Google Voice is an exemplary service to make free phone calls to anyone in USA and Canada. Google Voice also lets you send free text messages to these two countries. Google recently announced that Google Voice will be free till the end of 2011. We are pretty sure it will be free for at least few more years. We are taking this service a step further today. We have discovered a method to use Google Voice to replace your home phone without any kind of monthly payment. This is by far the best invention that stands on the shoulders of a giant.For the solution that we are going to talk about there is no need to have a computer running 24x7. Does that make the ATA lover/Guru inside you little curious? Yes, there is no need to have a dedicated computer system that runs as your ATA server. You can have a FREE home phone system without a computer system.
- High Speed Internet Connection (Broadband will do)
- A telephone system (your existing system is fine or buy a DECT phone from Amazon)
- A Google Voice account - Create one dedicated to this system that is other than your personal Gmail account.
- OBi110 Adapter
Buy it from Amazon for just $49.99.
1. Buy the ObiHai Adapter if you haven't already bought it.
2. The first thing is to set up a Google Voice account. Follow these steps for that:
- Visit google.com/voice and register for a new account.
- Select a number and verify it using your phone.
- Go to Voice settings (under settings on top right) and 1) turn call screening OFF 2) Incoming number should be set to caller's number 3) Do not disturb should be off.
- Additionally, make a call to a landline phone from the Gmail account using Call Phone option for this account. This is recommended by ObiHai as the steps to get this device working.
3. Press *** on your Obi110 device after connecting it to your adapter and landline phone. Read the IP address. Go to this page by ObiHai to complete Google voice set up.
That is it. You have a free landline phone line without any more monthly payments to make. Time to say Good Bye to MagicJack, NetTalk, Vonage, and even ATA.
You need a landline number already in order to secure a Google Voice number. How would you do away with your monthly bill?
ReplyDeleteFYI I already have a Google Voice account for my home phone.
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteYou do not need a home phone number for google voice. You can get a google voice number just by verifying any number such as your mobile phone number. Once you have the google voice number you can configure the device and you are free to use it as your home phone.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Thanks. works perfectly.
ReplyDeleteThank You for the information. Does this only work within the US or the country you are in or you can call internationally? Also you mentioned that use any number like the mobile phone number. So you can assign any valid phone number to your google voice via the Obi110 adapter? Please clarify.
ReplyDeleteThank You.
Dear Barry,
ReplyDeleteObiHai works from anywhere in the world once you have a Google Voice number. You need to assign your Google Voice number to ObiHai device and Google Voice is only available in US right now. Thus ObiHai is equal to a home phone. However, you can forward Google Voice to more than one numbers thus you can even use this number on your mobile phone too, in this case any call to your Google Voice number will ring both numbers.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Hello There,I am looking to work at home but need a landline, and came across this site. Since I do have a google voice number already it is sent to my cell phone but I would like to use it on a landline can I have my google voice number used on the landline phone without service, when I use the OBi110 adapter, and do you have to only use google voice number or can you use another type of online phone number with the adapter?
ReplyDeleteDear Anony,
ReplyDeleteYou do not need anything else or any other service to use ObiHai with Google Voice. Just buy the ObiHai device and set it up with Google voice and you have your Google voice number as your landline number. ObiHai can be used with other internet telephone services like any other such adapter. The seamless integration with Google Voice makes it the first choice for this combo.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
what happened to google voice to free calls for US and canada . im trying it from last 24hrs but its still not working ..m annoyed ...
ReplyDeleteDear Smith,
ReplyDeleteIt is working just fine. Do you hear a message or something?
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Dear Friends,
ReplyDeletedoes anybody tested this trick, please let me know as I dont want to waste $ if this trick doesnt work.
Regards,
NB
Dear anony,
ReplyDeleteThis is 100% working and is a good alternative to home phone solutions. 100s of our readers have used it and they have never complained. We use it for personal use and it works just fine.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
One more question: Will this allow me to use my landline phone to make phone calls fro free to the U.S. and to Canada?
ReplyDeleteThanks,
Nicole
Dear Nicole,
ReplyDeleteOnce you have set this system up, yes your home phone will be able to make free calls to USA and Canada. Thank you.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Can I use another device other then the ObiHai device. Are you just pushing the ObiHai, or can something else, cheaper, be used?
ReplyDeleteDear Angela,
ReplyDeleteObiHai is the easiest way to connect your Google Voice account to your home phone. At a one time expense of $50 you get a worry free home phone system.
Nevertheless, there are other little to very complex systems including but not limited to using Google Voice with Sipgate and then connecting your home phone to Sipgate account. If you are tech savvy you might want to explore the sipGate one option.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
With Obi110 can any ANY regular phone be used, instead of the DECT? I mean I could get a simpler cordless with Caller ID, right?
ReplyDeleteDear Anony,
ReplyDeleteYes, that is correct. Any phone can be used with ObiHai.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Just to make sure, if I buy an Obi and get google voice, will I be able to place the Obi abroad to make calls back to the US as well as to receive calls from the US to a google voice number?
ReplyDeleteDear Silvia,
ReplyDeleteYes, that is correct. Unless and until a country blocks Voip calls you are good to go.
-Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Thanks but I just went to set up google voice, and it asks for my number for the phone where I want all my google voice calls to ring. I can't see how this will work with the Obi abroad (where I plan to leave it) if my calls will be ringing in my US cell phone (the only number I have). Very confusing.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI have Linksys ATA, will Google voice work on this ATA or I have to have OBi110 Adapter that I have to buy from Amazon?
