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Why use OBI instead of Headset and Google Chat?

Started by ThePotency, May 14, 2011, 09:12:39 AM

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ThePotency

What am I missing here? Why not just get a nice wireless usb headset and use google voice as a softphone? All I want to do is place and receive calls on my GV account. What's the advantage?

AndroidsOfTara

Quote from: ThePotency on May 14, 2011, 09:12:39 AM
What am I missing here? Why not just get a nice wireless usb headset and use google voice as a softphone? All I want to do is place and receive calls on my GV account. What's the advantage?

I, for one, simply prefer to use a real telephone (touch tone and rotary) for phone calls.


ThePotency

That's a great reason.  :) I assume there is probably some quality difference too depending on the headset. But for me, I don't care whether I've got a real phone or soft phone. Are there any other real advantages other than the familiarity of using a hard phone?

dudlee

With the Obi you don't need your computer running. 

ThePotency

That's another good reason. But if I am in the office taking calls, the PC is fired up!

jimates

#5
Calling with google (for limited times of the day), is just one of the smallest features, in it's simplest form, of the Obi. If that is all you want to do then there is likely no advantage to using it over a headset.

Actually using it with a headset could be easier if you use blue tooth. Most of use have greatly expanded our use of the Obi because of it's many features and capabilities. One being the option to make free wifi calls from our smartphone.

ThePotency

I thought calling with google voice was the point of the device! :D I tried a bluetooth headset and the quality was awful. One reason I'm considering OBI is because I expect the quality of the calls will be better on a hard phone.

I don't need OBI to make wifi calls on my smarphone; the GV app takes care of that.

I guess it is hard to explain to me the potential advantages of OBI if you don't Know what I would like to do.

Basically, I'm trying to overhaul my phone system at the office. I run three land lines; two direct office lines and a main office line. I'm considering forwarding the mainline to a GV account that rings the two direct lines, which are in turn forwarded to individual GV accounts. That way, If the main line rings, and I am on the phone, my partner can take the call. Both of us can access the main GV account to review, notate, and forward voicemails and review logs of missed calls ect.


jimates

The Obi was developed as a ATA device for sip supported voip. Support for google voice was added to the device 4 months after it's release. It just happens that the popularity of the device grew tremendously when that feature was added, mainly because it "fixed" some of the limitations of google voice. The main one being the need for a physical phone to use google voice and the ability to use a regular telephone without having to pay for landline service.


ThePotency

I suppose I won't get it until I start playing with one. OBI ordered.

jimates

#9
I am sure there are a few people here that would suggest a pbx type system to you.

Aside from caller id (which you will likely loose at some point in your forwarding calls), the Obi should be able to do everything you described.

A few of Google's basic functions are:
Forks calls (rings simultaneous) to several numbers at the same time.
Voicemail
Contact list

Obi can fork calls to other numbers
Obi can forward on no answer, google can't
Obi can forward on busy, google can't
Obi can make an extension of your office phone to your home


Obi's single phone port limits it to some extent. The Obi along with google voice can make simple work for a somewhat complex situation. The major limitation is the inability to turn off google's voicemail. So dealing with multiple google voice numbers could result in voicemail at several places.

jimates

I think you should have ordered at least two, LOL.

ThePotency

LOL. I'm going to have trouble getting my partner on board here, so I'm going to have to show her the beauty of this thing with all the kinks worked our first!