Obihai vs Ooma

[Robert M]

Wurm,

That's not a downside. It isn't even a factor. If you use Google Voice with an Obihai box, it won't use up mobile minutes at all. Use the regular phone to make or receive calls, use the Google Voice app on your cell phone to make or receive calls (it will call via Wifi or data) and definitely don't answer calls coming in on the Google Voice line with your cell phone.

Keep in mind, there are some initial costs to the Google Voice/Obihai box configuration. The cost of the box. Any fees relating to moving your number from its current provider to a cell phone provider and initial fees associated with Google Voice. Total costs is well under $100 and the move will pay for itself very quickly. I kept $10 to $15 in my Google Voice account so I can use it for long distance calls that are outside of the freebie area. Those calls are dirt cheap.

Robert

[MrNoBody]

As Robert pointed out, a fee based e911 is available w/ the Obi.
Didn't mean to mislead you in that regard.
And, I too use just a plain speaker phone with my Obi.

[wurm]

The downside I was referring to was the potential downside of not having a "landline" at all; not even an Obihai. I realize with the Obi/GV combo I could make those calls without eating up minutes. So, basically it would cost me $48.25 +tax for the Obi200 from Amazon, plus $20 to Google to port the number over (as far as they're concerned it's a mobile number because it was on T-Mobile).

Less than $70 for a pseudo landline isn't a bad deal. Hell, even if I splurged for the e911 for another $10/year it's still pretty good.

[Robert M]

Wurm,

That wasn't clear in your post. Not having a landline at all isn't a downside unless you need one for a specific reason. Otherwise, it isn't a downside.

Don't buy the Obi200 right now. Deals for the Obihai boxes are common. Wait until there is a deal on the Obihai boxes. You can get the Obi202 for the same price or less than you'd pay for the Obi200 you're looking at right now. It's a better box.

Robert

[wurm]

Yeah, I should probably set up a CamelCamelCamel alert for the Obi box and be ready when it goes on sale. I can't think of any reason I'd need the 202. We have one phone line (other than our cells) and even if we wanted to use the 200 for 2 Google Voice numbers, according to the Amazon Q&A, it can do it easily. I can't remember the last time I had to send a fax, and if I had to, supposedly the 200 can do that as well. Now if the 202 ever goes on sale for cheaper than the 200, that's another story.

Thanks for the info.

[Robert M]

Wurm,

The deals for the boxes are usually at newegg, not amazon.

Robert

[wurm]

Ahh....good to know. Thanks!