what does end of life mean, really?

[rjm65]

 seems my obi 202 is reaching end of life in december, I understand what it means, however I want to know what my options are now?   does anybody make newer devices? is anybody planning on making devices to replace the ones that are reaching end of life, if so, then where can these devices be purchased at?  if not, then what other companies make devices that work with google voice?

[drgeoff]

.. what other companies make devices that work with google voice?

None.

[azrobert]

You can use the Google Voice app on an Android or IOS Phone or Tablet. I think it requires Android 8 or IOS 14.

[rjm65]

this does not solve my problem, i use my obi for my home phone line... so you are saying there is no way to use google voice, and make my home telephones ring, without a working obi device.... and there are no newer devices made by polycom that are not reaching end of life that can be bought and used....

[drgeoff]

this does not solve my problem, i use my obi for my home phone line... so you are saying there is no way to use google voice, and make my home telephones ring, without a working obi device.... and there are no newer devices made by polycom that are not reaching end of life that can be bought and used....

Correct. There is no direct replacement for GV on an OBi ATA.

[Kage]

this does not solve my problem, i use my obi for my home phone line... so you are saying there is no way to use google voice, and make my home telephones ring, without a working obi device.... and there are no newer devices made by polycom that are not reaching end of life that can be bought and used....

Google voice should keep working with the obi device past its end of life, the only question is for how long? Could be several months or several years depending on when google does its usual updating.

There are other voip services that work with obi and some are pretty reasonable depending on your needs. One option is to make your calls for free at the google voice web page and get a cheap incoming line from one of the voips and port your google number over to it.   

[azrobert]

Keep your GV account and get an SIP inbound number then make it a GV forwarding number. Now inbound calls work the same as always. Callcentrtic has an inbound number for $1/month.
https://www.callcentric.com/dids/dollar_unlimited_phone_number

I wrote a AutoHotKey script that triggers a GV callback to an OBi. Dial a number, hang-up and GV calls you back. The outbound call is completed after you answer. The script runs on Windows.
https://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=19427.0

I recommend using V2. It's slower, but more reliable. I have another script that doesn't use the Auto-Provisioning hack. I never posted it because of a lack of interest.

Edit:
The version I never posted doesn't require you to hang-up. Just wait for the Call Waiting tone then press Flash.

[Taoman]

^^^THIS^^^

I use Callcentric's $1/month DID and azrobert's Autohotkey script and it works great.

IMHO, this is the easiest, cheapest, and most viable solution if or when OBi devices can no longer connect directly with Google Voice.

Or, if you're not running Windows or you don't want to use the GV callback method, you could use a cheap ITSP (like Localphone) just for outbound calls that would spoof your GV number.
So you would be spending $1/month for unlimited incoming calls forwarded from GV to Callcentric and ½ ¢ per minute for outbound calls via Localphone.

[rjm65]

I found callcentric and signed up with them about a week ago, yesterday I went back to their site and searched for devices that work with callcentric and I found one that seemed very promising after reading a review...  the gentleman that wrote the review had the same setup that I do, and he bought this device and has the 1 dollar callcentric service and uses google voice thru call centric and he is happy, so I bought the same device and will go with callcentric to solve my problem....   thanks for all your advice...  :-)

here is the review I read...
the box he is talking about is a Grandstream HT802 which I found brand new on ebay for 29 dollars...

Juniorverse
5.0 out of 5 stars Great replacement for my Obi202 + Google Voice (using with CallCentric)
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well, all good things come to an end, and the writing is on the wall with the Obi202 reaching end of life in December 2023. Rather than wait for things to just suddenly stop working someday, I decided to sign up for outgoing service through CallCentric and use this officially supported box. I'm glad I did.

I have used my Obi202 and Google Voice for what feels like 15 years now. Free phone service has been great, except for $2/month for an incoming number through CallCentric that gave me e911 service and caller ID. However, people would often complain that they couldn't hear me that well over the past 2 years. I decided, with the announcement of Obi202's retirement, that I would sign up for CallCentric's outgoing plan and pair it with this box. Using the instructions on CC's site, I configured this box as instructed and immediately had service within minutes. I made a few test calls, and everything worked great, including my outgoing caller ID showing up as my Google Voice number, which CallCentric can do for you.

This box helps me get much better sound quality than I had with the Obi202 + Google Voice combination. People on the other end of the phone say they notice a big difference when talking to me now, which is great. I don't mind paying a few bucks more every month for reliable, quality phone service at home. This box was a great deal under $40 and I will recommend it to friends and family.

[drgeoff]

I found callcentric and signed up with them about a week ago, yesterday I went back to their site and searched for devices that work with callcentric and I found one that seemed very promising after reading a review...  the gentleman that wrote the review had the same setup that I do, and he bought this device and has the 1 dollar callcentric service and uses google voice thru call centric and he is happy, so I bought the same device and will go with callcentric to solve my problem....   thanks for all your advice...  :-)

here is the review I read...
the box he is talking about is a Grandstream HT802 which I found brand new on ebay for 29 dollars...

Juniorverse
5.0 out of 5 stars Great replacement for my Obi202 + Google Voice (using with CallCentric)
Reviewed in the United States on May 29, 2023
Verified Purchase
Well, all good things come to an end, and the writing is on the wall with the Obi202 reaching end of life in December 2023. Rather than wait for things to just suddenly stop working someday, I decided to sign up for outgoing service through CallCentric and use this officially supported box. I'm glad I did.