Pls share your thoughts
Thanks
Sam
Dear Anony,
ReplyDeleteIn order to use your GV with ATA you need to:
Get a free SIP account with SIP number (not a telephone number, but a SIP number) from Sipsorcery
Use this SIP account from Sipsorcery to get a free US telephone number from IPKall for use with Google Voice as your forwarding phone
Use your Sipsorcery user ID to configure your Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA) if you have one, or your X-Lite (or equivalent) softphone to use your computer and headphone as a telephone
-Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Dear Silvia,
ReplyDeleteIf you do not have a US phone number you can get one using Whistle phone or using the method discussed in above comment.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
I have a follow-up question to the Q&A below from Barry (see below), regarding whether OBI device works OUTSIDE US or not:
ReplyDeleteMy specific questions are:
1)can I buy one OBIHAi device (e..g, 110) for my parents in China, and one for myself in the US, so we can talk for free? - this is a set up with one OBI talking to another using each's OBI number and I hope it will work?
2)I already have a google voice number and say I set it up one one OBI device and take it to my parents' house in China, will it work from there? (I guess not, as Google voice number doesn't work there?)
Thank you@
P.S., I thought Barry asked a similar question but your answer was not very clear to me. Sorry if you did answer it clearly but it's just who couldn't quite get it.
Barry Ghotra said...
Thank You for the information. Does this only work within the US or the country you are in or you can call internationally? Also you mentioned that use any number like the mobile phone number. So you can assign any valid phone number to your google voice via the Obi110 adapter? Please clarify.
Thank You.
July 15, 2011 5:11 PM
Free Calls Hub said...
Dear Barry,
ObiHai works from anywhere in the world once you have a Google Voice number. You need to assign your Google Voice number to ObiHai device and Google Voice is only available in US right now. Thus ObiHai is equal to a home phone. However, you can forward Google Voice to more than one numbers thus you can even use this number on your mobile phone too, in this case any call to your Google Voice number will ring both numbers.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
July 15, 2011 8:30 PM
Dear Anony,
ReplyDeleteThank you for asking the question. If the answer was not clear to you we believe we did not do a good job.
To answer your questions:
1) Yes, you can use ObiHai outside USA. You can call any ObiHai device from another ObiHai device. Setting up Google voice is not needed for that.
2) If you set up your ObiHai device with Google Voice account it will work anywhere in the world. Although, Google Voice is only open to people in USA, if you have an account you can access it anywhere.
We hope this clears any confusion.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Hello. I currently have a Linksys SPA2102 phone adapter with router and have my google voice number. I tried getting a sipgate number also but they are not giving numbers at this time. What could/should I do to have a home phone again? Any help appreciated.
ReplyDeleteDear Anony,
ReplyDeleteSipgate had a large number of registrations and as you will agree telephone numbers are expensive to throw away. Hopefully, they will start rolling out registrations soon. Otherwise, you can buy yourself a ObiHai and get a good home phone service. You also have the option of going with AxVoice http://www.freecallshub.com/2011/12/forget-vonage-allvoi-and-lingo-we-give.html Hope that helps.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
can you hook up a fax machine to google voice and the obi110 adapter?
ReplyDeleteDear Leah,
ReplyDeleteIt is a great question and never been asked before. Although ObiHai supports faxing, Google Voice is not very happy with it. We were not able to get faxing to work with this combo. You might be smarter and geeker than us and might find out a way but we can't guarantee that.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Wondering why there is no mention about needing a router? I used to have Ooma with my cable modem, and that didn't need a router. But, the OBi110 does need a router, and I confirmed that with their tech support. Am I missing something?
ReplyDeleteDear Anony,
ReplyDeleteSince most cable modems have only one outgoing ethernet cable using ObiHai directly with modem doesn't make sense. But, we are not very sure if ObiHai must be connected with a router. We will check it out on our device and let you guys know if it works.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
Can you make emergency 911 calls from this phone setup?
ReplyDeleteDear Rita,
ReplyDeleteI am afraid Google Voice does not support emergency calling. This is the excerpt from their terms and conditions:
NO 911 OR EMERGENCY SERVICE.
You acknowledge and understand that Google Voice does NOT currently allow you to access any 911 or similar emergency services (no traditional 911, E911, or similar access to emergency services). You should always have an alternative means of accessing 911 or similar emergency services. Please inform others who use your Google Voice service and devices used to access Google Voice that they must access these numbers directly through a traditional landline or mobile phone. Google Voice is not intended to replace your primary phone service, such as traditional landline or mobile phone.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
I have two GV numbers which I setup when I was in USA, I keep getting voice messages in my Inbox when someone calls me on that number (so they work).
ReplyDeleteFew days back I have ordered ObiHai110 device for use in India. After reading postings here, it seems I may not be able to use it to make calls to USA using GV. Am I correct?
How about using VPN, how would I set it up to use with ObiHai?
If I can't use GV, then could you guide me to use other alternatives which I can use with ObiHai. Thank you for your help.
Dear Reader,
ReplyDeleteYou will be able to make and receive calls from India. Once you have a Google Voice account connected with ObiHai there is nothing more needed from your end.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub
I bought this and hooked it up, but I can only make calls. When someone calls me, it says, "the google subscriber you have called is not available, please leave a message." Also my home phone doesn't ring. But I see the messages in my google voice account. Did I do something wrong? Or is it a google voice issue?
ReplyDeleteDear Reader,
ReplyDeleteHave you tried setting call screening to off? Also, make sure you make one call from your Gmail inbox. Let us know if you still have issues.
Regards,
Team - Free Calls Hub