A while back, I got an Obihai box, connected it to VoIP.ms, and I've been happily ever after paying $5-6/month for all the phone service I could ever want. (2017 thread.) So far so good, but can it get better?

I've been contemplating replacing my office desk phone (cheap, single line, analog phone) with something snazzier that can play more interesting games with VoIP.ms like conference calling, or connecting to an external headset for those interminable multi-hour phone meetings. So far as I can tell, a wide variety of SIP devices are completely compatible with VoIP.ms, including several models in the $40-50 range, and then you can get a variety of standard accessories like EHS headsets (which can pick up and hang up the call without you needing to press buttons on your phone).

But there's one thing that seems to be evading me -- when you answer the phone and it's for somebody else in the house. Traditionally, you holler out "Hey, sweetie, it's for you!" You wait for them to pick up, then you hang up. Easy, right? So how does that work in the VoIP universe, when you've got multiple independent devices logged in to receive inbound calls from the same phone number? Once one of them picks up, the others go back to idle. You pick up a second phone and it's going to give you a dial tone.

So... is there some way to make multiple VoIP phones, connected to the same service at the same phone number, behave like old-school POTS phones in letting you share the call? Is there even a technical name for this sort of thing?

I've no answer to the VoIP part, but I kept the wife happy by moving our home number to a cell plan and sticking it on an el-cheapo phone.

It never leaves he house and is connected to:

https://www.amazon.com/PANASONIC-Link2Ce...7031&sr=8-4

If it's a smartphone, install youmail on it for spam blocking and Bob's your uncle.

As an added bonus, I hooked my wife's cell phone up to the bluetooth on the second identity so when her cell phone rings, all the phones in the house ring with her ringtone and she can answer anywhere. Even if it's in her purse 3 rooms away. Ahem. Not that that happened all the damned time.

It's worked out pretty well.

Oh, and it still acts like old-school landlines. The base station is handling the call, but you can pick up any receiver and join a call already in progress elsewhere.

I've pondered ordering a VoIP version of this. Seems like one way of solving the problem, although we still have a bunch of analog phones connected to the Obihai.

I understand what you are asking, and don't have an answer in the way you want. But what I use here, is a 6-handset DECT system, with the base station plugged into the VoIP ATA box. The DECT system was designed for stuff like this.

Cheers

I already had a bunch of Gigaset DECT phones, so I just swapped my base station out for one of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gigaset-N300A-Station-Answering-Machine-Black/dp/B0052RTG7O

For a while I had both the analogue line and the VoIP configured. Then, when we moved I dropped the landline. So it's VoIP only and nobody in the house knew anything had changed.

I tried using one of those analogue->VoIP adaptor boxes, but could never get the noise gate and echo cancellation stuff dialled in to my satisfaction.

In addition to the Gigaset units, I also have some Snom IP phones for the office/loft desks.

Hmm. So I could potentially do something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Grandstream-Long-range-Station-5-UNITS-Handset/dp/B01LT6WFD8

Five handsets on the same DECT system, so call handoff would presumably work just fine, plus a base station that talks VoIP. This particular solution appears to have two separate base-station boxes -- one to speak VoIP and the other to speak DECT -- which seems like something that should be available in a single box from somebody. Or is it better to keep these distinct? (With the presumable interface between them being an analog old-school phone wire.)

I only see one base station box there: DP750. Plus a bunch of DP720 handsets. Right?

There are also the Gigaset base units and handsets, similar to the British link posted earlier:

https://www.amazon.com/Gigaset-GIGASET-C530IP-Cordless-Expandable-Landline/dp/B014A781GS/

These seem to be a better established line, with good online reviews on the whole.

Thank you for asking this DWallach. The PAP2T I purchased in 2009 has died.

As nice as the Gigaset setup is, it is a lot more then getting the Cisco SPA112 (which appears to be nothing more then the PAP2T in a different box) or an Obihai OBi110. Or am I missing something?

The Gigaset IP Phones avoid the extra conversion to analog and back, so call quality should be audibly better.


Note that the SPA112 is nowhere near as nice as the PAP2T. The rumour I once heard (here?) was that Cisco lost access to the PAP2T source code, so they did a rewrite from scratch, trying to clone the original. It works, but takes up to 2 minutes to boot up instead of 5 seconds or so. And since it reboots with every setting change, this can be annoying.

The PAP2T failures are _usually_ just the power supply, so if you can find a beefy enough PSU with the same output voltage then it might come back to life.

Cheers

It still lights up, just doesn't boot. I'll check the PSU output tonight. The extra conversion is what has me leaning towards the Gigaset or similar. With everything else going on in the world, this is a minor.

I had experience with one PAP2T that was "fixed" simply by replacing the PSU with a new 2-amp PSU.

Another that failed to work ever again.

And a third that was like yours for a while, but then suddenly came back to life after a few boot attempts with a new 2.5-amp PSU.

Cheers

About 11 years ago I signed up for OOMA VOIP service. We were one of the very first customers, and are still grandfathered in for unlimited free international service for life.

Up-front costs were high, we had to buy the equipment for about $200 if I recall, we were able to keep our original California phone number, and eleven years later it is still working just fine.

The OOMA feeds an inexpensive Panasonic base station with up to six wireless extensions (seven including the base itself) and works just like old-fashioned POTS. You can have a seven-way conversation, no, eight-way including the incoming caller I guess, and the whole system is so straight-forward and uncomplicated that even I can manage it.

tanstaafl.

I'm certain your collection of random power supplies is greater then mine