Google Voice with obi508vs rollover 911 to PSTN

[oak949]

Can I redirect all outgoing 911 calls to the PSTN port (connected to an analog line) ?

It is not clear to me how to do this and how to test this.

I have obi508vs setup with 4 Google Voice accounts, which work fine.
In order to support 911 calls, I thought I use one analog outgoing phone line and plug it in the PSTN port. If someone call 911, the call should get redirect to the PSTN port. Is this the default?

How to I set it up and how do I test this?

[SteveInWA]

I don't think any of the frequent forum posters have a 508, so this is just going to be "male answer syndrome" guessing.  The admin guide is somewhat ambiguous as to the exact function of the one PSTN line port.  Page 7 of the admin guide says it's just for failover use (default if the 508's power is off), but elsewhere, it states that the default digit map does contain the default rule to use that PSTN port when dialing 911.  See pp. 105-106:

http://www.obihai.com/docs/OBi508AdminGuide.pdf

Have you sent in a question to Obihai about this? 

As for testing, all you could do would be to try it, and immediately explain to the 911 operator that you are testing your PBX's 911 configuration.

[azrobert]

I don't own an OBi508vs and I'm a little confused by the specs. The chart show the OBi508vs having 8 FXS ports and zero FXO ports. You need a FXO port to connect to a PSTN line. If your OBi508vs doesn't have a FXO port, you will need to purchase an OBiLine adapter.

The OBi508 Admin Guide shows the following as the default phone port DigitMap:
([1-9]x?*(Mpli)|
[1-9]S9|[1-9][0-9]S9|911|
[67]XX|**0|***|#S4|#[0-8]|#9x|
**81(Mbt)|**82(Mbt2)|**1(Msp1)|**2(Msp2)|
**3(Msp3)|**4(Msp4)|**9(Mpp)|(Mpli))

The DigitMap has 911 defined, so you are good here.

This is the default phone port OutboundCallRoute:
{([1-9]x?*(Mpli)):pp},{#0:ao},{#1:ph1},{#2:ph2},
{#3:ph3},{#4:ph4},{#5:ph5},{#6:ph6},{#7:ph7},{#8:ph8},{#:ph1,
ph2,ph3,ph4,ph5,ph6,ph7,ph8},
{(<6:park>XX<;s=1>):pk},{(<7:pickup>XX<;d=0>):pk},
{(<**82:>(Mbt2)):bt2},{(<**81:>(Mbt)):bt},
{**0:aa},{***:aa2},
{(<**1:>(Msp1)):sp1},{(<**2:>(Msp2)):sp2},
{(<**3:>(Msp3)):sp3},{(<**4:>(Msp4)):sp4},
{(<**9:>(Mpp)):pp},{(Mpli):pli}

The outbound route doesn't have 911 configured, so add the following to the beginning:
{911:li},

This change will have to be made to every phone port OutboundCallRoute.
Use OBi Expert to make these changes.

You can do the following if you don't want to call the 911 operator.
For testing make the above change to ONLY the Phone 1 Port's OutboundCallRoute.
Using a RJ11 cord, connect the Line Port to Phone 2 Port.
Using the phone attached to Phone 1 Port dial 911.
The call should route out the Line Port, loop back to Phone 2 Port and then routed to the Primary Line for Phone 2 Port.
Since you don't have 911 service on GoogleVoice, the call will be rejected.
Check the OBi508vs' Call History to see what actually happened.

Edit:
I think the power outage failover is the same function as the old hardware version as the OBi110. When there is a power outage and you take the phone off-hook, you will get a dial tone from the PSTN line. The OBi544vs is the only 508 series box that has FXO ports, so this function only applies to it. The above is just a guess.

[SteveInWA]

I don't own an OBi508vs and I'm a little confused by the specs. The chart show the OBi508vs having 8 FXS ports and zero FXO ports. You need a FXO port to connect to a PSTN line. If your OBi508vs doesn't have a FXO port, you will need to purchase an OBiLine adapter.

