quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Update

Went with the Obihai Obi202 ATA & CallCentric. 1000 minutes of N. America calling & unlimited incoming: About $20/mo. A few minor changes to the existing wiring and the existing phones all work like they did on the POTS line. Call quality so far seems excellent. Setup & configuration might be tricky for a non-techy. Call setup is a bit slow, but that's fairly common with VoIP service. Be interesting to see how well their anti-telespammer stuff works.

Ensigmatic:

Wondering if I could get another update on how well this is going. We are moving my mom to an assisted living location where there is free internet (RJ-45 on the wall) and no phone service unless you pay lots extra.

I was looking at Google voice with the Obihai, since I really don't care if Google listens to my elderly mom's calls

but beyond that, how has your service worked out?

anyone else have any comments on how to get phone service when you have free internet via an RJ-45 on the wall? I want a traditional POTS-like phone. Anything else is too complex for her --- even a cell phone has been a problem.

I will admit up front that I haven't read the whole thread, please forgive me if this is not-completely-responsive.

Having converted from POTS to VoIP, myself/home and business, and several commercial clients, I would recommend abandoning the ATA route and just buy some SIP phones that "connect" directly to your VoIP provider's infrastructure. You can get SIP phones that will blow away POTS phones in terms of features and voice quality, and the setup is much easier. I have used ATA's from Obihai, Grandstream, and Cisco, and evaluated several other brands. I have also run my own Asterisk-based PBX in several office situations. While all of these worked OK, running your own ATA and/or PBX adds cost and complexty with the sole benefit that you can retain your sunk investment in instruments, and maybe wiring. SIP phones direct to provider allow much more flexibility in configuration, and a much better user experience, not to mention that the poor administrator has a lot fewer places to look when something goes ka-blooey.

With that, I have settled on a few providers/vendors for VoIP roll-outs:

SIP phones: Grandstream (the GXP2130 at $89) or Ubiquiti (Android based desk set). The latter only for users who want to be able to have their email and calendar on their phone, and/or run Android apps. Bothe of these phones have color displays and multi-line capability.

SIP provider: voip.ms, I have recently spoken of this provider in another thread. They are a solid VoIP provider with the best rate plans I have found (1/10th the cost of many so-called SIP trunk providers).

Hardware supplier: voipsupply.com

The hardest thing about it is "changing your mind." VoIP works quite differently from POTS telephony, and concepts that are ingrained in anyone who has supported Bell-type telephone infrastructure has to discard pretty much everything they have learned to be able to make informed decisions in the VoIP world. It is much more akin to network services than to telephony, although many of the terms used haven't changed, their meaning has, and this can be disconcerting for anyone who has become accustomed to "how telephones work." For a very basic example, there is no such thing as a "line" in VoIP, although the TCP connection from a SIP phone to a SIP server can be thought of as conceptually similar.

I urge everyone who is considering "going VoIP" to do so incrementally:

1) Set up an account with a VoIP provider (for at lease voip.ms this will incur no charges).

2) install a free SIP client (AKA "softphone") on your computer and/or other device (cell phone, tablet, set top box, etc.)

3) configure the softphone to connect to your provider and do a little testing.

4) obtain a DiD from your provider to evaluate incoming calls.

5) now that you have an understanding of how everything hooks together, shop for your instruments, and any other hardware you need.

6) If you have a phone number that you want to retain, port it to your VoIP provider as an additional DiD or replace the one obtained in step 4 for testing.

I am happy to entertain questions sent to the email in my profile.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Update

Went with the Obihai Obi202 ATA & CallCentric.

Ensigmatic:

Wondering if I could get another update on how well this is going.

In a word: Flawlessly. It's been seven years as of tomorrow. Nary a glitch or problem of any type whatsoever. Couldn't be more satisfied.

quote:

Originally posted by architect:
Having converted from POTS to VoIP, myself/home and business, and several commercial clients, I would recommend abandoning the ATA route and just buy some SIP phones that "connect" directly to your VoIP provider's infrastructure.

Except going the route we went we didn't have to buy, much less configure, new phones.

• Bought the Obi ATA
  
• Acquired the SIP service I wanted and bought a cheap 2nd phone number
  
• Configured the ATA
  
• Plugged a standard phone in and tested it
  
• Temporarily disconnected the AT&T NID from the house wiring and plugged the ATA's phone interface into a handy phone jack
  
• Made sure all the phones worked and rang
  
• Unplugged the ATA from the phone jack and re-connected the AT&T NID
  
• Began the number port
  
• When the port was done: Permanently disco'd the AT&T NID, plugged the ATA into a convenient phone jack, and configured the ATA for the ported phone number
  
• Done
  

Every phone in the house worked identically to when it was hooked to AT&T's POTS line--except now the two-line phones had two lines

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I'd also look into Comcast VOIP if they are available in your area.

Not a chance in hell!

Everybody, but everybody we know that has Comcast phone service has had nothing but trouble. Outages, phones that never ring, voicemail left and no notification, abysmal call quality, trouble establishing outgoing calls. You name it.

Plus: Compared to independent VoIP providers: More expensive for less features.

Same here. Everybody that got Comcast has regretted it.

Another vote for Vonage. It's what I use and has some great features.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
Update

Went with the Obihai Obi202 ATA & CallCentric.

Ensigmatic:

Wondering if I could get another update on how well this is going.

In a word: Flawlessly. It's been seven years as of tomorrow. Nary a glitch or problem of any type whatsoever. Couldn't be more satisfied.

thanks for the update. I'll order the Obihai and set it up at home and then move it to the assisted living center. I don't need E911 since, well, she is in assisted living She just needs to phone to keep in touch with grandkids and other family.

I think the free Google Voice should suit her needs unless there's something I don't know about.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
I think the free Google Voice should suit her needs unless there's something I don't know about.

Yeah, can't help you there. I'm actively avoiding anything and everything Google to the extent possible

I don't know how much talking you're talking about, but Callcentric has some pretty economical plans: Callcentric products

E.g.: 1000 minutes (16.7 hours) outgoing anywhere in the U.S. and Canada for $13/mo. 500 minutes (8.3 hours) for $7/mo. "Personal Unlimited" incoming is $6/mo.