OBI100 and Google Voice.. Answering machine doesn't pick up..

[tbird2340]

I have an OBI100 with SP1 being my Google Voice account and my SP2 being Anveo E911..

I *had* my GV number forwarding to two cell phones.. So, when someone dialed our GV number my cell would ring, my wife's cell would ring, and our 4 phone "land" line would ring..

With this setup my wife's cell voicemail would answer if no one picked up.. Even though I have my landline set to 4 rings her cell would still pick up..

So today I just disabled the forward so just our home phones ring.. I don't answer and now my google voice voicemail picks up.. What do I need to do so my home phone answering machine picks up?

Thanks

[Shale]

You need to adjust the answer machine to answer sooner -- significantly before 25 seconds.

[CoalMinerRetired]

This is the golden rule, GV allows 25 seconds and it's not changeable: https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115110?hl=en&ref_topic=1708439

An FYI, do you also know about the "Switch phones during an incoming call" feature, enormously useful, IMO: https://support.google.com/voice/answer/115080?hl=en&ref_topic=1708125

[tbird2340]

Thanks for the replies..

That's not it.. I timed it and with my answering machine on 4 rings it's around 21 seconds.. I even dropped it down to 3 rings and it's still not picking up.. It still goes until GV picks up.

[hwittenb]

Thanks for the replies..

That's not it.. I timed it and with my answering machine on 4 rings it's around 21 seconds.. I even dropped it down to 3 rings and it's still not picking up.. It still goes until GV picks up.

It sounds like the answering machine isn't detecting (seeing) the ring on the line.

To test the OBi's ringer settings, I would disconnect everything from the phone port except the answering machine and maybe a simple phone so you can tell its ringing, call the OBi and see if the answering machine ever picks up.  If not I would start testing different ringer settings.

The Phone Port (FXS) has three ringer settings that the user can vary:

RingFrequency: default: 20 Hz  Range: 14 hz to 68 hz
RingVoltage: default: 70v Range: 55v to 82v
RingWaveform: default: Sinusoidal OtherSetting: Trapezoidal

For some setting guidance, I see the Cisco ATA Admin Guide has this recommendation if your phone doesn't ring with their ata:

IMPORTANT: Ring and Call Waiting tones don't work the same way on all phones.
When setting ring tones, consider the following recommendations:
• Begin with the default Ring Waveform, Ring Frequency, and Ring Voltage.
• If your ring cadence doesn't sound right, or your phone doesn't ring, change
your Ring Waveform, Ring Frequency, and Ring Voltage to the following:
- Ring Waveform: Sinusoid
- Ring Frequency: 25
- Ring Voltage: 80v

[tbird2340]

The Phone Port (FXS) has three ringer settings that the user can vary:

RingFrequency: default: 20 Hz  Range: 14 hz to 68 hz
RingVoltage: default: 70v Range: 55v to 82v
RingWaveform: default: Sinusoidal OtherSetting: Trapezoidal

For some setting guidance, I see the Cisco ATA Admin Guide has this recommendation if your phone doesn't ring with their ata:

IMPORTANT: Ring and Call Waiting tones don't work the same way on all phones.
When setting ring tones, consider the following recommendations:
• Begin with the default Ring Waveform, Ring Frequency, and Ring Voltage.
• If your ring cadence doesn't sound right, or your phone doesn't ring, change
your Ring Waveform, Ring Frequency, and Ring Voltage to the following:
- Ring Waveform: Sinusoid
- Ring Frequency: 25
- Ring Voltage: 80v

Where do I change these settings? Thanks

[Shale]

I suggest that you call your GV number with a cellphone. Note when the call starts ringing as perceived by the sounds from the cellphone. Note when the call starts ringing locally. See if there is big difference.

[Jackson]

Well it should be working, especially when set to 2 rings.  It works for me at 4 rings with an old AT&T answerer and now with a Uniden DECT6 combo.  It may be a quirk of your phone.  Which one/brand are you using?  I also saw a post where folks were having answering machine problems when using a phone splitter.

[tbird2340]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16876104086

MOTOROLA L704 1.9 GHz Digital DECT 6.0 4X Handsets Cordless Phones Integrated Answering Machine

[tbird2340]

So where do I change the settings?

Thanks

[tbird2340]

Still having issues... I also have issues when I answer my cell (while at home).. My home phones still ring.. ?

[Shale]

So where do I change the settings?

Thanks

To change how quickly your home answer machine picks up, look for a switch on the device. If you do not see such a switch, check the manual for your  home answer machine.

[tbird2340]

Huh? What are you talking about?? My answering machine isn't picking up, that's the problem.. It's set for 4 rings and it doesn't pick up..

[Shale]

Huh? What are you talking about?? My answering machine isn't picking up, that's the problem.. It's set for 4 rings and it doesn't pick up..

Set it for 3 or 2 rings.

[tbird2340]

I've already tried that.. It's not picking up.. My cell phone picks up at around 5 rings..

[Shale]

Sorry...

I would try unplugging the other three phones initially for testing. One of them may be loading down the line sufficiently to make the answer machine to not detect.

If things work then, look to turn off ringers in one or more of the other phones when you plug them back in. You may be able to reduce the load.

If you really were going to change the ringing voltage or frequency, you would do that in the expert mode of OBiTalk. However I would try reducing the load initially, at least as a test.

[giqcass]

For diagnostic purposes I would temporarily remove Google Voice from the equation.  Then you can see if the answering machine will pick up with more then 25 seconds.

[tbird2340]

giqcass, I can't eliminate google voice from the equation as it's my only number.. I ported my home number to GV and that's what rings into the OBI..