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Newbie help with configuring home/home office setup using Obi

Started by Kran, July 13, 2016, 09:03:35 PM

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Kran

Hello folks,

I'm just dipping my toes into the world of VoIP and have learnt a lot over the last couple of days.

I was hoping I could get some guidance on what exactly I need in terms of devices before I actually buy them.

What I need is as follows:
- A high quality desk phone with DECT headset for office calls. I'm not sure if my corporate IT will let me connect a "personal" IP phone to their enterprise network (VPN needed?), but even if they don't, I'd like to use a VoIP service provider instead. Most of my calls are to ATT toll-free conference calls.
- I currently have an Ooma ATA connection, and while I try out other options like voip.ms/anveo/etc, I would like to keep it alive. The IP phone should be able to use the Ooma service in the meantime.
- I have Google Voice (only on my Android so far), and I'd like to be able to dial out and receive calls from/to the above desk phone using Google Voice.
- For the home, I'd like to have a cordless DECT phone system (at least 2 and maybe 3 handsets) which use either Ooma, voip.ms, or Google Voice as desired to make mainly outgoing calls.

With all these requirements, it's no surprise that Obi kept coming up in my Google searches  :)

As preference:
- I gather that IP phones have many advantages over normal DECT cordless, and since I need a high-quality deskphone anyway, I was getting interested in something like Panasonic TGP550. Is this the right choice for me?
- Another option is to separate out the work (desk) phone and have a separate analog cordless phone with multiple handsets. But it would be nice to consolidate all these.

So how can I make this work with Obi110, or perhaps I need Obi202 + ObiLine?

One thought was:
IP DeskPhone -> Ethernet -> Obi202(LANport).
Obi202(USBPort) -> ObiLine -> Ooma ATA FXS port
Obi202(WANport) -> Router
Home handsets -> DECT -> IP Deskphone

Is there an easier way to do this? Any other options that are better either in performance or price point, or both?

A secondary question is about toll-free calling to ATT conference numbers. I discovered that many of the BYOD VOIP providers have terms on reasonable use and my needs may reach about 2K minutes per month. What's a good service/combination of services which works best here?

SteveInWA

Hi, and welcome to the world of VoIP!

Thanks for doing so much research first, as it makes the discussion more productive.

First, regarding your comment about connecting a VoIP phone to your employer's network:  it sounds like you a "work from home" or "telecommuter" employee?  If so, and you work for a larger enterprise, they may be using an enterprise-class VoIP system from Cisco, Avaya, or Microsoft.  If so, they may allow remote connections to their network.  You can always ask.

Let's assume that it's not an option, for the remainder of the discussion.  You want a home VoIP phone system.  It needs to include cordless features.  It needs to support multiple different VoIP service providers.  The Panasonic model you mentioned is obsolete.  Their new model is the KX-TGP600.  It looks like a great system.  Panasonic has a very good track record in VoIP, and is the leader in DECT phone systems.  I looked at the phone's spec sheet, and it doesn't mention how many (if more than one) service provider it can register-to at the same time.  This has been a deal-killer for some of the earlier DECT/SIP systems, in that they only worked with one service provider (only one configuration stored for a SIP userID/password/SIP server).  Feel free to investigate and let us know what you learn.

Let's discuss OBi-based solutions.  OBi makes outstanding VoIP desk phones, with great audio quality and support for carriers that offer HD-Voice (wideband audio CODEC) connections.  They don't have companion DECT cordless handset options.  However, you can use the OBi 1032 or 1062 desk phones with a DECT digital cordless headset from Jabra/GN Netcom, or from Plantronics.  I have a 1032 connected to a Jabra PRO 9470 headset.  This is a business-class, high-quality DECT headset, with outstanding range, long talk-time, very high sound quality, and compatibility with the Electronic Hook Switch (EHS) function on the 1032 and 1062 phones.  This means that you can wander around the house and answer calls by clicking a button on the headset.

See:  http://www.hellodirect.com/hellodirect/Shop?DSP=30102&PCR=1:1:5:15:150:1040&IID=13577&itemskuid=13577

Another OBi solution is to buy a OBi 200 or 202 ATA, and connect any conventional RJ-11 attached DECT cordless phone system with multiple handsets.  Again, the Panasonic models are excellent choices.

If you're mostly dialing into conference calls, either solution would be fine.

The OBi IP phones support up to six different VoIP service provider "slots" and the OBi 200/202 models support up to four service providers.  One or more of them can be Google Voice.  OOMA is a closed, proprietary system, which doesn't give out its server credentials, so it can only be used with their own adapters.