Like I said:  it has a PSTN failover port.  See the photo on page 9 of the admin guide.

The default digit map already has the rule for 911 dialing, so no modification should be necessary.  See pp 105-106.

But again, this is all male answer syndrome answering.  Ask Obihai for the official answer.

[azrobert]

Like I said:  it has a PSTN failover port.  See the photo on page 9 of the admin guide.

But again, this is all male answer syndrome answering.  Ask Obihai for the official answer.

You are correct about asking OBiHai, but from some comments on the forum the OP shouldn't expect any useful help.

The spec chart for the OBi508vs shows zero FXO ports.
I missed the PSTN failover line on the chart.
The OBi508 demo config panels don't show Line Port definitions, so I wonder if calls can be routed to the failover port. I have a feeling they can't and the OP has to purchase an OBiLine.
http://www.obihai.com/uidemos/obi508/i

oak949,
A question to ask is can calls be routed to the PSTN failover port
or
Is it used only during power outages to get dial tone on a PSTN line.

[SteveInWA]

From the 508vs user guide:

OutboundCallRoute Examples:
1) sp1 OR {SP1} OR {:SP1} OR {@:Sp1} (all equivalent)
This rule says: Make all calls using SP1 Service, without any caller-id spoofing or digit transformation
2)
{(<#:>|911):li},{**0:aa},{***:aa2},{(Mpli):pli},{(<**1:>(Msp1)):sp1},{(<**2:>(Msp2)):sp2},{(<**8:>(Mli)):li},{(<**9:>(
Mpp)):pp}
This is the default OutboundCallRoute for the PHONE port. It says:
Copyright 2010-2014 Obihai Technology, Inc. 106
- Dial # key to connect to the LINE port; OBi will take the LINE port hardware to off-hook but will not dial out any
digit. The net result is that the user will hear dial tone generated by the PSTN company if a working line is
connected to the LINE port. The user may then continue to dial the PSTN number directly to the phone company.
Note that from the OBi's point of view, the PSTN call is connected the moment it takes the LINE port to the offhook
state!
- Use the PSTN Line to call 911
- Dial **0 to invoke AA1 or AA
- Dial *** to invoke the local device configuration IVR (a.k.a AA2)
- (Mpli) and pli will be substituted with the PrimaryLine's abbreviated name
- Use SP1 Service to call all numbers that start with **1 and subsequent digits matching SP1 Service's DigitMap.
Remove the **1 prefix from the resulting number before making the call
- Use SP2 Service to call all numbers that start with **2 and subsequent digits matching SP2 Service's DigitMap.
Remove the **2 prefix from the resulting number before making the call
- Use the LINE port to call all numbers that start with **8 and subsequent digits matching LINE port's DigitMap.
Remove the **8 prefix from the resulting number before making the call
- Use the OBiTALK Service to call all numbers that start with **9 and subsequent digits matching OBiTALK Service's
DigitMap. Remove the **9 prefix from the resulting number before making the call

I would hope that Obihai can clarify this mode of operation, but in any case, testing would be essential before depending on it to work.

[azrobert]

oak949,

Please post the Phone Port OutboundCallRoute in your configuration. You need to use OBi Expert to access this parm. On the OBiTalk dashboard click the gear ICON next to the OBi508 then click OBi Expert Configuration and confirm. On the next page click Enter OBi Expert. Now click on Phone Interfaces then click on any of the 8 phone ports. They all should have the same values except each port won't have an OuboundCallRoute rule to ring itself.

The OutboundCallRoute value will be grayed out and you won't be able to access it until you uncheck both boxes to the right of the value. If I'm correct this is how you will update the outbound route. Add {911:li}, to the beginning and click Submit at the bottom of the page.

