Simple GV at home: Obihai OBi110

[Binky]

I've only started reading about this relatively new device, but holy crap! This little thing sounds amazing. Amazon has it for $50.

-Free google voice calls via your home DSL/cable internet
-Can interface with your home landline (people have those?)
-Can act as an FXO port with Asterisk
-Can link to other SIP providers
-Can call other Obitalk network users for free
-iPhone and Android apps are available

Same price as a PAP2 or SPA3102 but it can do MUCH more.

This guy's blog has several detailed posts about what this little thing can do:
http://michigantelephone.wordpress....e-voice-for-free-incoming-and-outgoing-calls/

I found an article over at voxilla indicating that it was made by a group of engineers that split off from Cisco/Linksys.
http://forum.voxilla.com/obihai-tec...obi110-puts-google-voice-any-phone-56664.html

Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...3Aobihai&ajr=0

Potential 911 providers to use as the 2nd account:
Callcentric ($1.50/month)
Anveo ($0.80/month)

***1-2-2012 EDIT***
I just learned that the Obi can use multiple VOIP providers to place outbound calls. It has two slots for the primary providers, and I assume that the majority of owners use one for googlevoice, and the other possibly for another VOIP provider. You specify one of them as default and you can access the other by dialing **2<phone number to dial>.

What isn't clearly stated is that you can configure SEVEN outgoing VOIP providers. For example, Callcentric has the best price to call your friend in Germany, but Anveo has the best rates to call your friends in Singapore. You can configure multiple VOIP providers and just use the star codes (e.g. **3) to route the call through that provider. You can even set it up to route specific calls through a specific provider without using the ** codes.

Here's a link describing how to configure multiple providers.
http://www.obitalk.com/forum/index.php?topic=526.0
***************

 

[notposting]

Nice post. I hope the DVR recorded Chuck because this just ate over an hour of time looking stuff up and registering a couple extra GV numbers. Hmmm...

 

[abaez]

My parents have been paying $80/mo for regular landline service and they are tired of it. Would this be something to get them or shouold I stick with something like Ooma to get them VOIP?

 

[SunnyD]

You will NOT have 911 service with this. Period. Something to keep in mind.

 

[Binky]

You will NOT have 911 service with this. Period. Something to keep in mind.

Well that's not entirely true. You can configure the second channel on a provider with 911 service if you wish (e.g. callcentric for $1.50/month). I haven't used the device yet so I can't say if it can be configured this way and be transparent to the user.

 

[paoliman]

Just keep an old cell phone for 911. Even if it is not active it can still dial 911.

 

[Binky]

I received the Obitalk device and managed to get it installed and working in about 10 minutes. Very slick. As noted in the Michigan Telephone blog, there's an odd period after configuring googlevoice where the unit doesn't work. Mine actually showed a flashing red status light. I have no idea why this happens, but it works after that. It also clicks when rebooting, which is a little strange.

Website setup makes this very easy. I configured GV on line 1, and callcentric on line 2. The website does all of the work for you. I also have a full Asterisk system that connects to my Googlevoice and Callcentric, but this box is so much easier!

The android app allows me to place calls via 3G through the home phone. It works.

As an added bonus, you could buy one and configure it to a new googlevoice account, then ship it to your less-than-techy friends/relatives. They would just plug it in and it should work. Very nice.

As SunnyD mentioned above, consider the lack of 911 or the extra configuration needed if you decide to replace a primary line with this. There are workarounds, but by default there is no 911 service with this unit hooked up only to GV.

 

[abaez]

OOS at amazon .

 

[Anonemous]

Just saw this on slickdeals. Looks like a neat device. Wish it was in stock at Amazon.

 

[Binky]

Weird. It's showing as totally unavailable at Amazon and it doesn't even show on the 888voipstore link.

Nerdvittles named it the "2011 VOIP device of the year" today. I expect some interesting tips and tweaks to come out of the nerdvittles forum users pretty soon.

http://www.888voipstore.com/obihai-obi110.html

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...TF8&amp;me=&amp;seller

 

[abaez]

Back in stock at 888voipstore, but they jacked up the price 100&#37; to $100 now. :| Still totally OOS at Amazon.

 

[Anonemous]

I got one off Amazon. They usually come in stock after 9PM and 8AM PST. Yesterday they were in stock at 10PM on Amazon.

