Comcast/Callcentric/Obi 110 CHAOS

[babobi]

Hola everyone! Seeking advice/counsel from the honorable members of this Obi Forum, hoping y'all can help me. For about two years, I had an excellent setup using my parents Comcast landline with Callcentric configured via an Obi 110 device to block and protect my elderly parents from RELENTLESS scammers and spammers. I simply forwarded their Comcast landline number to the Callcentric number where I could filter, block, and/or redirect the junk callers at will. I had it configured so junk calls didn't even ring, only "white list" calls went thru.

Everything worked perfectly until May 23rd 2014, then things got weird. Caller ID no longer showed the phone number of the originating caller, instead showing my parents Comcast landline number on the Caller ID for all incoming calls. I think this might be because Comcast changed their residential landline service with an "Advanced Call Forwarding" feature allowing customers to have up to 5 phones simul ring at the same time. I drove myself crazy trying to reconfigure Callcentric to work compatibly with Obi 110 and Comcast. When I sought help and solutions at Tech Support from these three different entities, it was futile -- each blaming the other on why Caller ID no longer worked in terse and vague messages that were totally useless. I finally disconnected the Obi 110 in frustration.

In a nutshell, here is what I want [and had until May 23rd]: I want to keep my parents current Comcast landline number, forwarding all incoming calls to the Callcentric number, where they can be filtered so only legit calls go thru, sending spam calls to the junk "no ring" pile, I don't even want to here the little "chirp" ring sometimes heard when incoming calls are forwarded. I want the Comcast landline phone to only ring for legit calls AND show the originating phone number on Caller ID. My parents are in their 80s, they receive scam phone calls every day, especially from Jamaica. I can't be there 24/7, I need something I can remotely access to protect them. Can anyone help me? Thanks so much.  

[Mango]

Though Callcentric is an excellent VoIP service provider, it is in my opinion overcomplicating this specific project.  I suggest you discontinue your service with Callcentric, and your forwarding feature with Comcast.  Instead, do your telemarketer blocking with your OBi110.  That would meet your requirements of being able to white/black list Caller ID numbers, no chirp ring, Caller ID, and remote administration.

[babobi]

Thank you, Mango. But I'm not really sure how to do that as I am not a tech wiz. Is there a SIMPLE Obi 110 manual that you know of? Like a dummies guide? I also read elsewhere on this forum there is only a limited number allotment of calls one can block. Do you happen to know what the number limit is? Can I block entire area codes and could you tell me how to do that? So should I just delete my current Callcentric configuration and start from scratch? How does one perform a factory settings restore? Sorry to sound so needy, it takes me awhile to learn all this stuff. Thanks again, Mango!

[Mango]

I wrote a few articles on the topic.  The following should be about as simple as it gets for what you want to do:

http://www.toao.net/514-use-pots-for-all-outbound-calls-on-an-obi110
http://www.toao.net/503-blocking-telemarketers-with-an-obi-ata

If you use OBiTALK to configure the device remotely, you may need to use OBi Expert Configuration to access these settings.

As for a maximum length, the admin guide states the maximum length of a single DigitMap is 511 characters, and the device allows you to set up 10 DigitMaps...so that should be PLENTY.

I believe the syntax for blocking area code 876 would be: 876XXXXXXX

[babobi]

It took me many months to create the Callcentric white and black lists. May I ask you if there is any way I can keep my current Callcentric configuration WITHOUT forwarding the Comcast calls to the Callcentic number? Can the Obi 110 detect incoming calls and route them so only white list calls ring thru to the Comcast landline number?

[Mango]

Anything is possible - though what you are proposing is much more complicated and has more points of failure.

[babobi]

Here's what I'm thinking: Could the Obi 110 somehow be programmed to "simul ring" the Callcentric number every time the Comcast landline number is called? [perhaps this is called "forking"?] And would it be possible for the ring to be silent BEFORE going to the Comcast number ONLY IF the incoming call is NOT on the Callcentric "white list"? In other words, the Comcast landline POTS would ONLY RING thru from numbers on the Callcentric white list.