After asking other freepers my VOIP solution is obi100

selfie | May 4 2014 | selfie

[dennisw]

About six months ago I asked freepers what they used for VOIP.  I got many answers including Ooma and Obi100/
I bought an obie100 that worked with google talk but google ended that ability

I finally landed on VOIP provider Vestalin which I think Obi100 comapny owns. Here is their pricing
http://www.vestalink.com/pricing/?plan=basic

I signed up for Vestalink 2 years/2000 minutes per month/$75paid in advance
So here is my 2 year phone bill

Obie100            $37               one time charge Can buy at Amazon, NewEgg and other places
Vestalink           $75               two years VOIP
Number Porting $10               one time charge.

TOTAL            $122         

So now I have two years VOIP lined up. Taxes and fees are included. I have no "land line" phone bills to think about or pay for 2 years
I have been using this for one month with no problems.

Two years from now I will renew for another 75$........ If they increase to $100 it is still worth it at $50 per year

You can go to Vestalink and get a free 30 trial. No credit card at least for me. They will give you a phone number in your area code that you can keep if you sign up or you port your existing number. Porting took 7 days from AA&T

[mylife]

You will need DSL 6mb download speed or better to use the Gbox for streaming video.

Brother says it works for him with 3mb, but the faster the better.

[Defiant]

I have an Obi, and it is awesome. Cost me $30, and no monthly fees when used in conjunction with a Google Voice account. However, Google announced that it is getting rid of its Google Voice service soon. I got an email from Obi saying that their system wouldn't work when that happens unless we get another SIP provider. Have you got something in mind for that eventuality?

I hold out hope that Google won't get rid of Google Voice. It has been a great service.

[Fear The People]

If you call the USA and Canada a lot you can use Magic Jack. I don't use it, but some of my friends swear by it.

[dennisw]

I had google voice too .....now I have VestaLink..... http://www.vestalink.com/pricing/?plan=basic 75 dollars for two years...

[9YearLurker]

As I understand it, T-Mobile just dropped all of their overage charges, with people on plans like yours grandfathered in. Thus, your $30 per month now gets you unlimited voice calls too.

[Defiant]

If my Google Voice ever goes away, I’ll check out VestaLink.

[dennisw]

May 15th is when google voice will not work with obi100. This date was set months ago. Maybe google will change its mind but this is what they announced last October or so.

[dennisw]

I never stream video from Amazon or Netflix...... You mean you tube? I have streamed it at 2.86 mbps DSL. You have to wait for the video to load. A minor inconvenience you just do something else on internet and come back when it is loaded

Of course youtube streams very smoothly at 25mbps Comacst internet. Google maps load smoothly. At 3mbps google maps loads slowly ....that is more of a bother than youtube streaming

[minnesota_bound]

I wish you were right but in April I went over and had to buy more minutes.

[mylife]

This Gbox thingy optimizes streaming.

http://www.amazon.com/G-Box-Midnight-MX2-Android-Streaming/dp/B00CH643A8/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_2/180-9920899-3180601?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1399252241&sr=1-2&keywords=g-box+midnight+mx3

Investigating this Ouya thingy, it is quad core.

http://www.amazon.com/OUYA-Console/dp/B0050SZD18/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399252313&sr=8-1&keywords=ouya

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=On87nZ6-wzU

[9YearLurker]

They just made the announcement on April 14.