Google Voice - still working - and its 16 May 2014

[lhm.]

OFF TOPIC !!!!!!! Shut up.

[Crow550]

Whom are you directing this too? The people discussing 911 or me saying that myself and others are getting no voice out?

[lhm.]

911 off topic.

[Rick]

911 off topic.

I'm unclear.  Are you calling 911 because this thread is off topic?   

[zorlac]

911 off topic.

I'm unclear.  Are you calling 911 because this thread is off topic?   

More like Jerry Springer. 

[Pepi]

I wish you guys could have had a bowel of my wife's hot crow stew she made today    YUMMY

[smithduluth]

I wish you guys could have had a bowel of my wife's hot crow stew she made today    YUMMY

I hope you meant "bowl" 

[lhm.]

U folks are Whaco

[Ostracus]

No. VOIP is not legally required to have E911. I don't think Skype even offers it.

According to the FCC they do if they are Interconnected Voip services in the US and users may not opt out.  Services like Google Voice are hiding behind the guise of being a forwarding service so they don't have to comply.  They spent quite a bit of $$$ defending that position.  Skype seems to be taking the stance that they don't actually replace a telphone because their service was not designed to connect to a telephone.  Other companies are outside the US.  Callcentric allows you to say you will be using the service from outside the US.  Ring.to seems to plan to force the user to get their own 911 when using an Obi.  MagicJack is giving 911 to all customers and attempting to collect recovery fees.  They warn that customers that don't pay the recovery fees may be liable for those fees at a later date.  They also make it sound as if additional fees may come down the line if they don't pay up before they use 911.  
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/voip-and-911-service

All interconnected VoIP providers must automatically provide 911 service to all their customers as a standard, mandatory feature without customers having to specifically request this service. VoIP providers may not allow their customers to "opt-out" of 911 service.

What is the Interconnected VoIP Service?

Interconnected VoIP service allows you to make and receive calls to and from traditional phone numbers using an Internet connection, possibly a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection, such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless broadband. It can be used in place of traditional phone service. Typically, interconnected VoIP technology works by either placing an adapter between a traditional phone and Internet connection, or by using a special VoIP phone that connects directly to your computer or Internet connection. While you may choose to use interconnected VoIP service from a single location, like a residence, some interconnected VoIP services can be used wherever you travel, as long as a broadband Internet connection is available. Companies offering interconnected VoIP service call it by a number of different brand names. To find out more about VoIP service, see the FCC's VoIP consumer guide.

SkypeIN and OUT poked holes in that argument.

[superdesi]

To keep things on topic...... 5/22 GV still going strong on my OBi

[Rosemot]

Same here with my 3 Obi110..

[Pepi]

I've used my Obi through Google Voice for over a year.  Had a lot of problems with choppy voice and dropoffs.  So far with PP the choppy voice is gone and no more dropoffs.  I'm happy 

Only thing sad is my wife and I had to go without eating for a week due to the 60 bucks spent

[giqcass]

No. VOIP is not legally required to have E911. I don't think Skype even offers it.

According to the FCC they do if they are Interconnected Voip services in the US and users may not opt out.  Services like Google Voice are hiding behind the guise of being a forwarding service so they don't have to comply.  They spent quite a bit of $$$ defending that position.  Skype seems to be taking the stance that they don't actually replace a telphone because their service was not designed to connect to a telephone.  Other companies are outside the US.  Callcentric allows you to say you will be using the service from outside the US.  Ring.to seems to plan to force the user to get their own 911 when using an Obi.  MagicJack is giving 911 to all customers and attempting to collect recovery fees.  They warn that customers that don't pay the recovery fees may be liable for those fees at a later date.  They also make it sound as if additional fees may come down the line if they don't pay up before they use 911.  
http://www.fcc.gov/guides/voip-and-911-service

All interconnected VoIP providers must automatically provide 911 service to all their customers as a standard, mandatory feature without customers having to specifically request this service. VoIP providers may not allow their customers to "opt-out" of 911 service.

What is the Interconnected VoIP Service?

