What is this new Vestalink (obivoice) service provider?

[Dixon]

I have the OV trial. Everything works very well with my OBi 110. Even the iphone app works well on crappy VM 3g. I will be purchasing the 2 year unlimited plan before my trial ends in a few days.

[intelafone]

I prefer not to give credit card information to companies I am not familiar with.  Please consider making Paypal a payment option.

That is a good suggestion. We are going to be adding PayPal support by the end of next week.

-Andrew

[simpleAnswers]

@Robv2

Welcome

You don't really need to port. Just call forward the number to obivoice and use the call spoofing feature of obivoice to pass your number.

Sounds like the simplest solution. I will set up an account and try it out. This way if it works smoothly then I'm in for a 2yr plan myself.

Looking at what they are offering, ObiVoice sound like they have the closest solution to current GV.
I'm not impressed by what Obihai have put on the table as their alternative to GV which appears to read like a current landline, with call charges, this charges etc.

Lets hope obivoice can live up to expectations

[Ansextra]

I started service with VOIPO a few months ago and paid $185 for the first 2 years.  After that I believe the price goes to $185 / year.  I have had no problems with them whatsoever.  This Obivoice to me sounds too good to be true and I've always had the attitude that if it sounds too good to be true it usually is.  I just don't know how they'll stay in business at those rates.  I'm staying where I am.  Even at $185/year it's basically $15/month for unlimited.  I'm fine with that.

My phone with 911, voice mail, call fowarding, voice mail transcription, caller ID, Cname , and 48state long distance plus other stuff has costed me about $35 total over 2 years.

I don't find it hard to believe you can get similar service for $40 per year.   Most solutions I've looked at that without Google voice would work out to about $40 per month, in some cases less, many cost more.

What service are you using for $40/year?  I'm actually fine with the ~$6/month I'm paying now for the features I'm getting.  In two years I'll look around again.  Alot can happen in that time in the technology world...

[erkme73]

I don't think this service is ready for primetime.  I'me getting 2+ second delays talking with my father (who is also on an OBi box with OBivoice). 

Today, when we try to call each other, we're getting messages that "the extension you're trying to reach XXXXXXX [the recipients obivoice number] is unavailable beeeeep".

Can't get around this.  Going to contact Ryan...

[Dixon]

Not much delay here in MD. Maybe a 200-400ms to a cell. Same as all the other VOIP's I have used.

[MikeHObi]

My phone with 911, voice mail, call fowarding, voice mail transcription, caller ID, Cname , and 48state long distance plus other stuff has costed me about $35 total over 2 years.

What service are you using for $40/year?  I'm actually fine with the ~$6/month I'm paying now for the features I'm getting.  In two years I'll look around again.  Alot can happen in that time in the technology world...

My comment on the $35 over 2 years is related to using google voice and callcentric for E911.

ObiVoice is the current provider advertising $40/year.  I think that when Obi finally comes out with their provider list we'll find more than just one willing to be your provider for around $40 per year.

[Angelc19]

I took some good advice.
First try it before you buy it.
I tried it.
I liked it.
I bought it. (forwarding my GV number)
Total investment $25.00 for 500 minute per month with spoofing.

[KAura]

Well for now I do have MJ+ and it's ok on dsl or higher, but it's sometimes ok on virgin mobile broadband2go.  But what I am getting now for $15 a month doesn't require internet and the OBi110 will still work to block unwanted calls (after doing my homework on this forum [thanks for all the neat info here]).

There are alternatives that I have found, but I don't know how everything works.

There are some companies that say that the new change won't affect them.  As a for instance, when looking what to do when my service account with MJ+ expires, I can reprogram it and use it for free, too, to work with GV.  But PCPhoneSoft specifically states that it will be unaffected by the upcoming GV change.  In fact, they even have a phone for $20 that doesn't require all the reprogramming or a MJ dongle, etc.

I have spoofed my brother once in TX by calling him at his home # while using his cell # CID to call him.  He freaked out and started searching all over for his cell thinking that someone had taken it.  I apologized, and all he could say is how did you do that.

It seems that every device known to man revolves around SIP and access #'s, etc.

I guess that what I am saying is that there are many services out there, but $15 per month for voip?  That seems quite high, even with all of the features of OBi.  I really like the route that I am going, which is purchase a OBi110 (bridged) device [free shipping from wallyworld oders >$50 (the device is currently $46.99 and purchase a warranty or buy some cat food to push it over the $50 so you can get free delivery)] and use this device to handle the GV blocking that will soon be unavailable.

That way I can use the OBi110 with any system that I plug into its Pots jack.  If I did have internet, I would probably use LocalPhone, which is the cheapest I have seen so far, other than MJ+.

ObiVoice wants $39.99 (double that of MJ+).  Is there something so special about ObiVoice that I am missing?  Like I said, MJ+ doesn't require a computer, just activation...  and OBi110 doesn't require a computer, just programming.  I think the two together would handle anything that GV does now without compromising any security by using G to boot.

Can somebody on this forum justify ObiVoice's $39.99 price?  I can't, but I admit I partially clueless.

