To port or not?

[aopisa]

I guess I am a bit confused.

I have signed up with Vestalink in preparation for the GV cut off date. Is there any advantage to porting my number vs. just forwarding from GV? And it's not about the $13. I am cheap, but won't cry over $13 if there is some clear advantage or better peace of mind over forwarding.

Thanks in advance.

[giqcass]

I would not port until after the 30 day money back guarantee has expired.  

Advantages to forwarding from Google Voice.  
You can forward to multiple locations.
Google Voice provides SMS.
Google has spam filters for calls and from the last time I used Vestalink Google has better Ring time scheduling.

Advantages of porting.
Better call quality.  Adding multiple services will add some delay.
If using Vestalink Voicemail you will have message waiting indicator and stutter tone.
Adjustable ring time(I think) Check the voicemail settings to verify.

Notes: You can use Vestalink Voicemail if you forward from GV but you must shorten the ring time.  Both services do voicemail transcription.  If you don't port to Vestalink you will have 2 incoming numbers which could mean 2 targets for robocalls.  Vestalink claims they are planning on adding SMS but no one knows for sure if/when that will happen or what additional fees might be involved for that feature.

[carl]

I would port right away, just not to Vestalink. There has been a multitude of problems with GV forwarding and it will most likely get worse, not better. Also, expect increased problems with porting in April/May. As a matter of fact, i just started porting my second DID away from GV.

[giqcass]

I would port right away, just not to Vestalink. There has been a multitude of problems with GV forwarding and it will most likely get worse, not better. Also, expect increased problems with porting in April/May. As a matter of fact, i just started porting my second DID away from GV.

When it gets close to the deadline you may be right about porting getting backed up.  I have not personally had any issues with forwarding accept CID getting messed up.  Even on the day Google Talk and Hangouts went down it did not cause any issues for my inbound calls forwarded to my Callcentric number. Callback also continued to worked for me that day.

There doesn't seem to be any reason to be hasty about porting unless there is a feature or a problem.  At least one Vestalink customer on the forum seems to regret porting their number to Vestalink which is why I don't recommend doing it right away. That's why I said "I would not port until after the 30 day money back guarantee has expired."

I'm actually concerned the influx of customers on and around May 15th might cause another Vestalink disruption similar to the recent disruption.

[SteveInWA]

There doesn't seem to be any reason to be hasty about porting unless there is a feature or a problem.

My opinion:  there will likely be some increased demand and backlog of porting INto the various SIP ITSPs on/shortly after May 15th, due to the sheer size of the GV user base (millions).  Of course, it will be "peanut buttered" across lots of SIP ITSPs.  The fact is, underneath all those hundreds of big and small SIP VoIP retailers are only a small handful of actual Local Exchange (telephone system) Carriers who need to actually perform the ports (e.g. Level 3, Bandwidth, etc.).

However, and here is what I am really worried about, as a guy who answers questions over on the GV forum:  if thousands of people wait until 5/15 or later to port OUT of GV, GV and its carrier partner's already crummy and fragile porting tools will keel over from the strain.

SO:  my advice to everyone who is thinking of porting out of GV to some other carrier:  If you like GV features, just leave your number with GV, and get a new number from some SIP ITSP, and forward your GV number to the SIP number.  IF you are only using GV as a "free phone company", and don't care about all the nifty GV features, then don't wait.  Port now.

[aopisa]

I decided to port my GV number over to Vestalink and it has gone through.

Now what?

Do I need to do anything on the OBI device? if so, how? It still shows Google Voice active on SP1.

Do I need to do anything on the GV end? It still shows the ported number on the GV status page.

Sorry, I just cannot wrap my head around this phone stuff.

Or d I just leave everything alone because when my number is dialed GV is now out of the picture?

I used the Vestalink web set up tool to activate my account.

Thanks.

[KAura]

A reason to not port that I didn't see brought up...

If you keep you # with GV and just use forwarding,
you won't be charged incoming minutes against
your Obi plan...  (some charge incoming, some don't)

[SteveInWA]

I decided to port my GV number over to Vestalink and it has gone through.

Now what?

Do I need to do anything on the OBI device? if so, how? It still shows Google Voice active on SP1.

Do I need to do anything on the GV end? It still shows the ported number on the GV status page.

Sorry, I just cannot wrap my head around this phone stuff.

