[Discuss] Cutting the phone line

[gaf at blu.org (Jerry Feldman)]

On 07/29/2012 01:40 PM, Rich Braun wrote:
> Doug asked about:
>> a regular
>> phone can plug into it", a line for my technology skeptical wife).
>> Has anyone "cut the phone cord" by using this or similar devices?
> Yes, I cut the Verizon cord during a recent move. By signing up for Google Voice ahead of time, I got a phone number in my new area code and started giving it out to friends before the move.
>
> A nice feature of GV is it's easy to direct your existing mobile line's voicemail into the same place: only one mailbox to check, with multiple ways to check it (email, phone, or mobile app).
>
> The Obi110 box is capable of a lot of things I've yet to figure out. I just use it in its default settings. You plug it into your LAN switch, plug a phone's RJ11 cord into it, go to the obitalk site and enter the unit's serial number. Then enter your gmail account credentials. Done.
>
> I got a second unit for my sig-other. It's pretty much a phone line, doesn't really behave differently enough to cause acceptance problems. One hard to explain issue is that GV rings both mobile & the Obihai unit (if you configure it that way) simultaneously, which confuses the heck out of most non-tech folks: but it's a must if your home is in an area of weak cell coverage. 
>
> Quality of GV service is better than mobile, lower than land line. Currently it's still in free-trial mode, available to US gmail users.
The only thing I don't like about GV is that it asks you if you want to
accept the call. I can't do this if I am driving since my phone is in
the case, and my handsfree soft keyboard is locked while the car is in
motion.

-- 
Jerry Feldman <gaf at blu.org>
Boston Linux and Unix
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