With regard to conference calling:  Google Voice doesn't care how many minutes per month you are on calls.  However, they do limit each individual call to three hours.  At that point, you'd need to call back in, and or look for a new job that doesn't make you stay on calls that long  :o

You can contact Callcentric and voip.ms to find out how they deal with toll-free calling.  It likely doesn't matter to them either, since they aren't paying for the calls; in fact, AT&T is paying them to connect the calls, as with any toll-free number.  A voip.ms user probably knows the the answer as to their policy and whether or not they charge the caller for calling TFNs.  Callcentric doesn't charge the user for calls to TFNs.

I would not try to mess with a complex interconnection of your OOMA service to the OBi.  The OBiLINE adapters don't work very well, and the OBi 110 is not as flexible or "future proof" as the 200 series.  Just get the SIP VoIP service(s) set up, try them for a while, and then dump the OOMA service.  In the interim, just hook up a separate telephone to the OOMA box and use it for the OOMA calls.

Kran

Steve, thanks a lot for the detailed response.

Some responses and followup questions

Quote from: SteveInWA on July 13, 2016, 09:36:39 PM
they may be using an enterprise-class VoIP system from Cisco, Avaya, or Microsoft.  If so, they may allow remote connections to their network.  You can always ask.

Yes, I telecommute a lot and they do use Cisco. I will ask about the possibility, but not very hopeful.

Quote
You want a home VoIP phone system.  It needs to include cordless features.  It needs to support multiple different VoIP service providers.  The Panasonic model you mentioned is obsolete.  Their new model is the KX-TGP600. 

The reason I thought the 550 is better is because it comes with a traditional deskphone type of DECT base, while the remaining units are cordless handsets. The 600 seems to rely entirely on cordless handsets - the DECT base itself is not a phone unit. It would be nice to have a desk phone for the home office.

Quote
and it doesn't mention how many (if more than one) service provider it can register-to at the same time.  This has been a deal-killer for some of the earlier DECT/SIP systems, in that they only worked with one service provider (only one configuration stored for a SIP userID/password/SIP server).  Feel free to investigate and let us know what you learn.
This is a good point I had not considered. Thanks.

Quote
Let's discuss OBi-based solutions.  OBi makes outstanding VoIP desk phones, with great audio quality and support for carriers that offer HD-Voice (wideband audio CODEC) connections.  They don't have companion DECT cordless handset options.  However, you can use the OBi 1032 or 1062 desk phones with a DECT digital cordless headset from Jabra/GN Netcom, or from Plantronics. 

I considered this option but gave up on it because of the absence of DECT cordless handsets. Yes, I can use a headset, but that would mean I had the Obi1032 + headset just for the home office, and would need a separate (perhaps non-SIP traditional) DECT cordless system for the home lines.

In this scenario, could the traditional cordless system be hooked up to GV using the Obi1032, without the need for an Obi202? If not, it seems I have the following options, all involving Obi202:

1. Separate devices for home office (IP phone like Cisco, Polycom) and home (Panasonic traditional DECT)
2. Same device for home office and home - using IP DECT phone: Panasonic 550/600 type.
3. Same device for home office and home - using traditional Panasonic DECT phone.

Here in Option 1, I'm preferring Cisco or Polycom IP phones over Obi1032 because of price.

Quote
Another OBi solution is to buy a OBi 200 or 202 ATA, and connect any conventional RJ-11 attached DECT cordless phone system with multiple handsets. 

In terms of call quality and features, I had gathered from some sources that using IP phones is better, compared to the traditional phone system. If this is not necessarily the case, then I could go with my option 3 above, and use traditional (non-SIP) phones for both the home office and the home.

Quote
I would not try to mess with a complex interconnection of your OOMA service to the OBi.  The OBiLINE adapters don't work very well, and the OBi 110 is not as flexible or "future proof" as the 200 series.  Just get the SIP VoIP service(s) set up, try them for a while, and then dump the OOMA service.  In the interim, just hook up a separate telephone to the OOMA box and use it for the OOMA calls.

This is a good thought for me to consider. The only reason I like Ooma is the cost. I already have the sunk cost of the Ooma Telo ATA, and now I'm paying just ~$4 a month. All the other VoIP providers would have per minute costs which would take me to ~$15 per month, unless I'm missing something in how I can setup their plans. What are typical monthly costs for home office users here in the forum using BYOD Voip services?

SteveInWA

The Panasonic KX-TPA65 IP desk phone actually supports DECT and you can buy up to 8 of their DECT handsets to use with it.

ftp://ftp.panasonic.com/businesstelephone/specsheet/kx-tpa65_specsheet.pdf

Don't buy old/discontinued/end-of-life products.  You won't be able to get support or firmware updates if needed.

Your options are only limited by your budget.  You could do an all-Panasonic solution, or you could combine OBi devices with Panasonic devices.

For example:  I have an OBi 202 ATA, a OBi 1022 IP phone and a OBi 1032 IP phone, a (now-discontinued) Gigaset IP DECT multi-handset cordless system, and even a Grandstream ATA, all working together, supporting three numbers on Callcentric plus Google Voice.

