$50 Google Voice Device for Free U.S./Can. Calling

Where to order [obihai.com] > Amazon [amazon.com] OOS 3/17/11 06:50 EST Amazon price is jacked up to $84.9, but it IS NOT THE PRICE. Read their Facebook page. When it is in stock it will be $69.99. with a $20 coupon (GREATBUY)
- Availability: see Twitter [twitter.com] or Facebook [facebook.com]
- Latest firmware update [obitalk.com] <=== Build 2101

FAQ - If a question is asked often, please post it here
Q. How much does OBi110 cost?
A. $69.99+$20 coupon+FSSS via Amazon. If it is higher, it is probably out of stock. Please check Twitter/Facebook for status.

Q. Can I get it for less?
A. Yes. A trimmed down version, Obi100 is expected late March [voxilla.com] 2011, for about $44. Obihai's FB page says it will be available next week at Amazon for $43.99. UPDATE: Currently this is on Amazon for $59.99 (3/29) with up to four units available for 43.99 using code HELLOOBI at checkout.


Q. What about 911
A. You can check with your local 911 center or local police dept. for a local 7 or 10 digit number you can call for emergency service. You can then create a rule for the Obi. When you dial 911, the Obi will call the other number instead of 911. I have posted a configuration for the alternate 911 setup here http://www.obitalk.com/forum/inde...66#msg1766


Q. Can I port my home phone to GoogleVoice, to keep my phone number?
A. It seems yes, by first porting to a mobile phone at a cost of $21 (prepaid AT&T phone and air card), then to GoogleVoice at a cost of 20 porting fee.

Q. Can I make calls from outside the United States?
A. For GoogleVoice, you will need two Obi110, one outside the country and one in the States. This will fool Google to make it look as though your calls are from the States. If you want to place free calls you need a voip provider that gives you that service, or TWO Obi units or TWO Obitalk apps. One device or one app in each location/country. You can place free calls between the two because Obitalk is providing the voip between the devices/apps free of charge. If you also have a landline connected to, or google chat set up on (in the US), the Obi device, you can access that landline or GV line remotely from another device or app as long as you are in the circle of trust for that device.


VIDEO (Note: Device does not have video capability.)
Obi110 have the same capabilities as Linksys PAP2, plus a lot more. Read the rest of Wiki to find out more.
Clip on what Obi110 can do in addition to Google Voice, Ooma and other Voip Services, Landlines, etc. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht6fcoJM5io
Overview of all the features (may not include some of the new features introduced in the last few firmware update), http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5BwQ0E6fmQ&NR=1
Getting started with OBi - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWAPZJFpXMo

About Google Chat
You can make calls using your computer as a telephone using the Google Chat feature of G-mail.
Effective 25 August 2010, you should have the green telephone icon for the new G-mail "Make a Call" feature, as illustrated in the Official Google Voice Blog [blogspot.com]:

Note that this feature of G-mail is not Google Voice, although it uses some of the same resources as Google Voice. The new feature of G-mail is a true VoIP application which uses the Internet to place calls, while Google Voice is a call management service that requires that you have a working telephone with a US phone number.

With G-mail, you can enable the on-screen dial pad and dial a number directly, or type a name or phone number and let your Google contacts fill in the data. All you do is click and your call is placed, free of charge. Google originally said the service would be free through 2010. At the end of 2010 they announced that the service would remain free through 2011. Google has given no indication what will happen after that.
GV calling through GMail will be free 'till 2012 - tim_who_else (post #44)
http://googlevoiceblog.blogspot.c...rough.html

Enter the Obi110 ATA (Analog Telephone Adapter)
The Obi ATA uses the Google Chat feature of G-mail and allows you to place free US domestic voip calls using a regular telephone. If you also have a Google Voice number, that is associated with the same G-mail account, you can receive incoming calls to the Obi ATA, free of charge. Google Chat & Google Voice cannot be used outside the US and can only be used with English language settings.

No computer is needed for calling once the device is configured. You just plug it into your broadband internet modem or router, and plug a regular cordless or corded phone into the ATA to place/receive calls. You can also plug in another working voice line and you can place and receive all your calls on the same telephones. All lines connected or configured on the unit are also bridgeable for combined features. E911 service is not available from Google's calling services. I have posted a configuration for an alternate 911 setup HERE [obitalk.com]

Because the Obi110 uses the Google Chat feature of G-mail, it is recommended that you not open your G-mail page in your browser while receiving calls to the Obi110. Incoming calls may not be routed to the ATA if the G-mail page is open.

The features of the Obi110 are many, and still expanding, but this thread is focusing on using it with the Google Chat feature of G-mail.
You can use the Obi110 with up to 2 G-mail accounts (one line at a time for outgoing calls, conference all for incoming calls).

It will also work with other voip providers, many of the settings for those providers are preset into the device for easy configuration.
Obihai also has a PC softphone app & Smartphone apps that can be used for placing/receiving free calls between any Obi ATA or Obi app. You do not place calls to regular numbers from these apps, but you can access the calling features of an Obi ATA (& the providers configured in it) by calling into the device from another Obi ATA, Obi app or regular phone.

