Sudden Issue - Intermittent Tone

[ravennevar]

I have been using my Obi200 for almost 2 years now without issues. This morning I stopped receiving calls. When I checked for tone, it is intermittent. I can place a call and connect (even with this intermittent tone), but when people call me, it does not ring. Any help is appreciated.

Thank you!

[SteveInWA]

What do you mean, exactly, by "intermittent tone"?  Are you hearing a stuttered dial tone when you pick up the handset to make a call, like beep-beep-beep-beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?

If so, then you have inadvertently forwarded your inbound calls to some other destination (phone number or SIP).

You didn't say which service provider you are using, so I can't tell you exactly how to disable it, but I saw that you did some configuration changes per a previous discussion with azrobert, so you have likely made a mistake somewhere.

You can try entering *73 on the phone, to see if that makes it stop.

[ravennevar]

@SteveInWA

Thank you for your reply! I have attached an m4a recording of what I am hearing when I press talk on my handset. Again, I can place calls even with this issue, but when people call it rings on their end until they get my voicemail. It does not ring at my house. Sorry I forgot to mention, but I use Google Voice. Also, I still have not implemented the recommendations offered by azrobert because I moved the fax from its current location temporarily. So everything has been the same since I started using the Obi200. I tried the *73 but it is still the same. If something was changed in the configuration, then it most likely was inadvertently done by my 2-year-old playing with the handset.

Thanks again!

[SteveInWA]

OK, that's the "stutter tone".  It can indicate either a voicemail message waiting, or that your phone number has been unconditionally forwarded to some other phone number.

We'll blame it on your two-year-old.

There are many reasons why inbound calls don't ring on the OBi:

• Your phone's ringer is turned off or broken.
• You don't have a check mark to the left of "Google Chat" on this page:  https://www.google.com/voice#phones
• You set up your OBi using the wrong Google account's credentials (using an account that doesn't actually have an inbound Google Voice number.
• You enabled Google Voice's "Do not disturb" feature.
• You set up a ring schedule on Google Voice, such that your number is intentionally not ringing.
• and, more...

Years ago, Google Voice supported sending the voicemail waiting signal, however, that function was discontinued.  Google Voice doesn't support unconditional forwarding via telephone commands, so that's not it.

Perhaps you have old firmware on your device, and/or you have set it up incorrectly.  The definitive way to eliminate all possibilities is to upgrade the firmware on your OBi, factory reset it, and set it up again with Google Voice.

Download and save this file to your computer:  http://fw.obihai.com/OBi202-3-1-0-5285.fw

Follow my instructions below to upgrade the firmware.  The instructions were written for the OBi 100/110, so ignore the firmware file in that post, and use the one I linked here, instead.

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=11384.0

At the end of that post is a link to my complete instructions for setting up Google Voice from scratch.  I suggest factory resetting your OBi and following those steps.

To do that, first log onto the OBiTALK web portal.  Click the OBi device.  Click "Delete Device".  Wait for several minutes.  Then, pick up the phone and press ***8 then 1 to confirm restoring to factory defaults.  Wait until the LEDs stop blinking, except for the internet LED flickering.

Click the Add device link on OBiTALK, and follow the **5 procedure to add it back.  Then set up Google Voice again, following my instructions carefully.

[ravennevar]

Thanks again for your reply. I really have no clue what is going on. I set my Obi200 about 2 years ago and have not touched the config ever since, except for upgrading the firmware. Anyhow, I just upgraded the firmware and it did not solve the issue. I want to go ahead and factory reset the device. Will this affect my Anveo E911 in any way? I want to make sure before I proceed. Thanks!

[SteveInWA]

You will need to set up both Google Voice and Anveo 911 service from scratch, but it is quick and easy.  You won't have to pay another fee to Anveo to do that.

[ravennevar]

Thank you SteveInWA for your help! Everything seems to be working fine now after the upgrade and reset. The only issue I encountered was setting up the Anveo E911 service again. I clicked on SP2 and it took me to their page where I selected to restore Anveo settings to a device (something in that nature). It did add my Anveo service to SP2 and I tested the E911 with 933 and it also worked fine. However, when I started placing calls it was going through Anveo instead of GV (and draining my Anveo account balance in the process  ). I went to my Obi200 device in my dashboard and my SP2 (Anveo) had a check to use this service as the primary line for outgoing calls. I unchecked that and also unchecked the "Incoming Calls Will Ring On" box. However, the latter one does not stick and reverts to being checked. It does work now and it is going through GV for outgoing calls. Is there anything else that I need to do to make sure SP2 Anveo is only used for E911 and nothing else? Why can't I uncheck the "Incoming Calls Will Ring On" box if I do not really receive calls through this service?

Thanks again!

[SteveInWA]

The Anveo E911 service needs that box checked.  In an emergency, if you were to drop the call with the E911 center, the dispatcher needs the ability to call you back.

[ravennevar]

That would be my guess too. However, when I was unknowingly placing calls through Anveo, people were not able to reach back to me when they called the number that showed on their caller ID. Their calls would not go through. So I am not sure how this would change in the event of an actual E911 call through Anveo.

[SteveInWA]

That would be my guess too. However, when I was unknowingly placing calls through Anveo, people were not able to reach back to me when they called the number that showed on their caller ID. Their calls would not go through. So I am not sure how this would change in the event of an actual E911 call through Anveo.

That's how it works.  It's harder to explain than it's worth explaining ;-)  Essentially, the E911 service provider (Anveo and Anveo's E911 service provider partner) assign a unique caller ID number to your 911 calls.  This is done because it's possible to call 911 with no existing DID number caller ID.  911 can call that number back.

[ravennevar]

Thanks for the explanation and for your help in solving my issue.