Porting Back To GV

[mnjeepmale]

Question and maybe some suggestions here. When we got Obi a few years ago we signed up for GV and got a new phone number from GV. We ported the phone number to FutureNine when it was reported that GV was making some changes and won't work with Obi as of the first half of 2014. We paid for 12 months with FutureNine and thinking about going back to GV with Obi. Can we port back to GV and will it work? Is it worth it?

[ceg3]

You can port into GV but it's somewhat complicated.  Search the forum and you will find threads with all the information you need to give it try.

[SteveInWA]

Hi:

Yes, you can port your number back into GV.  The catch is:  Google's porting system only accepts port-in requests of mobile phone numbers.  VoIP numbers are classified as land lines (even though it used to be a GV number, which, of course, was also a land line).  So, you need to first port the VoIP number into a prepaid mobile phone carrier, wait at least a few days, and then submit the port-in request to GV.

The number one reason ports into GV fail, is incorrect account number or PIN information submitted by the user.  Worse, users then cancel the port, which just makes a mess in the porting system.  So, if you choose to do this, please be sure you have contacted the mobile carrier and asked them specifically for the account number and PIN they need to see in the request, so that they'll validate and release your number.  For example, AT&T GoPhone does not display the account number anywhere visible to the customer; you need to call them to get it.

Porting instructions are here:  https://support.google.com/voice/answer/1065667

[202Owner]

Question and maybe some suggestions here. When we got Obi a few years ago we signed up for GV and got a new phone number from GV. We ported the phone number to FutureNine when it was reported that GV was making some changes and won't work with Obi as of the first half of 2014. We paid for 12 months with FutureNine and thinking about going back to GV with Obi. Can we port back to GV and will it work? Is it worth it?

You've seen GV before so if you're happy with the free calls and:
o  no 911 support
o  no customer service
o  un-served calling areas
o  ignored early media
o  no CallerID spoofing
o  no CallerID number blocking (telemarketing block)
o  that monkey business of 2-stepping through mobile porting
o  that monkey business to enable call forwarding to Google Chat when it can't be found
o  inbound going to voice mail in ~25 seconds no matter what
o  no voice mail message waiting indication
o  spurious Google changes to their XMPP protocol that can disable your service until your OBi firmware is fixed
o  no International call forwarding including Canada
o  no SIP URI dialing
o  Google's take-it-or-leave-it product design that is all about their needs, not yours
o  Google's sticky fingers on your personal data (they may let you delete some things one at a time)
o  and many other limitations compared to real ITSPs...

...then go for it!  Otherwise, if you want a full-featured quality landline service and not just a backup to your mobile phone, I recommend you get primary service with a real ITSP and configure GV as a backup trunk.

[carl]

+1
Amen

One thing to consider that, if proper choices made, the costs of real, reputable  ITSP providers are minimal compared to what you are paying to your ISP.