Yes, audio quality with a pure IP phone is better than an analog phone plugged into an ATA, but not by much for typical narrowband PSTN phone calls.  It becomes more of a benefit on pure VoIP<-->VoIP calls, where wideband audio CODECs might be supported.  In practical terms, very few typical calling scenarios support this.  Both ends of the call need to be pure VoIP (not traversing the regular PSTN telephone system), and both ends need to support wideband, and both ends need to have wideband-capable telephones.

SteveInWA

I did spend some time reviewing the documentation for the Panasonic SIP phone products.  It was a PITA, since it's peanut-buttered all over their website, in pieces.  I believe that this product supports registering with more than one service provider, but you'll need to read through their administrator guide to figure it out.

The benefit of OBi products is that they support 2, 4 or 6 completely independent service providers.  So, if that matters to your, it limits your choices to OBi phones and ATAs, or else separate non-OBi products, each one registered to a separate service provider's SIP server.

Kran

Steve, thanks for taking the time.

Point taken about older/unsupported products. The TPA65 is a great option for a cordless DECT unit in a deskphone form factor. It works perfectly for the home office scenario.

I'm thinking about your second response about the single SIP server. Excuse me if I don't get the terminology correct, but here is my question.

If I got a traditional non-SIP DECT phone, I could have relied entirely on the Obi202's "routing" to connect to multiple service providers. Perhaps by prefixing my dialing with the appropriate code.

Could I similarly get the Panasonic TGP600, *not* rely on its inbuilt, "single-server" SIP configuration, and rely on the Obi202's routing, just like I would have with a non-SIP phone?

Of course, this would raise the question of why even bother with a SIP phone. But just to understand the capabilities of these devices before I make a choice.

SteveInWA

If you get a OBi 200 or 202, and attach any regular telephone(s) to it (anything from a 1970s Bell System 2500 phone to a modern DECT cordless phone) then you can select which service provider to use on outbound calls by prefixing the call with a ** number.

For example:  OBi 200 with four SPs:

SP1 = Callcentric DID 555-867-5309
SP2 = Callcentric DID 213-555-1234
SP3 = voip.ms DID 515-999-9999
SP4 = Google Chat kran@gmail.com

You assign any one of those four SPs as the default SP to use for outbound calls.  So, just dialing a number will use that SP, e.g. SP1.  To call using SP2, prefix the number like this:  **24155551212

In theory a 202 can act as a limited-feature PBX, hosting the Panasonic IP phone as an extension.  But, someone else here who owns one would need to confirm whether or not it actually works, and it would be a kludge.  The more elegant solution is to use a OBi 200 or 202 with an analog DECT phone system for your home use, and, optionally, a IP phone for your office, with separate extensions registered on them.  For example, using Callcentric, you can have as many different inbound phone numbers (DIDs) as you need, and you can set up as many extensions as you need.  Each extension represents a separate SIP username/password registration to the Callcentric SIP server, so a phone like the Panny IP phone, that supports one SIP server and multiple DIDs could work that way.  You can create separate extensions using the same DID numbers on the OBi.  This seems mind-numbingly complex at first, but actually setting it up on the service provider's website is fairly easy.

I suggest you start with an OBi ATA, and a regular (not VoIP) DECT cordless phone system, and see if it meets your needs, then spend more money if you wish.  Remember, pick a DECT cordless phone that has a headset jack on the cordless handsets.  This way, you can simply plug in a wired headset to the handset, and clip the handset to your belt and roam around the house, talking hands-free.

drgeoff

The capability and flexibility of the OBi ATAs includes the ability to recognise specific dialled numbers or area codes. If there are numbers which you always, or usually, want to go via a non-default SP ("Primary Line" in OBi parlance) that can be programmed to occur without needing the appropriate **n prefix. And on the occasions when you do want to use a different SP for those calls the **n method is still available.

Kran

Thanks again SteveInWA and drgeoff. I have a better idea now. Will try these options, and maybe come back with additional questions if needed.

Btw, in this review of the TGP600 by OnSIP, it looks like multiple SIP providers can be set up on the phone itself.

SteveInWA

Quote from: Kran on July 15, 2016, 02:34:16 PM
Thanks again SteveInWA and drgeoff. I have a better idea now. Will try these options, and maybe come back with additional questions if needed.

Btw, in this review of the TGP600 by OnSIP, it looks like multiple SIP providers can be set up on the phone itself.

Thanks for the link; that was a nice review.  I think you will get the best sound quality from using an Ethernet-connected OBi IP desk phone, but having a DECT-attached desk phone option for the Panasonic DECT system is handy.

I'm sticking with my recommendation to start with an OBi 20x ATA, and then grow from there.