iPhone app GV Mobile+ interferes with my Obihai device

[Levander]

I've got an OBi100 hooked up to Google Voice.  Then I plug a phone into my Obi device and I've got home phone.

Recently I upgraded to iOS7 on my iPhone and bought the GV Mobile +3 app because it lets me make VOIP calls from my iPhone via Google Voice.  It's a beautiful app, the problem is when it's running on my iPhone, my home phones don't ring when I get a call.  I know it's this app because I call my Google Voice number from a completely separate Android mobile phone.  The phone in my house doesn't ring, but my iPhone does.  Then I go on my iPhone and kill the GV Mobile+ app, call the Google Voice number with the Android phone, and the home phone and the iPhone rings.

Like a year ago, I had the same problem with Talkatone on an iPad.  At that time, I just deleted the app off my iPad.  Unfortunately, the GV Mobile+ app is much nicer than the Talkatone app and I rely on it for much more stuff.

Does anybody know how I might be able to get around this interference between my Obihai device and GV Mobile+?

[Levander]

I emailed the GV Mobile+ author about this.  He says he's got something in the works for an upcoming version of his app for this.

[T_Anderson]

@Levander:

Yes, I ended up having the exact same problem, (before I had ever even stumbled across your post here, from over two years ago).

Here is what worked for me, to solve the problem:

I discovered that the GV Mobile + app would only intercept my Obi200's incoming calls, when I had the setting called "Incoming VoIP calls" set to enabled.

As soon as this setting was returned to disabled, the Obi200 device received incoming calls fine, and my GV Mobile+ app would also be able to function as much as I need it: namely, for receiving text messages, voicemail notifications, and for occasionally dialing outgoing calls... [I never really needed it or used it for incoming calls, anyway].

(I never found a need to use the GV Mobile+ app for incoming calls while at home, since I had my Obi200 device using cordless phones, instead, and this was much more convenient; but, if one desired to use the iOS app for incoming calls while away from home, then the setting could be re-enabled, but the Obi200 would be thus disabled back at home).

I hope that helps!

Please leave a reply, if this solution worked -- or did not work -- for you, ("you" being anyone who reads this, hereafter).

SPECs: I am running iOS 7.1.2 [I know I know: a little outdated for 2016...], with GV Mobile + version 3.2.6

The below screenshots show the particular settings that were described above.

[SteveInWA]

That app is neither approved nor supported by Google, nor is it necessary.

Just install Google Hangouts on your phone and sign into the same Google/Gmail/GV account you're using with your OBi.  Hangouts works over VoIP data, and operates completely independently of Google Chat, which is what OBi devices use.

[T_Anderson]

@SteveInWA:

I did not know the app is not supported by Google -- just tried to find info by a (very brief, quick) Google search, and found nothing stating anything of the sort; I could take your word for it, but on the other hand, I cannot entirely agree that the app is unnecessary. IMHO, GV Mobile + is far superior to the Hangouts app -- at least, (that is), for my own personal usage which, as stated earlier, is not for VoIP calls, but instead, primarily for text-messaging and voicemail notifications. For these, Hangouts -- on iOS -- seems lacking and insufficient.

Even compared to Google's own iOS app for Google Voice, GV Mobile + is far superior: Google's app only allows "archive" by means of a convenient swipe, whereas GV Mobile can trash/delete unwanted messages, which is what I usually prefer.

Plus, the artwork in Hangouts is just... plain weird -- the one-eyed guy with the pencil?... Come on; really bizarre.

Anyway, I think I'm sticking with GV Mobile +. Don't mean for this to be a debate between Hangouts vs. that app, but just wanted to post what I've found about the problems it might cause in interfering with Obihai, for the benefit of anyone who might encounter a similar issue.

Cheers.

[T_Anderson]

See what I mean?... Pretty strange! 

[SteveInWA]

The point is, do you want to complain about how artfully elegant an app is, or do you want to make and receive phone calls, using your Google Voice phone number, on both your OBi and your iPhone?  I know what my choice would be.