[giqcass]

ObiVoice wants $39.99 (double that of MJ+).  Is there something so special about ObiVoice that I am missing?  

First of all MJ raised the price to $29 per year now and it doesn't include 911, CNAM, CID spoofing, fax, or Visual Voicemail. Obivoice supplies all of those. 911 used to be included with Mj but that changed recently.  ObiVoice also lets you use your own device. If you buy 2 years prepaid on Obivoice it's the same price as MJ for unlimited.  Obivoice has a 500 minute a month plan that cost as little as $39.95 for 2 years.

As a for instance, when looking what to do when my service account with MJ+ expires, I can reprogram it and use it for free, too, to work with GV.  But PCPhoneSoft specifically states that it will be unaffected by the upcoming GV change.  In fact, they even have a phone for $20 that doesn't require all the reprogramming or a MJ dongle, etc.

Keep in mind PCPhoneSoft requires a PC turned on all the time in order for the device to work.  That applies whether you buy their dongle or if you use your expired MJ+ dongle.

But what I am getting now for $15 a month doesn't require internet

May I inquire what service you found for that price without internet?    My best guess is Straight Talk Wireless Home Phone,  Those are essentially cell phones that plug into home phone wiring.

[KAura]

Wow...  great response.  Really appreciated!

I guess for an extra $10 (since MJ raised their prices) ObiVoice may be the way to go, especially since I am running two businesses under 1 roof and don't want to use either of those CIDs for personal calls, but want to spoof the business that I am calling from when using the same phone #

It looks like I might have to bite the internet bullet and pay for internet.  If I knew a way around ST Home that was cheaper than $15/mo I would probably do that too.

I do want a portable landline and don't want to rely wholly on internet for anything.

...My best guess is Straight Talk Wireless Home Phone...

That is correct.

[LeoKing]

Yep, the $15/month service he mentioned was the Walmart Straight Talk Wireless Home Phone service.

[carl]

Wow...  great response.  Really appreciated!

I guess for an extra $10 (since MJ raised their prices) ObiVoice may be the way to go, especially since I am running two businesses under 1 roof and don't want to use either of those CIDs for personal calls, but want to spoof the business that I am calling from when using the same phone #

It looks like I might have to bite the internet bullet and pay for internet.  If I knew a way around ST Home that was cheaper than $15/mo I would probably do that too.

I do want a portable landline and don't want to rely wholly on internet for anything.

...My best guess is Straight Talk Wireless Home Phone...

That is correct.

If your business is just half way serious and quarter way profitable, i would not for a second consider junk like Magic Jack. BTW MJ charges all kinds of junk fees on the top of the advertised price which have not been mentioned here. Also, they do not connect for free to very many US phone numbers.
For a real business I would go with a real quality VOIP provider like Callcentric.
BTW if you do not want to depend on internet cell phones are pretty good, at least in metro areas.

[zarthan]

I would need two numbers. It looks like a second number is $2 per month which doesn't make too much sense if it doesn't up the minute count.

[zorlac]

I would need two numbers. It looks like a second number is $2 per month which doesn't make too much sense if it doesn't up the minute count.

Is that on the obivoice website somewhere?
Is texting to cell phones a standard feature like it is with GV and would these texts be treated the same as voice minutes?
I'm new to this, thanks.

[simpleAnswers]

I would need two numbers. It looks like a second number is $2 per month which doesn't make too much sense if it doesn't up the minute count.

Probably paying due to the E911 and DID you get with it. E911 is most likely the culprit for the charge.

[callhome]

Hi, New member here. Bought a OBI100 to use with GV about a month ago. Worked good but been looking for a replacement for GV by May. Heard about OBIvoice and tried their free trial. Everything worked as advertised. Read everything about them on all the forums. I'm about to run out of deals from Centurylink who I will be paying about $40 a month to for phone service. So I went for the unlimited 2yr plan and I'm in the process of porting my number to OBIVoice. Free was good but a little over $4 a month sounds a whole lot better than $40. Figured OBIvoice might be a gamble but if they stay in business for 3 months I'm already ahead. Being they have been doing this for several years as Intelafone they should have a feel for whats going on by now. Time will tell, I'll keep you all posted.
ET

[dakast]

Signed up yesterday for the 6 month $24.99 plan...use the obi100. Was using GV with CC for the e911.

I have caption phones due to hearing loss and the OV service is better for that than GV was...a lot of errors with GV. This is a different thing than Google transcription, which is horrible in it's own right.

The sound seems to be better with OV...it seems like GV got inconsistent the last couple of months.

The only problem I'm having right now is I ported my GV # and It was posted that porting for GV #s was free. I was charged $10 and haven't heard back yet about that.

==========================

edit:

the charge was refunded...unbelievable customer service!

[cluckercreek]

Obivoice took care of me on the cost to port my GV number. The only cost was $3 from Google to "unlock" it.

[cheapololo]

hello I have a question regarding obi100 configuration and obivoice. I am planning to signup for the trial account. I have an obi100 with gv configured on sp1. My question is do I have to change my sp1 or configure sp2 for obivoice or just the generic sip provider just like stated in the obivoice website. thanks very much in advance.