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Does anyone know if using this device + gv will work with a fax machine? It seems like it should in theory but I'd like confirmation.

 

[Binky]

In general, faxing over any VOIP is problematic. I don't think that GV (officially) supports faxing. The obitalk device supports VOIP faxing protocols. Getting faxing to work on any given VOIP provider is another story.

 

[Binky]

In stock at Amazon.

 

[abaez]

Picked one up finally. Will save my parents 1,000/year with this.

 

[grohl]

I searched forums hoping to find this.

Thread on Slickdeals was epic and I got caught up in the hype and got one. Been looking for a good reason to get rid of my landline and this is IT.

I was also successful porting my landline number to GV through a Gophone intermediate. Kind of a PITA but I can promise you it is doable for about $42 if that's what holding you back.

Took me almost a week to snag one in stock at Amazon. Setup is a snap. I had one little snafu that I figured out in 5 minutes on their forums. Call quality is fantastic.

I had ATT DSL and landline. Landline used for home security system and Dish DVR. Also I drop calls on the lower level of my house frequently on my mobile. Switched to cable internet, same price, almost 20 Mbps down which is a massive upgrade for me.

Even at $25 a month, this device will save $300 per year plus free long distance and other cool GV stuff.

Nerd Vittles link: http://nerdvittles.com/?p=720

 

[Binky]

Just remember that my post here was before nerduno of nerdvittles (aka allthumbs on SD) posted over on slickdeals.

We both got our info from the slickdeals thread on googlevoice, which got its info from dslreports, which got its info from a michigan telephone blog post on January 22nd.

It's a great little device and it really does deserve all of this free publicity.

 

[abaez]

I was also successful porting my landline number to GV through a Gophone intermediate. Kind of a PITA but I can promise you it is doable for about $42 if that's what holding you back.

Can you provide more information on this? GoPhone as in AT&T prepaid gophone plan?

 

[grohl]

Can you provide more information on this? GoPhone as in AT&T prepaid gophone plan?

Yes, I bought a Gophone on the ATT site shipped next day for like $6.50. I had to physically go to a ATT store to do the port. I had to put the minimum of $15 plus tax credit on the phone. This is needed for GV verification.

After porting over to the gophone, I then initiated the porting to GV. GV requires a wireless number to port FROM. It requests the account number from the wireless number...for Gophones this is not available online and I had to call and get it. Once I started that process it took just shy of 24 hours.

 

[grohl]

Also wanted to update here that I physically disconnected my landline at the phone interface on the outside of my house.

That way the obi110 will interface directly through my existing house phone infrastructure. Now any phone port in the house works through the the device.

 

[Cruisin1]

Just got mine in yesterday. Unbelievably easy to setup. All it needed for my google voice to work was gmail address and password and it was setup and working within minutes. I can't believe how easy it was.

 

[cliftonite]

So I can port my existing Vonage landline to this and make free calls to anyone in the US? When I call someone does the number I ported over show up in the caller ID?

 

[cliftonite]

I searched forums hoping to find this.

Thread on Slickdeals was epic and I got caught up in the hype and got one. Been looking for a good reason to get rid of my landline and this is IT.

I was also successful porting my landline number to GV through a Gophone intermediate. Kind of a PITA but I can promise you it is doable for about $42 if that's what holding you back.

Took me almost a week to snag one in stock at Amazon. Setup is a snap. I had one little snafu that I figured out in 5 minutes on their forums. Call quality is fantastic.

I had ATT DSL and landline. Landline used for home security system and Dish DVR. Also I drop calls on the lower level of my house frequently on my mobile. Switched to cable internet, same price, almost 20 Mbps down which is a massive upgrade for me.

Even at $25 a month, this device will save $300 per year plus free long distance and other cool GV stuff.

Nerd Vittles link: http://nerdvittles.com/?p=720

It wouldn't cost anything if the calls were only to US numbers right?

 

[Binky]

It wouldn't cost anything if the calls were only to US numbers right?

Google has stated that all local and long distance calls through GV will remain free through the end of 2011. Nothing else is known about their ultimate plans for GV but they did buy gizmo5 and they recently shut it down. I'd guess that they're going to put together a full fledged VOIP product eventually.

Edit: GV will be free through 2012, per google.