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Need VOIP Service??

Started by sunny, March 10, 2011, 03:48:52 PM

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sunny

Do I need to have a separate VOIP service like Gizmo5, CallCentric, or other VOIP service provider to use Obihai device to call out to a regular landline if the other end that I'm calling doesn't have this Obihai device.  I'm looking to replace my current landline, of course fully knowing the 911 limitation.

Regards.

QBZappy

sunny,

Hi,

Yes you will need to get a VOIP service Provider if you cancel your land line. There are many to choose from.
Owner of the 1st OBi110/100 units in service in Canada & South America. 1st OBi202 on my street. 1st OBi1032 in Montreal.

sunny

yeah thanks thats what I thought, but its not explicitly stated in the product description is it? I wonder how many people got this and just thought you can just plug it in your internet and phone to make calls out?

Also, any cheap or even free VOIP providers that support free call outs in the US?

RonR

FYI, Gizmo5 will cease to exist in approximately 3 weeks.  A Google Voice account, which is free through at least the end of the year, will provide you with an incoming number and the ability to make two outgoing calls simultaneously.

sunny

thats my current setup now, GV + Gizmo5 on PAP2 ATA and have enjoyed it for about 1.5yrs with no problem. I do many conf calls for work on it, its been awesome, but as you said, Gizmo5 is about to shut down at end of this month, so I'm scrambling on the alternatives, then I came across this Obihai, so I'm doing my research now before I commit on it.

mykmayk

pardon me.  but i'm one of the slow ones -- slow on the uptake.   ???  wouldn't google voice enable you to call out to other phones in the US for free?  isn't that the major selling point for the obi equipment?

why is there a need for a sip provider if the objective is to make free outgoing calls?  or are you posing the "what if" question when 2011 ends and google voice decides to end the free outgoing calls, as well?

or are you asking is there a sip provider that enables free outgoing calls worldwide?

other sip providers that worked for me before obi were:
iptel using ipkall
ideasip using ipkall
sipgate
localphone (cheapest outgoing calls to the US - 1 cent per minute)
əʞɪɯ mɪke

jimates

@mykmayk

This device has been on the market since October as an ATA for use with SIP providers. Support for Goggle Chat was added in mid January. This device is not dependent on Google, although it has really help sales.

sunny

so this devices "uses" google voice's features but since google voice is not a sip provider, it needs an actual sip provider to make calls, this is my understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong.

mykmayk

Quote from: sunny on March 10, 2011, 04:21:35 PM
I wonder how many people got this and just thought you can just plug it in your internet and phone to make calls out?

ahhh right.  this device, just like any standalone, unprovisioned pap devices, requires a service provider.  it is not plug-and-play.  this is not vonage.  :D   it's just that the question seemed like it was ignoring the big elephant in the middle of the room.  why look for something else when something better is right in front?  (also, this thread was started today when google chat is already implemented -- not way back in october or before mid-january.)  the same question could have be posted for the linksys pap2t discussion forums since the major distinction between pap2 and ob110 is the google implementation.  but since it was posted in obi forum, that confused my slow brain.

again, my apologies for butting in.   :'(
əʞɪɯ mɪke

Loughary

Quote from: sunny on March 10, 2011, 04:50:05 PM
so this devices "uses" google voice's features but since google voice is not a sip provider, it needs an actual sip provider to make calls, this is my understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong.

This device does NOT need an additional SIP provider you can set it up with a google voice account and make in and out calls just like a normal SIP provider.  The only reason you would need a traditional sip provider is if you wanted e911 service considering that gv does not provide that.  so.....OBi110 + google voice account = free in/out usa calls.

But like most have warned is google has only said it would be free until 2011...and I would assume they could easily make changes to the protocol that is used by google chat that the obi utilizes and it could stop working...not sure why Google would but you never know.

MichiganTelephone

Quote from: Loughary on March 10, 2011, 05:22:41 PMBut like most have warned is google has only said it would be free until 2011

Not to nitpick, but just so no one is confused, that's free until the end of 2011.  8)
Inactive, no longer posting or responding to messages.  Goodbye and good luck.  Some of my old Obihai-related blog posts have been moved to http://tech.iprock.com - note this in NOT my blog; I have simply given the owner permission to repost some of my old stuff.

