How to make OBI play a message for blocked / unknown / anonymous incoming caller

[mike_terror]

I currently have my Obi110 installed with GV on SP1 and CallCentric on SP2.

Is there a way to record a message such as "This number does not accept calls from unknown callers, please unblock your number and try again" and then have this message played when an unknown number calls in?

I'm not interested in redirecting to another number or to voicemail, but instead just play the recorded message in a loop for 2-3 times and then hang up on the caller?

[mike_terror]

Or actually as an alternative, is there a way to direct only the unknown / blocked / anonymous callers to the AA and have that message played?

[RonR]

If you're willing to totally sacrafice the Auto Attendant, you can:

1. Disable all existing Auto Attendant prompts.

2. Record a new Auto Attendant Welcome prompt:

"This number does not accept calls from unknown callers, please unblock your number and try again."

3. Set:

Voice Services -> Auto Attendant -> NumberOnNoInput : (blank)

Voice Services -> Auto Attendant -> DigitMap : ()

4. Route anonymous calls to the Auto Attendant:

Voice Services -> SPx Service -> X_InboundCallRoute : {?:aa},{ph}

Anonymous callers should hear your Welcome prompt three times and the OBi will hang up.

[Stewart]

I'm not interested in redirecting to another number or to voicemail

Why not?  For example, set up a free Callcentric account with a voicemail "greeting" with your desired message (repeated as desired).  Then, route your anonymous calls to sp2(1777xxxxxxx).  There is no charge to you and it's real simple.

Alternatively, if you follow RonR's suggestion, instead of neutering the AA's DigitMap, you could set a strong PIN.  That would allow you (or trusted callers that you have clued in) to still make outgoing calls via the AA.

[mike_terror]

Thank you RonR

and thank you Stewart for your suggestion. My callcentric account is a pay as you call account and mainly set up for the E911 service. You cant make any calls to my callcentric so there's no voicemail greeting to set.

Do you guys have any other alternatives that you may suggest?

[RonR]

For example, set up a free Callcentric account with a voicemail "greeting" with your desired message (repeated as desired).  Then, route your anonymous calls to sp2(1777xxxxxxx).

Calling your own Callcentric number from your Callcentric number works just like Google Voice.  It allows you to check your voicemail.  You don't receive your voicemail greeting.

[mike_terror]

RonR, how would I disable all the existing AA prompts and record a new one as listed in step 1 & 2? Step 3 and 4 seems pretty straight forward based on your instructions.


Do you think this is the best approach to deal with anonymous callers? The reason I ask this is because I did try to use *77 and tested it out by calling in with my cellphone that has the number blocked. What happened was that google voice would just keep ringing for a couple of times before directing me to the voicemail.

[Stewart]

For example, set up a free Callcentric account with a voicemail "greeting" with your desired message (repeated as desired).  Then, route your anonymous calls to sp2(1777xxxxxxx).

Calling your own Callcentric number from your Callcentric number works just like Google Voice.  It allows you to check your voicemail.  You don't receive your voicemail greeting.

I guess I should have said "set up a separate, independent, free Callcentric account, unrelated to your present account, with a voicemail "greeting" with your desired message ..."

[RonR]

RonR, how would I disable all the existing AA prompts and record a new one as listed in step 1 & 2?

There are some notes here : http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=9.0

and a few more in the OBi Device Administration Guide.

Do you think this is the best approach to deal with anonymous callers? The reason I ask this is because I did try to use *77 and tested it out by calling in with my cellphone that has the number blocked. What happened was that google voice would just keep ringing for a couple of times before directing me to the voicemail.

Personally, I don't like the idea of giving up the Auto Attendant.  You asked about such an approach, so I gave it a shot.

Having the OBi block anonymous calls with *77 or:

Voice Services -> SPx Service -> X_InboundCallRoute : {?:},{ph}

will result in Google Voice voicemail taking the call after 25 seconds.

I don't get a lot of annoying calls from anonymous callers, so I haven't had to deal with the problem.

[mike_terror]

Thanks for your input RonR, I appreciate it.

What do you think of the following approach:
- Record "This phone does not accept calls from blocked callers........." on my google voice VM greeting
- Turn on *77
- All anonymous calls will be hearing the rings a couple of times and then greeted with my GV VM greeting that I recorded above
- Regular callers will come through and ring on my house phone, if I'm not home, my house phone's answering machine will pick it up and record their VM.

Do you think this is a better approach?

[Stewart]

Regular callers will come through and ring on my house phone, if I'm not home, my house phone's answering machine will pick it up and record their VM.

Do you think this is a better approach?

Unfortunately, you can't change the time when GV voicemail picks up -- it's fixed at 25 seconds.  Allowing for call setup time and quantization errors, you'd have to set your answering machine to pick up at 20 seconds or sooner.  Also, you'd lose GV's voicemail transcription, saving messages forever, and many other nice features.

What problem do you see with a separate Callcentric account (or other free voicemail service)?

[mike_terror]

Stewart, I like your idea of the free voicemail account too. Your idea is to basically have the incoming blocked caller from SP1 (GV) dial out with my SP2 (Call Centric) to another telephone voicemail greeting correct?