I have used my Obi202 and Google Voice for what feels like 15 years now. Free phone service has been great, except for $2/month for an incoming number through CallCentric that gave me e911 service and caller ID. However, people would often complain that they couldn't hear me that well over the past 2 years. I decided, with the announcement of Obi202's retirement, that I would sign up for CallCentric's outgoing plan and pair it with this box. Using the instructions on CC's site, I configured this box as instructed and immediately had service within minutes. I made a few test calls, and everything worked great, including my outgoing caller ID showing up as my Google Voice number, which CallCentric can do for you.

This box helps me get much better sound quality than I had with the Obi202 + Google Voice combination. People on the other end of the phone say they notice a big difference when talking to me now, which is great. I don't mind paying a few bucks more every month for reliable, quality phone service at home. This box was a great deal under $40 and I will recommend it to friends and family.

Your Obi can be configured for Callcentic and will keep working with Callcentric unless or until it has a hardware failure.  The EOL issue is irrelevant to such use.

[rjm65]

yes I saw that the obi would work on their site but I figured I was due for a new device anyway, and also I saw somewhere that Google Voice is scheduled for an overhaul next February, so chances are the obi's are only going to last till then.... we have had a home phone line in this house since 1967, and we can't be without it for any length of time....

[drgeoff]

yes I saw that the obi would work on their site but I figured I was due for a new device anyway, and also I saw somewhere that Google Voice is scheduled for an overhaul next February, so chances are the obi's are only going to last till then.... we have had a home phone line in this house since 1967, and we can't be without it for any length of time....

An  Obi device is not dependent on any Obihai infrastructure now or in the future to work with, or be configured to work with, Callcentic or numerous other ITSPs. Unless Obihai force downloads a firmware update which sabotages OBis, nothing Obihai or Google Voice can do changes that.

(And such sabotage would be an incredibly stupid thing to do.)

[rjm65]

I was happy with my obi I have had it for 12 years with no issues, but I switched because of the way they are handling things at obi...  I guess polycom bought them out which is fine, but polycom is now owned by HP and everywhere i went to look for a new obi or poly device sends me to HP and HP don't have the devices for sale...  so it seems too me that they are in the works of shutting it all down, didn't I see they shut down the obi extras, that should tell you something people, the ship is going down and it is time to jump ship...  hate to say it but nobody seems to care about the paying customers at obi no more....

[drgeoff]

I was happy with my obi I have had it for 12 years with no issues, but I switched because of the way they are handling things at obi...  I guess polycom bought them out which is fine, but polycom is now owned by HP and everywhere i went to look for a new obi or poly device sends me to HP and HP don't have the devices for sale...  so it seems too me that they are in the works of shutting it all down, didn't I see they shut down the obi extras, that should tell you something people, the ship is going down and it is time to jump ship...  hate to say it but nobody seems to care about the paying customers at obi no more....

I was happy with my obi I have had it for 12 years with no issues, but I switched because of the way they are handling things at obi...  I guess polycom bought them out which is fine, but polycom is now owned by HP and everywhere i went to look for a new obi or poly device sends me to HP and HP don't have the devices for sale...  so it seems too me that they are in the works of shutting it all down, didn't I see they shut down the obi extras, that should tell you something people, the ship is going down and it is time to jump ship...  hate to say it but nobody seems to care about the paying customers at obi no more....

I agree with a lot of that.  However if you have a working OBi now, the "Obihai ship going down" has no impact except possibly on a direct connection to GV.  The OBi you have been using can implement the same Callcentric alternative as the other ATA you purchased.

Of course you have every right to spend your money as you wish and if you want a new device that's fine.  For the benefit of other readers who may be wondering what to do I'm just pointing out that it isn't essential to get another ATA.

[Taoman]

I found callcentric and signed up with them about a week ago

I think you're paying more money than necessary but you can't go wrong with Callcentric. Good luck.

[david2]

also I saw somewhere that Google Voice is scheduled for an overhaul next February, so chances are the obi's are only going to last till then....

That's the first I've heard of that. Source?

[rjm65]

Looks like callcentric is not an option for me, their dollar unlimited plan is not available where I live....  any suggestions for a cheap voip service??

[MSRobi]

also I saw somewhere that Google Voice is scheduled for an overhaul next February, so chances are the obi's are only going to last till then....

That's the first I've heard of that. Source?

I think it is from old news, overhaul in February 2022:

https://chromeunboxed.com/google-voice-legacy-deprecation-2022#:~:text=Don't%20freak%20out%20%E2%80%93%20Google,its%20new%20UI%20and%20tools.

[Taoman]

Looks like callcentric is not an option for me, their dollar unlimited plan is not available where I live....  any suggestions for a cheap voip service??

Yes, the dollar unlimited is available where you live. The states listed are only the states where you can get an area code and prefix for that state. Since you are forwarding to it from your GV number it makes no difference what state/number you choose. I live on the West coast but I have a NY dollar unlimited number. It makes no difference whatsoever.

[Taoman]

I think it is from old news, overhaul in February 2022:

Nice find.