Landline to VOIP Option

[Cheetah24]

HI everyone, 

This question might not be connected to public mobile directly; but given that my PM plan includes unlimited incomming calls and some family of mine from other countries asked the cheapest method to call me. Now I know that they could use a VOIP option like Google Hangouts or Skype, but there's this one person I know who doesn't know how to use smartphones  and would like to use a landline to connect. 

My question is, do you guys know of any method where we could make a VOIP call through a landline? That means the landline connects to my Skype account (or hangouts or any other VOIP provider) and make the call through that; but you have a physical homephone so that the end user use it the same way he would use a typical landline he's quite fond of. 

Thank you 🙂

[sheytoon]

I'm not too familiar with that. Apparently there's a way to use a "Google Voice" number on the OBI device, but it's only for US phone numbers. If the user is only making outgoing calls, it probably isn't a concern to have a US number, so that's an option you can look into.

Try searching on redflagdeals or DSL reports: https://www.dslreports.com/forum/voip

[Cheetah24]

@sheytoon: Thanks for the response. Do you by any chance know whether I could configure Google Hangouts to work with the ATA. I know that Google hangouts offer free calls to all north america, however I could not find any documentation on how to configure Google hangouts with the ATA.

Maybe I am expecting too much here. Google hangouts doesn't provide you with a telephone number so I am assuming it cannot be configured as such?

[sheytoon]

@Cheetah24, for sure!

ATA = analog telephone adapter

It's a device that connects to your router (internet connection) with a regular Ethernet cable. It also has a phone cable port to connect to a regular analog telephone.

You can configure it using a web browser on any device that is on same network/router. You can configure it to use a VoIP service provider (VoSP) of your choice.

Once it's configured, it will convert voice to internet traffic and vice versa. You use your analog telephone just like you did in the past. It's transparent to the user.

[MEU_21]

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@Cheetah24 wrote:

@sheytoon: Thanks much for your reply. So it is possible to do this. I am gonna research more based on the keywords you provided. From the looks of it OBI200 is exactly what I need. 🙂

Btw, could you explain what you mean be ATA? I couldn't find this acronym. 🙂

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Another option is MagicJack. Free calling to any US / Canada number from anywhere in the world. If you get a US number it works out to about $2.90US/month, or a Canadian number would be about $3.75US/m. They also have a VOIP app using the same number that you can use anywhere there is WiFi.

http://www.magicjack.com/index.html

[Asima]

Did you check Magic jack? I think you can use it anywhere in the world if have internet access, through landline phone or computer. Only have to register and get a Canadian number.

[Cheetah24]

@sheytoon: Thanks much for your reply. So it is possible to do this. I am gonna research more based on the keywords you provided. From the looks of it OBI200 is exactly what I need. 🙂

Btw, could you explain what you mean be ATA? I couldn't find this acronym. 🙂

[sheytoon · Accepted solution]

Sounds like you need analog phone support with VoIP, not traditional landline POTS service.

This can be done with any ATA (like OBI200) and voip service provider (voip.ms, Callcentric, Anveo, etc).

[Cheetah24]

@Anonymous: If Fongo can be used from everywhere in the world it is what I am looking for. Luddite gives the link, https://www.fongo.com/home-phone/ above which points to a VOIP adapter that can be purchased from Fongo. I believe this along with a landline phone hooked into it will work. 🙂

Thanks so much for all your suggestions 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Cheetah24, Fongo can be used from anywhere. Your friend can get themselves a Fongo account with a Canadian number near you.  With that, they can call you from their PC, and you can call their PC (or Cell if needed).

However, I don't think that satisfies your requirement for them to call from a landline.

They would need som sort of relay phone number, accessible from their location.

[Cheetah24]

@Luddite: The problem with Fongo is that whether it can be used from Burma? I thought it can only be used from Canada?

[Cheetah24]

Hi Luddite,

Thanks for the response. Yes that is correct, and yes they do have home internet. The country is Burma.

Thank you.

[Luddite]

@Cheetah24 Is this what you seek: https://www.fongo.com/home-phone/? It is $5/month and requires an internet connection.

[Luddite]

@Cheetah24 Sorry, I'm confused. Are looking for a way for someone in, say the UK, to call you from a landline without incurring a long distance charge? If so, what is their country? Do they have home internet?