Need info on GV and Obi100/Obi200

[dmdvfl]

I do not have any experience/knowledgage with GV and Obi products.  I read most of the posts here but cannot find the information I need.  I was told that I can use GV and Obi device to make free calls.  I purchased an obi100 and another obi200.  I need to set them up so that my daughter can call family and friends from military base in Japan for free or at low cost.

I just read some posts from this forum that the GV numbers are not primary phone lines, they can only be used to bridge calls between two "real" phone numbers.  I wonder if there is a way to get around that. 

Questions:
1. I have new T-mobile SIM card, can I activate it and port this T-mobile number to GV (I read it is $20 porting fee) to use it with Obi100/Obi200?

2. Can I port my local phone company land line to GV directly or do I have to go through cell company such as T-mobile?

3. I have couple of Cisco IP phones, can I use these phones with Obi100/Obi200 and what is the advantage of IP phone over the regular analog phone?

Thanks in advance for any help!

David

[drgeoff]

You call call free from any OBi device to any other OBi device using the OBiTALK network.  No need for GoogleVoice or any other Internet Telephony Service Provider.

Every device has a 9 digit OBi number.  (Usually on a label on the underside of the unit.) With the default configuration (after registering the two devices on the OBiTALK portal) you can reach the other OBi by dialling **9 xxx xxx xxx where xxx xxx xxx is the other OBi's number.  With a little bit of configuration you can eliminate the need for the initial **9 or even assign the OBi number to a speed dial or even a warm line so that it calls the other end automatically after a short delay if nothing is dialled when the phone is taken off-hook.

To make calls from the OBi in Japan to other phones in the US, the US OBi can bridge incoming OBiTALK calls to other destinations using your existing POTS landline (at POTS call charge rates) or you can configure a GV account for that OBi.  You don't need to port a number to GV.  You do need a working US number to set up GV.

[dmdvfl]

Thanks.  I understand that I can make point to point calling between two Obi devices.  I am trying to figure out a way for my daughter (and myself) to call other phone numbers with GV using Obi100.  I already set up two GV numbers but cannot make them to work with my Obi boxes.  I appreciate any advice that you can provide as I have zero knowledge on the services. 

[drgeoff]

http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=8560.msg56460#msg56460 for getting GV working on your units.