VOIP Solution for Vacation Property
 

Background: We've purchased a 2nd home on the coast of Maine and will be splitting our time between it and our primary residence. Cellular coverage at the new place is spotty. For a number of reasons I don't need to go into here, I currently use Vonage for both home and business lines (as opposed to cell service).

Vonage provides a facility through their web UI that allows customers with multiple "vonage boxes" to move lines from box to box, and they're sending me a 2nd box to install at the other property for that purpose at no additional charge.

While this seems to be a fairly reasonable way to stay connected to my "land lines," I'm wondering if there's a provider that offers an option to ring phones at both locations without requiring another number/line allocated just for that purpose, and would allow me to move from location to location without having to update my configuration . . . essentially creating an extension phone at the alternate house.

The community on Flyertalk is, by definition, fairly mobile, so I'd think someone here would have dealt with this issue before.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts/insight/solutions :)

Have you explored Google Voice? Especially if you have an Android or iOS mobile phone?

As stated in my original post, cell phone service is spotty at the vacation property (although an Android or iOS phone would support Wifi too). I'm paying for broadband service at both my home and remote locations, though, and am looking for a way to "extend" VOIP service to the new property.

I do have Google Voice, and while it works with Google Chat, its call quality has been highly variable. Vonage has been rock-solid for me.

Why not just use the vonage app on a cell phone with wifi? I assume you are going to have internet or wifi? Isn't there that vonage dongle still, plugs into a computer or laptop, enables full access to your vonage account and numbers but remotely? If you port your number to google voice, and HAVE the second box at the 2nd location then you could just put the two numbers into the google voice setup for multi-ring. The quality of google voice from that perspective would be no different than regular POTS service, that's the way it works.

Or, if you don't want to port a primary number to google voice, you could have the 2nd vonage device at the 2nd location, setup google voice, FORWARD your primary number to the google voice number but ring BOTH numbers, or all numbers. Then, just picked whatever line you want wherever you are.

google voice by nature doesn't work over wifi, from a cell phone. The call goes out over the cellular connection, so unlike sype, vonage on the device it doesn't use the wifi connection for the VOIP services.

I don't think I'm explaining myself properly :)

I have two "well known" numbers I use for home and office . . . the former is the number all my friends and family use to contact me, the latter is used by by my staff and coworkers. With Vonage, I can simply move both of those numbers to a different Vonage box (and attached "conventional" 2-line phone) at the vacation property through their customer web UI, and my phones ring at my vacation property just as they would at home (they don't ring at home, though).

When I head back to my "normal" home, I can switch them back. There's no need for me to acquire and pay for another number at the vacation property, and when we're not there the phone service is effectively shut down at that location. Some people emulate this functionality by unplugging their Vonage boxes and bringing them with them, but an extra Vonage device at the alternate location eliminates the need to tote one along.

What I'm hoping for is some mechanism (that may include a replacement for Vonage as my VOIP provider), that rings the phones in both locations, and allows me to dial out from either location, without having to make a configuration change each time I move from one property to the other or pay for yet another line. I guess my question is . . . are there VOIP providers that allow you to "mirror" one SIP device to another at a different location, essentially creating a geographically disparate extension phone?

I don't think so. Multi-ring of the SAME NUMBER to different address I do not believe is possible in the telephony space. Multi-ring of ONE number to MULTIPLE numbers is. If you are THERE, why does it matter if it doesn't ring back at the base location?

2 reasons . . . my son may elect not to come with us when we head out "to camp" (although he does have a cell phone), and switching the lines from box to box is just another task I'll have to take care of when leaving for our home away from home. It's not that big a deal, but I figured it was something that had been dealt with before :D

This is easily done with V:pIP. Some providers may not offer such service, however. Google Voice won't do this as there is currently no number associated with the box that may soon be installed in Maine. Vonage should be able to ring both -- if you have two of their boxes. They may not be willing to do so, though. I know a provider that can do this. The OP can PM me for details.

PM Sent :)

PM sent, hoping I don't get told "asterix"

I'm interested in which VOIP providers can ring the same DID to multiple VOIP SIP devices.

Keep Slingbox in mind so you don't have to purchase cable at both places.

I use this exam setup when I am traveling:
Basically, both my home and soft-phone ring at the same time and whichever answers first, gets the call.
Another cool thing is that I am able to call my own number and make my home phone ring if I want to speak with my wife.
I use www.voip.ms and created two sub accounts attached to the same number... then I link them by using a group ring. Simple to set up.

This thread on dsl reports from a couple years ago (assuming the companies are still in business) may help

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r188...two-locations-

My provider Call Centric offer this service and calls it simultaneous ringing
http://www.callcentric.com/features/...aneous_ringing

I believe Ooma can do this.

I don't think ooma can do this. same DID, multiple devices.