NOTES ABOUT CALLING WITH THE Obi110
In order to make calls to regular phone numbers anywhere with the Obi ATA, you need a voip provider or Google Chat.

NOTE: Your voip provider's (or google's) calling restrictions are not modified by using the Obi. If the provider or GV charges for domestic or international calls, you will still be charged.

See This Image - The last configuration can be used to place free calls without a separate voip provider, as Obitalk is providing the voip between their devices. On the first two the voip is provided by a service provider other than Obitalk.

Reviews
Replacing your home phone [urlhasbeenblocked] with GV and ObiHai
From obihai website http://www.obihai.com/googlevoice.html
OBihai Knowledge Base [obihai.com]
OBiTalk Forum [obitalk.com]
Michigan Telephone Blog Review [wordpress.com] there are 3 parts to that review, you can got to #2 from the end of that one.


Obihai Obi110 which work with Google Voice without any other device.
- So don't need computer or server running Asterisk
- and don't need Linksys PAP2 since this device pretty much has all the features of Linksys PAP2
It replace both Asterisk and analog telephone adapter (REQUIRES A ROUTER OR MODEM WITH ACTIVE INTERNET CONNECTION)

You plug your normal cordless or corded phone directly to this Obi110 device.


FEATURES
* The ability to make US/Canada calls and receive calls for free using Google Voice;
* Call bridging capabilities from any phone and across any two VoIP services (i.e.: a PSTN line and a VoIP account, or between two separate VoIP accounts);
* Free seamless calling between any two OBi devices;
* Android and iPhone dialing connectivity.

Great Things You Can Do with Google Voice on the OBi110:
- Direct dial calls to the USA and Canada for free! **
- Direct dial calls to other countries at incredibly low international rates!
- Use an Analog Telephone Adapter-type VoIP device (OBi110) with Google Voice integration in conjunction with the cool features available with Google Voice – e.g. voicemail transcription, on-line voicemail, contact management, international calling, etc.

More Cool Stuff You Can Do with OBi & Google Voice:
- Receive calls to your Google Voice number on the phone attached to the OBi device.
- Use the OBiON app for iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices for true VoIP calls over Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G using the OBi device to bridge to Google Voice and call traditional numbers (without using your cell minutes).
- Receive calls to your Google Voice number then use the OBi device to bridge to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Android devices using Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G (without using your cell minutes).
- Easily set-up Google Voice trunks on your IP PBX phone system – no need for system upgrades or complex configs. The OBi acts as a SIP to Google Voice gateway.

If both you and your friends/family have OBi110, you and your friends/family can setup "Circle of Trust" with the OBi110 devices. For anyone with the right credentials (in their "Circle of Trust") can access all of the OBi110′s calling features just by calling the number associated with the OBi110. Meaning from your Obi110, you can access all the features of your friends'/family Obi110 if you are in their "Circle of Trust". So you can access their landline and Voip if it is connected to their Obi110. And you friends/family can be in different countries.


Supposedly there is the Obi100 model coming out in March or April for $10 less that does not have an FXO port (just FXS). FXS is what you need to plug your phone into - like the plug in the wall. FXO is the plug that is on your phone. If all you plan to do is plug a standard (corded or cordless) phone into your Obi and plug the other side into the internet, the Obi100 will do the trick. The Obi110 has an FXO port that people use to "bridge" their landlines, or connect to sophisticated PBX devices.
Note: You need to keep checking for stock. It comes and goes during the day/night!

OTHER
Other Voip Services/Companies you can use for free or low fee in addition to Google Voice.
http://slickdeals.net/forums/show...&t=2340577 - Whistle Phone offer both free incoming and outgoing calls. Whistle Phone will require you to listen to ad when making out going call. Very limited choice of area code for phone number. And incoming call doesn't work well with SIP.
For very low fee, there are
http://pbxinaflash.com/vitelity/ (Looks like Vitelity quality is gone. Read this thread in DSLReports for discussion about Vitelity quality [broadbandreports.com]
http://www.callcentric.com/ <--- many people recommend here and in other website
http://www.voip.ms/ <--- many people recommend here and in other website
flowroute [flowroute.com]
For free incoming call, beside Whistle Phone mentioned earlier, you can also use IpKall. It works with Callcentric to provide free local number in Washington State and free incoming call.
http://www.ipkall.com/
Another service offer free incoming phone number
http://www.sipgate.com/

DSLReports.com, The Good, Bad, Ugly charts (Voip rating chart)
http://www.dslreports.com/gbu

Here are some of the Voip that offer very low price International Calls
Onesuite and localphone offer a lot of local access number so can use it without Voip device. Those two also offer international local access number which you can use outside US. Check their website for more info.
http://www.onesuite.com (Onesuite has been around for 10+ years and consistently great quality)
http://www.localphone.com

http://www.callwithus.com/
http://www.future-nine.com/



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