Obihai OBi200 1-Port VoIP Adapter with Google Voice

Obitalk adapter box is a GREAT invention that allows you to have incoming and outgoing phone calls for FREE in the US while keeping an old, established landline number. All you need is a Google Voice account (to create an IP address on the internet) and an Obitalk device (to convert internet signal to handset audio) with an Obitalk account. There is a one time $20 port charge from Google, then no further charges unless you want to buy the advance 911 service from Obtitalk. Be aware that after the port, your Verizon cell base line will be cancelled automatically. My story and how to convert from Verizon home base to Obitalk/Google voice for totally free "landline" phone calling using an established number. About 2 years ago, we cut the landline cord to avoid the over $40 per month in Frontier landline costs for a phone we used less and less but for which we'd had that landline number for years. You know, that number which is embedded in so many places you don't even think about who may have it anymore. Since we didn't want to miss the occasional useful phone call that would come to that established number, we had converted that landline to a Verizon mobile home station which in essence is a cellular phone base with antennae that connects to your house handsets to turn them into mobile phones. You simply pay Verizon for a separate cell line, which for us was $20 in our family plan. Spin forward several years, and honestly over 95% of the phone calls to the house are now simply spam. The remaining 5% are older relatives that haven't figured out how to call our cell phone numbers. However, after a major sewer repair costing $$$$, we decided to eliminate all unnecessary costs, and the $20 monthly charge for that home base cell line was the first thing to go. However. hubby was still afraid of completely cutting us off from that old established house number. Enter in some internet research by me and this obitalk unit with Google Voice to achieve keeping that number for free. Totally free. Since any "how to" is NOT really clear in either Google Voice, Verizon, or Obitalk, I'll detail below how to convert from a landline that was already ported to a Verizon "Home Solution PDI" cellular base to now port it yet again to Google Voice and Obitalk for free "landline" calling in the US while keeping an old house number. WARNING: You will need a Verizon PIN for that home base cell line before you can port. You can log into your Verizon account and set that PIN if you have not done so already. Expect a verification text to your cell phone. In minutes, once that is set, you can proceed to Google Voice. Also, that Verizon cell base line will automatically be cancelled once the port is complete. You will not be able to make any phone calls out or receive phone calls in until the Google Voice/Obitalk conversion is complete. STEPS 1. Go to Settings/Account at voice.google.com to choose to add a new number. (If you don't have a google account/gmail, you'll have to do that first.) Type in your home phone number as the phone number you want Google Voice to use (that is the number to be ported from the Verizon cell base). Fill in the Google Voice menu form stating your Verizon provider, and I think it asked for account number (which is the number you are porting). You will need a verification by using your Verizon PIN for that home line number. It takes about 24 to 48 hours for that number to port to Google Voice. (Note I had NO need to set up any "new" Google Voice number to forward to nor new Google account...I simply signed in with my current gmail account. Then I chose to add my home phone number (currently the number on the Verizon cellular base) as the chosen Google Voice number. That is the only number Google Voice is aware of for me.) 2. After you receive email notification from Google Voice that your home phone number has been ported (mine took about 24 hours), turn off your Verizon home phone cell base to avoid it usurping your efforts. You then need to go to Obitalk.com and register to create an account. (It is recommended you use a Google sign in to Obitalk. I used the same gmail account) 3. Next, set up your obitalk device. Plug it into the power. Plug your hand set phone into the Obitalk device using phone cord. Connect the Obitalk unit to your computer ethernet. Your handset is now powered and connected to your internet. You will use this handset to follow the Obitalk instructions calling a code which goes to the Obitalk servers through your internet link. You will have to then follow the steps on the Obitalk menu system. When you come to the fill in portion, place your device serial number, type, and choose "admin" for the password. You will need to replace that with something else once the activation is completed through the Obitalk account page. The Obitalk server will let you know when this has been completed. It took me 3 tries before I could get through the system before timing out as I was not expecting a password for the admin. (I tried several ideas from my Verizon account but then simply tried the old standby "admin" which worked...and later documentation in the Obitalk website stated that is the default.) 4. At this point, test your phone system. Ours worked perfectly. Calls in. Calls out. We had nothing else to do at Google Voice or at Obitalk. I carefully wrote down all the sign in email addresses and passwords, changed my admin code, and all other pertinent website information. I printed off the Obitalk page with all activation and device configuration. At this point I didn't attempt to do any fancy features. I was thrilled to have my old landline number pass from a Verizon home phone cell base, kill that $20 cell line, and now have totally FREE "landline" usage for calls in the US. I think this Obitalk unit is a GRAND idea. If Google Voice ever starts charging money for the service, we likely at that point will simply put a stake through the heart of that old number as by then, everybody should be calling our cells, including doctor offices. Good luck with your unit. UPDATE 5/28/2019 ADDING THE HANDSET ANSWER MACHINE. We've had the unit working for several days. One last work around I had to figure was how to get the calls to go to my answer machine rather than be picked up by Google Voice. For my Panasonic basic hand sets with one base/answering machine and one extension, I found I had to click off "let Google screen phone calls" and let the calls go directly to pick up. (You may need to go to "Legacy View" in Google Voice to be able to see that setting in "general settings." I then set my answering machine to pick up on 3 rings while Google Voice default is 5 rings. That allowed my calls to be either picked up by me with a handset or go directly to my answering machine. Google Voice will now only pick up if I am on the phone and neither me nor my answering machine picks up. I then set Google Voice to send me text messages of any voicemail or call missed and set desk top alert on my PC. Whew...I think that is it! Please be aware that you CANNOT make a 911 phone call on Google Voice. If you want that, you have to sign up at Obitalk for that feature for monthly fee (which is fairly nominal).