[oak949]

AZrobert Asked me to post the default Phone Port OutboundCallroute so here we go for:

Phone1

DigitMap
([1-9]x?*(Mpli)|[1-9]S9|[1-9][0-9]S9|911|[67]XX|**0|***|#[*0-8]|**81(Mbt)|**82(Mbt2)|**1(Msp1)|**2(Msp2)|**3(Msp3)|**4(Msp4)|**9(Mpp)|(Mpli))

OutboundCallRoute
{([1-9]x?*(Mpli)):pp},{#0:ao},{#2:ph2},{#3:ph3},{#4:ph4},{#5:ph5},{#6:ph6},{#7:ph7},{#8:ph8},{#*:ph2,ph3,ph4,ph5,ph6,ph7,ph8},{(<6:park>XX<;s=1>):pk},{(<7:pickup>XX<;d=0>):pk},{(<**82:>(Mbt2)):bt2},{(<**81:>(Mbt)):bt},{**0:aa},{***:aa2},{(<**1:>(Msp1)):sp1},{(<**2:>(Msp2)):sp2},{(<**3:>(Msp3)):sp3},{(<**4:>(Msp4)):sp4},{(<**9:>(Mpp)):pp},{(Mpli):pli}

CallReturnDigitMaps
{pli:(xx.)},{sp1:(<**1>xx.)},{sp2:(<**2>xx.)},{bt:(<**8>xx.)},{pp:(<**9>xx.)}

If I understand AZrobert correctly outboundCallRoute becomes
{911:li},{([1-9]x?*(Mpli)):pp},{#0:ao},{#2:ph2},{#3:ph3},{#4:ph4},{#5:ph5},{#6:ph6},{#7:ph7},{#8:ph8},{#*:ph2,ph3,ph4,ph5,ph6,ph7,ph8},{(<6:park>XX<;s=1>):pk},{(<7:pickup>XX<;d=0>):pk},{(<**82:>(Mbt2)):bt2},{(<**81:>(Mbt)):bt},{**0:aa},{***:aa2},{(<**1:>(Msp1)):sp1},{(<**2:>(Msp2)):sp2},{(<**3:>(Msp3)):sp3},{(<**4:>(Msp4)):sp4},{(<**9:>(Mpp)):pp},{(Mpli):pli}

I get that and I will test it later.

I will also test SteveinWa example {(<#:>|911):li}, Can one uses to # sign to activate the PSTN for any number, or just for 911? (I am thinking maybe I can dial 511 first and listening in on the PSTN line with a second phone to see if think are working.)

I noticed that the digitMap also mentioned 911. What does it do there?

[azrobert]

Thanks for posting your OutboundCallRoute.

Routing an outbound call is a 2 step process.
The Phone Port DigitMap validates the dialed number.
Rule (Mpli) will include the rules in primary line's DigitMap.
If the dialed number doesn't match a rule, you will receive a fast busy.

If the dialed number matches a rule in the DigitMap the phone port outbound call route will route the call to the primary line using rule {(Mpli):pli}. When you add the rule for 911, it will be routed to PSTN.

Steve's example will give you dial tone on the PSTN after dialing pound. <#:> will remove #, so you are sending nothing to the line port. Dialing # will produce an error with the defaults. You also need to add # to the phone port DigitMap.

Your modified outbound call route looks good.

If you want to test with 511, also add 511 to the DigitMap and use outbound route rule {511|911:li} or {(<#:>|511|911):li}

Like I said in my previous post, the demo OBi508 doesn't show any Line definitions. Do you see any in your configuration? It will be something like Line Port with a bunch of parms under it. If you don't have a Line Port definition, I can't see this working and the Line Failover Port is only used when you have a power outage to get dial tone on a PSTN Line.

[azrobert]

See the below attachment from page 7 of the Admin Guide.

Quote:
* For failover during power outage ONLY

[Ostracus]

Edit:
I think the power outage failover is the same function as the old hardware version as the OBi110. When there is a power outage and you take the phone off-hook, you will get a dial tone from the PSTN line. The OBi544vs is the only 508 series box that has FXO ports, so this function only applies to it. The above is just a guess.

Shame the Obi544 doesn't even show up anymore, although for the asking prices of that series all of them should have a FXO port that's more than just fall-over.