In a previous post I talked about my quest to find a good and configurable home office phone system. The first option I want to discuss is a simple and inexpensive solution that will likely work for the large majority of homes and home offices.
This solution is Google Voice and a small device named the OBi. Google Voice is a service provided by Google that bridges POTS lines (Plain Old Telephone Service) and the world of VoIP (Voice over IP.) The best thing is that Google Voice does this for free if calling within the United States or Canada…and very cheaply if calling internationally. The problem is that Google Voice wants to connect your call to either a computer or another POTS line.
This is where the OBi comes into play. The OBi accepts VoIP connections from Google and translates that into something your traditional phone will understand…all without needing a POTS line from your telephone or cable provider. There are several models. The two most popular are the OBi 100 and the OBi 202. The primary difference is that the OBi 100 can handle two VoIP services and one telephone while the OBi 202 can handle four VoIP services and two telephones. This means you could have up to four separate Google Voice numbers and multiple telephones or cordless telephones connected to the OBi. One for different members of your family or separate personal and business phone numbers.
If I’m losing you, just listen to this. After spending $40 for the OBi 100, you won’t have any monthly fees for domestic calling unless Google decides to start charging for this service sometime in the future. Industry analysts do not think this will happen anytime soon. View full article »