Ah. Sorry. Carry on :)

grandcentral
 

grandcentral IS google voice. It took them four years to re-release it. :-)

Doesn't solve the issue of ONE DID to simultaneously ring multiple devices with the SAME DID.

Apologies - I forgot that I actually use Talkatone to connect to my GoogleVoice account on my iPhone via Wi-FI vs. the google voice app (which still dials over AT&T). I do not use it that much.

I have used Skype (SkypeOut) quite a bit and have been happy with the results. Use it often overseas as well. But have never gone to the point of getting a SkypeIn # so people can reach me.

Neither will solve your ring both places simultaneously desire. I have this setup at work -- same phone extension rings two physical phones at two buildings (though I think one is hardline and the other is VOIP). And I can open up a desktop SIP client from anywhere in the world (which I believe turns off the VOIP extension). But short of setting up your own small VOIP PBX and setting up your phones as different extensions with the same number, not sure the consumer services support this yet.

Nevermind

Look, the whole point here is the difference between ringing the SAME DID at multiple locations (which I do not think is possible) and ringing multiple numbers are various locations (which everything in the world can do) The reason that one cannot have the SAME DID attached to multiple devices is that the unique DID is used for ROUTING, and E911 and PORTING and BILLING. If I could have the SAME DID ACTUALLY on multiple devices how could E911 work? It couldn't. It wouldn't know where each device was actually, or from where the 911 call was coming. Now, of course I can move ANY device but the point is that ONE device gets ONE DID at ONE TIME.

Here's how it works

The 911 call does not come from the same DID. For example, suppose the customer has a UK DID, then he has simultaneous calling, do the emergency services rush over to the UK? No.

So the customer has 1 US DID, that rings in two or three locations. Each location has its own VOIP number which is in turn registered for 911 services and calls to 911 from that number do NOT send out the DID unless of course it is from the line where that DID is registered to.

So you have VOIP#1 (primary which has a DID pointing to it) You then have VOIP#2 and VOIP#3 which are configured to ring simultaneously.

As I said yesterday, my provider does provide this service.

Anyone, show me ONE service that allows the SAME DID to be assigned to MULTIPLE DEVICES? Just one. NOT simultaneous multi-ring to multiple DESTINATION NUMBERS or multiple FORWARDS to MULTIPLE SEPARATE NUMBERS, but SIMULTANEOUS RINGING of the SAME DID at MULTIPLE DEVICES SIMULTANEOUSLY CONNECTED. Just one, please.

I already posted a link
Or did I imagine it?

not the same
 

simultaneous ringing is not the same thing as having the same DID at multiple locations. SR requires simply MULTIPLE DID's and then all get targeted when A or ONE DID is called.

The OP didn't ask for the same DID at multiple locations, the OP asked for the same DID to ring simultaneously at 2 locations.

SR in this example requires only one DID, which can be his primary DID at his home address, to ring simultaneously at his vacation property

That is what he wanted isn't it?

Yes -- but the p:eek:int was raised that if he dialed 911 from one of the instruments with one being in Maine and one somewhere else, the responders wouldn't know where to go. That can certainly happen if both instruments are part of the same virtual PBX with a single DiD configured.

Contrary to what was posted above, this is configuration is certainly possible. The only question is what are the requirements associated with location/identification and emergency services. The requirements are discussed here. One solution is to assign an extra DID with the proper alternative address associated with it that isn't advertised by the PBX except in the case of a 911 call. Extra DIDs are only a few dollars a month (though some providers may charge a lot more).

Part of the process of setting this up involves the customer affirming that the location information is correct and the customer keeping it updated. This is why if the OP moves his Vonage phone -- he's supposed to tell Vonage where he is so they can (among other things) update the 911 database.

No problem because each device has to have its own account and the 911 service would be linked to that account not to an inbound DID

That depends on the implementation of the service pr:pvider and on what the customer does with/without telling that provider.

Have a look at www.sipgate.com
I use them since a few months, as well as their german affiliate sipgate.de.
Assigning severals devices to one "physical" number is no problem for sipgate.

Nice ui ( http://awesomescreenshot.com/0b9klgi4c ) + no running costs (apart from outgoing calls.

I am using sipgate.com to receive calls on my US number in germany, really great quality!


EDIT: Sorry, no number porting - at least I couldn't find something about that on their website. You could solve this by using google voice and then forwarding calls from GV to the sipgate number.

Sign with a provider that supports bring your own device options. This includes Viatalk, Callcentric, VOIP.MS, etc. With VOIP.MS you can actually program the two devices to work on the same DID. With the others, buy a $15 a year account wit Voxalot and program that to connect to your VOIP account. You can now connect multiple devices to Voxalot. They will use the same inbound and outbound connection. If you are worried about congestion issues, back this up with a PAYG outbound account for overflow. Look at VOIP.MS where you can set the outbound calls to spoof your caller-id.