Interconnected VoIP service allows you to make and receive calls to and from traditional phone numbers using an Internet connection, possibly a high-speed (broadband) Internet connection, such as Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), cable modem, or wireless broadband. It can be used in place of traditional phone service. Typically, interconnected VoIP technology works by either placing an adapter between a traditional phone and Internet connection, or by using a special VoIP phone that connects directly to your computer or Internet connection. While you may choose to use interconnected VoIP service from a single location, like a residence, some interconnected VoIP services can be used wherever you travel, as long as a broadband Internet connection is available. Companies offering interconnected VoIP service call it by a number of different brand names. To find out more about VoIP service, see the FCC's VoIP consumer guide.

SkypeIN and OUT poked holes in that argument.

It seems as though you are saying that if someone else gets away with it then you can also do it.  If you see someone run a red light will you then assume that is also legal?  I don't think that pokes a hole in the argument at all.  In fact I don't even think there was an argument here in the first place.  I stated that a VOIP service must legally provide 911 if they are an "Interconnected Voip service".  That is spelled out clearly on the FCC website and a definition is provided.  In the end it's up to any companies respective lawyers to make the argument as to whether the FCC definition applies to their company and it's up to the FCC as to whether they will pursue a possible violation in the first place.

[AJor]

It's still working fine for me as of May 24. What exactly is going on? Maybe Obihai wants to make its business model more mainstream by focusing on paid VoIP services? Understandable. They had to pick some cutoff date. Google apparently remains vague on the issue.

Technical aspects of the "Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol" (XMPP) are over the heads of most people and this leaves things open to speculation. Since XMPP is a decentralized/open standard, can anything really be enforced?

http://xmpp.org/about-xmpp/technology-overview/

[MikePA]

Technical aspects of the "Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol" (XMPP) are over the heads of most people and this leaves things open to speculation. Since XMPP is a decentralized/open standard, can anything really be enforced?

A 'decentralized' standard has nothing to do with whether Google continues to support it.

NOTE: The answer is the same no matter how many times you ask the same question.

[AJor]

Technical aspects of the "Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol" (XMPP) are over the heads of most people and this leaves things open to speculation. Since XMPP is a decentralized/open standard, can anything really be enforced?

A 'decentralized' standard has nothing to do with whether Google continues to support it.

NOTE: The answer is the same no matter how many times you ask the same question.

Yes, you're right about "enforcement" since they plan to switch to a proprietary method (my temporary ignorance). But nobody can claim to know what's really going on behind the scenes unless they work for Google in that capacity. I am wondering if a Google employee might read this and comment.

[MikePA]

Read this link, then call or email the guy who wrote the post. He should know and be able to answer all your questions.

https://plus.google.com/+NikhylSinghal/posts/MjyncJEbzxK

[AJor]

Read this link, then call or email the guy who wrote the post. He should know and be able to answer all your questions.

https://plus.google.com/+NikhylSinghal/posts/MjyncJEbzxK

Lots of bitter comments on that page RE Obihai! One poster hopes that new firmware could make Obihai devices work with Google's XMPP replacement (seems doubtful). When something is given away for free over months and years, people get an entitlement mentality which is understandable to a point.

[MikePA]

When something is given away for free over months and years, people get an entitlement mentality which is understandable to a point.

No, it's not understandable.

There have been plenty of posts from people whose attitude was "It was free for a while. I saved some money. Now I have to pay a VOIP provider, which is still cheaper than a landline. Time to move on."

Then there are the whiners.

[YASH]

  What is the story of Google Voice? My Obi202 still works with GV
« on: Today at 05:46:41 am » Quote Modify Remove 

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I have obi202, which is 10 mos old and recently ( was using via Google voice ) there was  a wave of Google voice, stopping its services around May 15, 2014. But My piece is still working via GV and,.... as I received an e-mail from Obitalk,......
they say that Google has somehow made a provision to work it out,  some other way, so the service has not interrupted.  But the obi202 staff will not assist anymore for the Google voice for any questionnaire support, as they had declared.

So what is the true story ?  Are you still using GV,..... or should change to other service?
So far, I have no problem.  Pl. comment on this, an dalso ig there is another easy change for free service.

Somehow obihai helpline number is not returning my calls,
and they have stopped assisting via phone, it looks like. 

Thank you.