I checked out call centric and I don't happen to see a free inbound voicemail account that I can sign up for.

[RonR]

FWIW, I don't use Google Voice voicemail and have my answering machine pick up after 4 rings that reliably beats the Google Voice 25 second trip-point.  I'd rather be able to set it to 6 rings, but 4 isn't a problem.

If you can live with that, I think your scheme works.

[RonR]

I checked out call centric and I don't happen to see a free inbound voicemail account that I can sign up for.

I have a free Callcentric account and it's only a matter of enabling voicemail (it's disabled by default).

[Stewart]

I checked out call centric and I don't happen to see a free inbound voicemail account that I can sign up for.

Get a free (IP Freedom) account.  Then, order Voicemail for it (also free).

[mike_terror]

http://www.callcentric.com/products/

Hmm, I have the $0.00 pay per call OUTBOUND account. I just added the IP FREEDOM $0.00 as well as VOICEMAIL $0.00, but it seems to still not be working. From what I understand the IP FREEDOM is for calling out other callcentric users as well, it's not for receiving any inbound calls.

Since I have 2 outbound accounts and 0 inbound accounts, that makes the voicemail service useless. There's also no number for me to dial to reach the voicemail either since I don't have an inbound service. If I try to dial my PayPerCall account number 1777xxxxxxx, it gives you a dead tone.

[Stewart]

Assuming that nothing is registered to the new account, it should go to VM automatically.  Just in case, go to Preferences -> General an set Do not disturb to "Send calls to voicemail".

An IP Freedom account (or Pay Per Call without a DID) offers these incoming services:

Calling the 1777xxxxxxx number from another Callcentric account, e.g. you can dial **2177xxxxxxx from your OBi.

Via SIPBroker.  Call any SIPBroker PSTN number, at the prompt dial *4621777xxxxxxx .

Via iNum.  Get a free iNum for the account, then call it via iNum gateway, Localphone & Rebtel access numbers, etc.

Via SIP URI.  For example, get a free IPKall DID, point it at 1777xxxxxxx@in.callcentric.com .

Edit: It's possible that some technical problem, e.g. a NAT issue, is preventing incoming calls from working properly on your OBi.  You could test by dialing in from your cell phone, via SIPBroker, to the 1777xxxxxxx number of your main CC account (not the one set up for the special greeting).

[DaveSin]

The way I have this setup is to create another Google Voice account/number (GV2): 1aaaXXXXXXX.  I setup GV2 to DO NOT DISTURB (DND).  I record a message on GV2 (like the one shown in the attachment at the lower left hand corner [bottom] of this post) about four/six times in a row to avoid the incoming caller from leaving a message on GV2 Voicemail.  Even if they do leave a message, it is not a big deal, as long the calls do not ring the phone attached to the OBi ATA.

I then enter the following in the inbound call route of SP1 (setup with GV1) and/or SP2, using one of the two channels of GV1 for the outbound leg of the call to GV2.  

Voice Services -> SPx Service -> X_InboundCallRoute : .......,{?:sp1(1aaaXXXXXXX)},.........

Where SPx can be SP1 or SP2 or both!

Therefore, if the incoming call came in on GV1, I use the second channel of GV1 to forward the call to GV2, where the call is immediately answered and the caller hears the repeated message.  The phone attached to the OBi ATA does not ring!

[ProfTech]

Here is another approach similar to the Callcentric approach. You can get a DID number with Voip.ms for $1.50 per month. They do not charge you for 911 service unless you request it. Then set up a "Dummy" voice mail with them. It can be set to answer only certain days / hours if you like. Then configure your Obi as stated to give "Unknown" callers a busy. When the busy occurs, the Obi will send the call back to Voip.ms and they will hear your Dummy voice mail message [what ever you record]. The caller may think he can leave a message if you tell him so. Either way, if he leaves a message their system just throws it away. If you would like for legitimate callers to be able to leave a message that can be set up also. Just one catch. Voip.ms charges around 1 cent per minute for the calls.

[mike_terror]

The way I have this setup is to create another Google Voice account/number (GV2): 1aaaXXXXXXX.  I setup GV2 to DO NOT DISTURB (DND).  I record a message on GV2 (like the one shown in the attachment at the lower left hand corner [bottom] of this post) about four/six times in a row to avoid the incoming caller from leaving a message on GV2 Voicemail.  Even if they do leave a message, it is not a big deal, as long the calls do not ring the phone attached to the OBi ATA.

I then enter the following in the inbound call route of SP1 (setup with GV1) and/or SP2, using one of the two channels of GV1 for the outbound leg of the call to GV2.  

Voice Services -> SPx Service -> X_InboundCallRoute : .......,{?:sp1(1aaaXXXXXXX)},.........

Where SPx can be SP1 or SP2 or both!

Therefore, if the incoming call came in on GV1, I use the second channel of GV1 to forward the call to GV2, where the call is immediately answered and the caller hears the repeated message.  The phone attached to the OBi ATA does not ring!

DaveSin, that sounds like a good idea too! If I use that string you pasted above, does that mean any blocked callers who are coming into my SP1 (google voice) will be then dialed out through my SP2 (call centric) directly to my SECOND google voice # to hear that message?