Problem with Caller ID via Simon Telephony

[dial.tone]

To get caller ID name and number on my Obi202/GoogleVoice, I followed the instructions in this excellent michigantelephone blog post (http://michigantelephone.wordpress.com/2012/04/15/how-to-use-the-simon-telephonics-google-voice-gateway-with-an-obihai-device-to-provide-caller-id-name-on-incoming-google-voice-calls/) exactly.  It seems to have worked, for the most part, except that now the caller ID name is always GoogleVoice.  Has anybody else encountered this and found a solution?  There was nothing in the blog post about changing any settings in GoogleVoice, so I didn't: I still have GoogleChat as the only "phone" GoogleVoice forwards calls to.

[pc44]

Hi dial.tone,

Are you sure you have not accidentally changed your settings inside Google Voice?

If you log in to Google Voice and then go to your account's Settings, do you have the following selected:
Settings -> Calls -> Caller ID (incoming) -> Display caller's number
and not
Settings -> Calls -> Caller ID (incoming) -> Display my Google Voice number

This may not be your problem, but it won't hurt to double-check,
pc44

[dial.tone]

Hi dial.tone,

Are you sure you have not accidentally changed your settings inside Google Voice?

If you log in to Google Voice and then go to your account's Settings, do you have the following selected:
Settings -> Calls -> Caller ID (incoming) -> Display caller's number
and not
Settings -> Calls -> Caller ID (incoming) -> Display my Google Voice number

This may not be your problem, but it won't hurt to double-check,
pc44

Hi pc44,
That was the first thing I thought of, too, so I checked it then and I double-checked it just now.  The radial button beside, "Display caller's number" is selected.

[dial.tone]

I just wanted to add a couple of additional data points.  The michigantelephone blog posting didn't say to fill in the Outbound Proxy Server or the URI blocks on the Generic Service Provider configuration page, so I didn't.  I don't necessarily think that the vacant URI is the problem since the status on SP1 (the one with the Simon Telephony link) shows "Registered" and my phone makes and receives calls just fine.  It doesn't seem like the blank Outbound Proxy Server would be the problem either since caller ID is an incomong-call issue.  But you never know, so I wanted to pass along those tidbits.

[dial.tone]

Sorry if it seems like I am having a conversation with myself, but I want to post this stuff as it occurs (or, at least, as it occurs to me).  Anyway, something I read in the "Favorite Obi Tricks" stickie made me wonder if I should uncheck the "Forward calls to Google Chat" box in my GV settings.  So I tried it and it didn't change anything: the caller ID name on all incoming calls is still GoogleVoice.  Surprisingly, even with "Forward calls to Google Chat" unchecked, calls still went through both ways, in and out.  I didn't think they would since, in that configuration, I didn't have any phones selected to forward GV to.

[jbullion]

For what it's worth, mine has been set up for a while working fine, and I noticed today that it, too, is saying Google Voice for every caller instead of their name.  Just started that.  Something up with Simon Telephony?

[dial.tone]

For what it's worth, mine has been set up for a while working fine, and I noticed today that it, too, is saying Google Voice for every caller instead of their name.  Just started that.  Something up with Simon Telephony?

Hope it isn't something I did!

[pc44]

Hope it isn't something I did!

It was working just great, dial.tone.  Why did you have to go and break it?

Hehehe... NO, I'm just kidding.  

I seriously doubt that you caused the problem at all.  It must be something happening on Simon's side.  Perhaps one of you could shoot him an email inquiry, so that he could double-check things.  It would appear there is a support email address located on his page here.

pc44

[dial.tone]

It must be something happening on Simon's side.

pc44

I just checked it this morning and it's still the same: the caller ID name on all incoming calls is GoogleVoice.  There's nothing on Simon Telephony's blog about this condition, so maybe it is just a temproary condition on ST's end.  My wife is so humorless about this kind of thing!

[dial.tone]

For what it's worth, mine has been set up for a while working fine, and I noticed today that it, too, is saying Google Voice for every caller instead of their name.  Just started that.  Something up with Simon Telephony?

jbullion, has yours healed yet?  Mine is still doing the same thing.

[dial.tone]

jbullion, has yours healed yet?  Mine is still doing the same thing.

Well, now I think mine has healed.  Although I spent an agonizing amount of time yesterday puting regular callers in my phone's phone book and I think most of the calls I received today were from them, a couple of calls came in today from strangers and the caller ID didn't say GoogleVoice.  If it keeps up like this, it'll be neater than heat and I'll definately be donating on Simon Telephony's website!  Actually, with caller ID and call forwarding working, this Obi202/GV/ST setup is, for all practical purposes, indistinguishable from the service I used to get from AT&T and Time Warner -- except for the ~$40+/mo I was spending with those other guys!  AND, best of all, the sideways looks from my lovely spouse, the ones that used to accompany incoming calls, have stopped!  It's like Christmas around here!  A big thanks to ST and to MichiganTelephone for some insanely good work!  Am I gushing?

[jbullion]

Mine fixed itself about the same time as yours, dial.tone, but has reverted back to showing GoogleVoice for CID again.  I get the same flack from my wife.    I count the CID as a bonus, b/c like you, too, I'm getting just as good service as what I was paying for before.  We'll see if it irons out itself again in a few days' time.  Is anyone else using Simon for CID seeing this?

[dial.tone]

Mine fixed itself about the same time as yours, dial.tone, but has reverted back to showing GoogleVoice for CID again.  I get the same flack from my wife.    I count the CID as a bonus, b/c like you, too, I'm getting just as good service as what I was paying for before.  We'll see if it irons out itself again in a few days' time.  Is anyone else using Simon for CID seeing this?

Mine is back to saying GoogleVoice on all calls again, too.  I also noticed that call forwarding (*72number#) doesn't work now.  I don't know if CF not working is related to Simon Telephony ID not working, or if it is a separate problem.  If/when caller ID starts working again, I'll try CF to see if it works.  I sure hope it does.

[billsimon]

Hi,

In short: Two different issues affected CNAM lookups this past week. Both have been fixed.

Longer: to save money we are participating in a beta program with one provider and it occasionally has some hiccups. In those cases the lookup is supposed to try a secondary provider. Of course this all has to happen in a second or two so that your calls get routed to you with very little delay.

There were problems connecting with both providers at different times this week; in one case, some results ended up showing GoogleVoice, and in the other case (this weekend) all names were GoogleVoice.

Be aware that there are some numbers out there that just do not have any name data attached to them. In these cases you will legitimately get "GoogleVoice" as the caller name.

I'm glad to see folks are enjoying the gateway.  I try to keep an eye on the CNAM but occasionally problems will slip under my radar.

dial.tone: the *72... command must be related to your device because it is not something the gateway or Google Voice provides.

Note: I will not be on this forum regularly as I don't have an Obihai device, so if you need support with GVGW please use the e-mail address listed on the web site. However, I will check this thread for the next day or two in case anyone has questions.

[dial.tone]

billsimon, thanks for posting-up a reply -- it is great to know that this forum gets the attention it needs and its doubly great to know that you care enough about your product and its users to explain what is going on.  If there is anything we users can do to help, I, for one, would be glad to do it.  Just let us know.  Now, back to waiting for that first call today from a stranger. . .isn't there a presidential campaign or two going on?

[Hortoristic]

I just started using the Simon Telephony, and Peer Name in my web call history is still continually showing blank for Peer Name - even for numbers I know that have a CNAM name.  I've checked my GV settings as mentioned above - is there anything else I can do?