Jeff205

I understand the OBi uses Google Chat, but doesn't Google Voice require an actual line to forward your calls to; at least initially?  I am interested in doing the same thing and was considering a SIP instead of my cable provider's VOIP.

RonR

The OBi110 is able to interface with Google Voice (via XMPP) such that no additional support, callbacks, whatever are needed.  Simply access your Gmail account, make at least one Google Voce call from it, make sure the Google Chat forwarding phone is checked in Google Voice, and your Gmail username/password will make the Obi110 do the rest.

Jeff205

I must be missing something RonR, because I don't see the same thing as you.  When I do that, I don't have Google Chat (or even the same tabs) in settings and I am not able to have a dedicated GV number.

Also, I tried to remove my landline number from my OBi connected account and it won't let me.

I know I'm missing something in your explanation.

RonR

If you have a Google Voice and GMail account assocated with the same Google account, there should be an option on the lower left-hand side of the GMail page to make a call.  Clicking on it should bring up a dialpad on the lower right-hand side.  Make at least one call (installing the Google plug-in first, if required) and you should have Google Chat listed in your Google Voice phones list.  Make sure it's checked.  Plug your username and password into the OBi110 and it should be able to make and receive calls through your Google Voice number.

jimates

#15
@Jeff205

Make sure outbound calling from chat is enabled in your mail settings, see the pic below.

With that enabled and the Voice & Video plug in installed you can use the gmail credentials to make outbound calls from the Obi. For incoming calls you must have a Google Voice number associated with that same gmail account (and complete one call from gmail).

Quoteand I am not able to have a dedicated GV number.
Also, I tried to remove my landline number from my OBi connected account and it won't let me
What do you mean you are not able to have a dedicated GV number?
Do you mean you tried to remove your landline from the GV account that is set up on your Obi?

Jeff205

Quote from: RonR on March 10, 2011, 06:07:07 PM
The OBi110 is able to interface with Google Voice (via XMPP) such that no additional support, callbacks, whatever are needed.  Simply access your Gmail account, make at least one Google Voce call from it, make sure the Google Chat forwarding phone is checked in Google Voice, and your Gmail username/password will make the Obi110 do the rest.

No, I have everything setup.  RonR made the comment above regarding not having a landline for you GV account and I was simply saying that if you go the route he outlined above, then you don't have a dedicated GV number (you can make calls out, but not receive calls).  And as an alternative test, I tried to remove my landline number from the GV account that is connected to my OBi (working and only using Chat) and it will not let me; therefore, you need a landline number of some sort associated to your GV account.  Which means you would need some sort of landline, VOIP, SIP, etc. to get a GV number and receive incoming calls.  Which is why I didn't understand RonR's comments.

I'm not trying to confuse the issue; just to understand because I want to drop my cable provider VOIP.

RonR

If you have Googe / Google Voice / Gmail configured properly and have successfully made at least one outgoing call from your Gmail account through the dialpad there, you should have Google Chat listed in your Google Voice account as one of your forwarding phones (this Google Voice MUST be on the same login as your Gmail).  Make sure it is selected and the OBi should work using your Gmail credentials.

With the OBi (or the dialpad in Gmail) you do not need to use a landlne number in your Google Voice forwarding phnones list to make or receive calls through the OBi.  The old scheme of requiring a callback via a VoIP DID (IPKall, Sipgate, IPComms, etc.) is not required with the OBi.

jimates

Yes, you have to have a physical phone to set up your Google Voice account. Google will not forward to SIP phones either so you can't use one of those.

If you do away with the cable provided phone you still can't remove it from the list.

The work around to removing the last phone from the account is to have someone else add it to their Google Voice account and then they can remove it completely.

Jeff205

Quote from: RonR on March 10, 2011, 08:35:23 PM
The old scheme of requiring a callback via a VoIP DID (IPKall, Sipgate, IPComms, etc.) is not required with the OBi.

Right, I understand that, you don't have to USE the landline number, but you need it to set it up.

@jimates: I didn't think about having someone else add it.  That would work because I did it by accident when I found out you can only have two GV numbers associated to one landline.

Okay, so what are my options for dropping my cable provider?  Can I not use Vitelity, Call Centric, or (now I see on this forum) Voipmyway?  I'm new to this, so I don't always understand the specifics.  Isn't my cable provider simply a VOIP and once I setup new service I can change that number in GV?