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Google Voice requiring callers to say name

Started by Ethan, May 18, 2018, 12:17:19 PM

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Ethan

I've been using GV with Obi for my business for several years. Callers don't know they're calling a GV. Now they are required to say their names, which doesn't sound professional for businesses. In the past I liked being able to pick up my cordless phone just like any other landline phone. I also liked my cell phone to have the option to press 1 to pickup or 2 to send to voicemail. Now the landline phone requires me to press 1 to pick up just like the cell phone. And callers must state their names. I checked my GV settings and I checked screen for callers, but do not require callers to state their names. If I don't check screen for callers, the calls go to my cell phone's voicemail instead of GV. It also states my name before prompting callers to say their name. I don't like this feature. Please help. Thank you.

SteveInWA

Google recently changed the call screening behavior.  There is no longer a user-controlled setting to ask, or not ask, for the caller's name.  Now, if you have call screening enabled, and the caller's number is in your Google Contacts, it will bypass asking for the name, and if the caller's number is not in your Google Contacts, it will ask them to say their name.  It will ask the caller every time they call, unless you add them to your contacts.

The Goog works in mysterious ways.  If you don't like this new behavior, then feel free to submit feedback on the Google Voice web or mobile user interfaces, by clicking the feedback link.

RFC3261

Quote from: SteveInWA on May 18, 2018, 01:24:43 PM
...  works in mysterious ways.
I would use a different word.  Opaque.  I can (as likely many other can) come up with multiple reasons why such a change might have been proposed, evaluated, and eventually made, but the deciding factor has not been shared.  Opaque.

SteveInWA

Quote from: RFC3261 on May 18, 2018, 01:37:29 PM
Quote from: SteveInWA on May 18, 2018, 01:24:43 PM
...  works in mysterious ways.
I would use a different word.  Opaque.  I can (as likely many other can) come up with multiple reasons why such a change might have been proposed, evaluated, and eventually made, but the deciding factor has not been shared.  Opaque.

Opaque.  Perfect descriptive term!  Inscrutable also comes to mind.

Sheffield_Steve

Is this something that is being rolled out?

i.e. My two GV accounts still ring through without a prompt as they always have.

SteveInWA

Quote from: Sheffield_Steve on May 18, 2018, 01:44:26 PM
Is this something that is being rolled out?

i.e. My two GV accounts still ring through without a prompt as they always have.

Right.  Because you didn't enable the (optional) call screening feature.  This change impacts users who DO have that setting enabled.  The change is in the way it handles asking, or not asking, for the callers' names.

Sheffield_Steve

OK, I got it now. Thanks.....

I'm happy with GV, but if that was the norm I would be moving to Callcentric or similar.

zorlac

Probably not the place to ask this, but....

Dialing my GV # from my GV # used to take me right to my voicemail messages now after the recent upgrade the GV attendant is asking for a PIN #. ???
Is it possible to bypass this or is it the new "inscrutable" way?  :D
If I need to create a PIN where would it be done?
Thanks

restamp

My understanding is that you now need a pin.  I set mine from the Legacy Page > Voicemail & Text

zorlac

#9
Quote from: restamp on May 19, 2018, 12:40:48 PM
My understanding is that you now need a pin.  I set mine from the Legacy Page > Voicemail & Text
Thanks, clicking on the question mark next to PIN is very helpful. ;D ::)


Not sure if this even works or I don't understand what it does.


SteveInWA

Quote from: zorlac on May 19, 2018, 01:00:46 PM
Quote from: restamp on May 19, 2018, 12:40:48 PM
My understanding is that you now need a pin.  I set mine from the Legacy Page > Voicemail & Text
Thanks, clicking on the question mark next to PIN is very helpful. ;D ::)


Not sure if this even works or I don't understand what it does.



You are now required to enter a PIN when calling into your voicemail, for added security.  The settings you attempted to change aren't used any more for OBiTALK devices.

zorlac