TeknologikL

The most recent surveys show that 33% of households no longer have a landline telephone. While the use of cell phones have dramatically cut the need for traditional telephone lines, many people prefer to keep a family landline in their house for emergencies, convenience or even just to save on cell minutes. With the combination of Google Voice and the Obi100 Telephone Adapter, you will be able to keep your home phone line without incurring a monthly fee for the service.

Google Voice
Google has a service called Google Voice that launched almost three years ago which offers free domestic calls to users in the US. All you need to take advantage of the service is a Google/Gmail login and to activate your account on voice.google.com. You will have the choice of picking a free number or porting your current number for a one-time fee of $20. When Google Voice first launched, they promised free calls throughout 2009 but near the end of each year, Google has extended the free calling which currently goes until at least the end of 2012.

Obi100 and Obi110 VoIP Telephone Adapter

Although the free calling over a computer is nice, it is not convenient enough for most people to make full time use of, which is where the Obi100/110 comes in.

There are a few different VoiP solutions that offer free service but I decided to go with the Obi100 which is the cheapest option currently available. I also liked the fact that it uses Google Voice instead of another lesser known service.

The device sells for $45-$50 which is probably about the same price you are paying monthly with your current service provider. After plugging the device into your internet connection, you can log onto www.obitalk.com to input your Gmail username and password. As long as you have activated your free Google Voice account, you can plug any regular telephone into the Obi and start making calls.

Emergency Calling
The only drawback I have found with Google Voice is that it does not support calls to 911. This can be a deal-breaker for some but there are a few options to get E911 service through the Obi VoIP box. Most traditional landline companies are required to provide 911 phone services even if the phone line has been disconnected. With the Obi110, you can utilize the landline phone port by connecting your old line into a secondary port and emergency calls will automatically be routed to the correct line.

There is another option if you only have the Obi100 or don't have landline 911 service available. Several third party services offer VoIP 911 service for a small monthly fee. A few of these companies include Callcentric, VoIP.ms and VoicePulse.

Check back next week for a guide on how to get around Google's mobile only number porting limitation.

More Info:
One-third of US Households Chuck Landlines; Now use Mobile Only
OBi100 VoIP Telephone Adapter and Voice Service Bridge
OBi110 Voice Service Bridge and VoIP Telephone Adapter