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Free VOIP Calls from Home

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Google Voice - Use with Home and Cellphones

Now you can replace your home phone service - whether it's a landline or VOIP - with Google Voice. With one easy and inexpensive device, you can get rid of your home phone service, but still use your convenient home phones. Plus you can forward your calls to your cellphone and/or office, while still ringing at home, so you don't have to give out so many numbers.

And all Google Voice calls to or from your home phones within the U.S. are free, at least through 2011. That's right - any calls to or from landlines, cellphones, any phones in the U.S. - absolutely free! It's easier and much cheaper than Magic Jack, Vonage or Skype. There's no subscription, no plan, and no annual fee. Does it sound too good to be true? I thought so, but there's no loophole. It's just a great service, for a one-time purchase of the adaptor below.

There are a lot more great features - get all your voicemails transcribed and sent to your email, and, if you want, texted to your cellphone. You can block specific callers, turn on do not disturb when you want to, and even choose which calls are forwarded where. It's an amazing service!

All you need is a good internet connection, and you'll be able to talk on your regular home phones, just like you're used to.

It's convenient, inexpensive, and very easy to set up! Just follow the directions below.

1: Get a Google Voice Number

First, get a Google Voice phone number, here. You can choose any area code, and even pick a number you want from a list. (If you don't already have a Google account, you'll have to sign up for one first.)

Pick "new number" - this will let you use Google Voice with your home phones, with your home and cell phones, or even with just your cellphone.

2: Buy the OBITalk Adapter

Now you need to buy one of these. It's an OBiTalk phone adapter, that lets you use your home phones with your Google Voice service. It's all you'll pay for to use Google Voice with your home phones; it's under $50, and shipping is free from Amazon.

(If you're not sure about this, read the reviews. They're great, and it's all true.)

Wait patiently until you get it, then come back and do step 3.

3: Set Up the OBiTalk

Now that you've got the adapter and taken it out of the box, setting it up is really easy.

First, you'll need to create an account on this page. It's best to use the Google account that you've got your Google Voice number set up on as the email address.

Then once you've got that account and logged in, you'll be at your Dashboard page. On the left, you'll see a menu with an Add Devices pick. Just pick that and follow the very simple steps.

If you want to use several home phones that are plugged into the walls separately (as opposed to cordless ones where only the master phone is plugged in), just plug the OBiTalk right into any of the wall outlets instead of into a phone. Then it will be connected to your wall outlet system, and all your phones will work just like they always did.
Be sure to check the "Make This the Primary Line to Call Out" pick. You'll probably also want the "Google Voice Voicemail Notification". You can always turn it off later, if you change your mind.

4: Set Up Google Voice

Setting up Google Voice is just as easy. On your Google Voice Inbox page, you'll see a little gear icon. Click on it and pick Voice Settings.

On that page, you'll see a number of tabs across the top. On the Phones page, you'll pick where calls to your Google Voice number are sent. Pick Google Chat to send all your calls to your home phones via the OBiTalk adapter you've already set up.

If you're planning to keep your old home phone number, you can also forward your calls there - just pick Add Another Phone and follow the directions. But with the OBiTalk adapter, you really don't need that service any more. (If you want to keep the number, you can probably port it to Google Voice. Look in the Google Voice help for information on that.)

You can also choose to forward your calls to your cellphone as well as to the OBiTalk. This lets you get all your calls wherever you are - home or away - on both your cellphone and your home phones. Again, just pick Add Another Phone and follow the directions.

You can record your greeting either from your PC (if you have a microphone), from the Voicemail & Text tab, or from your phone that's hooked up to the OBiTalk. Just dial your Google Voice number, and follow the prompts.

That's it! Enjoy your Savings!

That's all there is to it! You can explore the other features - some are really impressive, including call screening, different ways of handling calls from different people, voicemail transcription, and more.

Or you can just tell all your friends and family about your new phone number (if you decided not to port your old one), and cancel the old service.

Comments? Suggestions?

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PeteHope Oct 6, 2011 @ 11:17 am | delete

Might have to look into that now we actually have Google voice in the UK, it won't be free of course, but still pretty cheap as I remember.