Voip.ms
Call Centric

Opps. Sorry - that's two. I could have named a dozen others too, but didn't want to go too far away from your request of just one...

I have personally done this with both of these providers, so I can confirm that it can be done. eg, with voip.ms I've had it setup to ring my VOIP phone at work, my VOIP phone at home, and a softphone (if it was running) - all with only a single DID.

.....

Just an update, since I've received my 2nd Vonage adapter for the new place . . .

The process of switching lines between adapters isn't as streamlined as I'd hoped. Not only do you have to select the line you wish to move and the port you wish to move it to, you have to enter the E911 information for each line as you move it. And, of course, if you're moving 2 lines, you have to do it twice.

Once you've made the switch, it can take some time before the Vonage devices update themselves and the lines actually become active. I did some testing at my primary residence with both devices plugged into my LAN, and at the moment the reliability of the switchover is suspect (I don't think I've successfully completed a handoff from one device to another without having to power off/on the device I'm switching to in the process).

We'll see how it goes once we set things up in the secondary residence . . .

As others have posted, check out VoIP.ms and Callcentric - two excellent providers that give you a LOT of flexibility (especially compared with Vonage, Skype etc.). What you want is very easy to do; with VoIP.ms, you'd setup a Ring Group for your DID and it would ring both locations. Pay attention to E911 configuration though, that is an important issue.

Personally, I switched from Vonage earlier this year, ported my number to VoIP.ms and haven't looked back. Get a couple of Obi110 ATA adapters from Amazon, sign up with VoIP.ms and save a ton of money vs. Vonage.

Did not see this suggested; to help the OP get better cell service in their 2nd home, they can take advantage of a Femtocell. Basically, it's a mini cell tower that plugs into your broadband connection. The only minus is, one would need to be purchased per cell provider. Links:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Femtocell
http://www.att.com/shop/wireless/dev...gmicrocell.jsp

or free
 

I got one free from AT&T, just for telling them about how many dropped calls I have at home. I had to pick it up at an AT&T store though, works great.

Another vote for Voip.ms listed above. I do exactly what the OP wanted - I have a couple of Linksys $30 ATA devices and the one phone number rings multiple devices at once and they all share the same voice mail, caller-id, etc, etc. Exactly what you want.

I've been using these guys for a little over two years, very happy, I've heard Callcentric is another decent one.

My monthly bills for all this is well under $5 a month total cost for all my phone usage. My monthly phone bills went down from about $30 a month to under $5, usually more like $3 a month, with a ton of customization available.

I was a little intimidated setting it up at first, but it's actually pretty easy. I also put a SIP client on my iPhone so when someone calls the home number it rings two locations plus my iPhone, so three devices, one phone number, no call-forwarding or anything like that. When traveling internationally I can use the iPhone SIP client to call outbound and the caller-id shows up as my home number and if anyone needs to reach me they can, for no additional cost or international charges.

This is another great benefit of going with a true VOIP solution like VoIP.ms; I've made calls over Gogo inflight wireless, and pretty much anywhere you can get onto Wi-Fi internationally saves you a TON of money.

Lots of flexibility, and you can start doing cool stuff with IVR's (I have a recording for anonymous callers that get dumped directly to voicemail unless they press 1, which gets rid of most robo-dialers for instance), iNum (my wife was able to make a free call from her hotel in Canada to the local iNum access number and get forwarded to our home phone, all free), callbacks, etc.

Amazingly cheap too, I bet most here would end up paying less than $10/month to replace their home landline.

voip.ms has been great
 

I agree with the above posts about voip.ms. I have no other ties to them, BTW.

I am in the process of porting a couple of numbers over and setting up my account. I have nothing but good things to say about their service and help where needed.

It is a bit intimidating because of all the features, but there is great help available and for most people, the defaults are just fine.

You can have incoming numbers from virtually anywhere in the world, and you can turn them on/off whenever you want. Some have a small fee to set up, the rest a very nominal monthly cost (a few bucks I am talking about). If you need a "local presence" in some remote city or country, you can get it here cheap. If you have friends/relatives/clients in remote places they can reach you with a local call. You can have a branch office in London/Paris/Budapest or wherever you want.

About all you need to get started is a less than $50 ATA box (I got my OBI110 from Amazon) and a pre-payment of whatever you want to get started.

The phone lines can then ring to any ATA box, IP phone, smartphone with an ip app, or your cell or landlines. You can forward to international numbers, also.

Rates are miniscule, a few cents a minute to land-lines everyplace, and to mobile/cell phones with their usual surcharges where applicable.

I am so excited about firing the "phone company" after all these years of putting up with their high prices/fees/taxes for an antiquated system.