20172.0

Stu-be

I guess if it doesn't support GV it won't do me a bit of good, anyway. Thank you for that information. Oh well. I guess I'm to changing to an alternative service sometime later this year.

unmesh

I'm a long term user of Obi200 devices with GV and need to have a plan for when this combination stops working. I'm hoping for clarification on one thing that has me confused.

While there are instructions on how to preserve your GV number after opening an account with other ITSPs, doesn't one lose the ability to make outbound calls over GV? In other words, you can get inbound calls to your GV number but outbound calls go over your new ITSP with the caller ID showing as your GV number?

And does voicemail still go to GV?

Thanks