Or d I just leave everything alone because when my number is dialed GV is now out of the picture?

I used the Vestalink web set up tool to activate my account.

Thanks.

Since you ported your Google Voice telephone number out of Google Voice, and into Vestalink, you no longer have a Google Voice number.  So, if you didn't already do so, you need to log into your OBitalk portal page

http://www.obitalk.com/obinet/

And update your OBi's configuration.  You need to replace your Google Voice configuration (Service Provider, or SPx) with one for Vestalink.

When you log onto your Google Voice account, and go here:  https://www.google.com/voice#phones
you should no longer see your phone number listed.  If you do, wait a few more days, and it should be purged automatically.  If it's still there next week, and you can't delete it yourself, post over on the Google Voice forum and we'll help you get rid of it.

[c3c3]

A reason to not port that I didn't see brought up...

If you keep you # with GV and just use forwarding,
you won't be charged incoming minutes against
your Obi plan...  (some charge incoming, some don't)

Huh?  A call forwarded from GV to the new VOIP provider is still an incoming call to the new VOIP provider.

[aopisa]

I decided to port my GV number over to Vestalink and it has gone through.

Now what?

Do I need to do anything on the OBI device? if so, how? It still shows Google Voice active on SP1.

Do I need to do anything on the GV end? It still shows the ported number on the GV status page.

Sorry, I just cannot wrap my head around this phone stuff.

Or d I just leave everything alone because when my number is dialed GV is now out of the picture?

I used the Vestalink web set up tool to activate my account.

Thanks.

Since you ported your Google Voice telephone number out of Google Voice, and into Vestalink, you no longer have a Google Voice number.  So, if you didn't already do so, you need to log into your OBitalk portal page

http://www.obitalk.com/obinet/

And update your OBi's configuration.  You need to replace your Google Voice configuration (Service Provider, or SPx) with one for Vestalink.

When you log onto your Google Voice account, and go here:  https://www.google.com/voice#phones
you should no longer see your phone number listed.  If you do, wait a few more days, and it should be purged automatically.  If it's still there next week, and you can't delete it yourself, post over on the Google Voice forum and we'll help you get rid of it.

I thought that when you registered through the Vestalink web portal the Obitalk configuration page was no longer valid. Can someone please clarify this?

My GV number has indeed already disappeared from Google.

[mo832]

I thought that when you registered through the Vestalink web portal the Obitalk configuration page was no longer valid. Can someone please clarify this?

My GV number has indeed already disappeared from Google.

Obitalk is connected to your Obi hardware device. It is independent of any provider you use, and certainly not locked to Google or Google Voice if you choose to use someone else or don't even have a Google account.

[KAura]

NOPE...  a call could be forwarded to a landline, or cell phone without incurring
Vestalink incoming minute deductions/charges to your account...

Even your Vestalink unlimited plan is NOT UNLIMITED (false advertising)...

IF your COMBINED minutes go over a set monthly amount (4000?, 5000?), you
will come up for manual review, and if you exhibit any signs of being a business
[which you already have by coming up for review], you will be asked to upgrade
to a business account or move on


IF you had kept your GV# at Goog, you could have had it forwarded (but NOT
to Vestalink, otherwise it would defeat the purpose of not porting it), because
as a promotion all GV ports are temporarily FREE at the moment via VL...

However, if you were to set up a CallCentric NY DID on SIP2 and forward ALL
calls to that NY#, your incoming calls could be routed away from Vestalink and
THEREFORE your incoming minutes would NOT be traceable via VL or counted
against you on your current VL plan.

A reason to not port that I didn't see brought up...

If you keep you # with GV and just use forwarding,
you won't be charged incoming minutes against
your Obi plan...  (some charge incoming, some don't)

Huh?  A call forwarded from GV to the new VOIP provider is still an incoming call to the new VOIP provider.

[KAura]

Do I think you've made a bad decision porting your GV# to VL -- no.

Do I think you'll use too many minutes according to VL -- prob not...
but I have no way of knowing that.

You still may want to set up a second incoming route via CC so you
don't miss any incoming calls (or can make outgoing calls during any
outages that VL may incur [DDOS, or otherwise]).


Do I think VL is a bad company?  On the contrary, I believe that it is
"One of the Best" that's available so far.  As far as simplification goes,
you've made the right choice, imo.