Turn cell phone into landline like with extensions.

[Tadpole]

Do you really need multiple handsets in a 1300 sq-ft house? My home is 2300 sq-ft and I usually leave my cellphone on the kitchen counter near the center of the house, I can get there in 3 rings from anywhere in the house.

Good for you! I'm a "walking cripple" because of a car wreck and can't get to a ringing phone fast with safety. (Lost 3 1/2 inches of my femur and wear a really big shoe which, while it fixes the total length problem, is on the wrong side of the knee.) My husband has Parkinson's. We are the couple the phrase "slow as molasses" was created for. We can't rush to the phone safely. Wish it were better but it's not.

 

[Hermit]

I hate to go OT but, I know the OP and I can deal with her.

You may have solved another phone problem we have. When we moved from MD to WA we kept the MD area code and number on the main phone. I have always wanted to get our phone number on WA's area code. I conclude from your post that I can transfer the MD number to Google Voice and set it up to transfer to a new number that I establish with WA's area code. Then I can gradually notify everyone about the new number. Our problem is that our banks, pension offices, vendors, etc. have that number and I have never been sure that I could get everything changed.

I'm pretty sure you can get your phone number transferred to Google Voice. I didn't do that. I still have my Virginia cell phone number which is the only number I give out. When I am out of cell phone range or that phone is turned off, Verizon transfers the call to my Google Voice number and Google Voice goes to a message recording. It is transparent to the caller. Google then transcribes to message and sends it to me in an e-mail. I can read the message and can also play it back if I choose. Google Voice also notifies me in an e-mail of any incoming calls and the incoming number that do not leave a message. Eventually, when I have dependable VOIP, I will start giving out my local Google Voice number. I will be able to transfer calls to my cell phone and I can also set up a phone using an adapter at the house.

 

[travelover]

.........
It's almost as easy to use the google voice app within Gmail to dial a phone number or answer a call in gmail on a laptop (almost all have mics and speakers). But we have handsets throughout the house for convenience (1 in office, 1 in living room, 1 upstairs in bedroom).

Can I make calls using Google Voice within GMail without the Obihai adapter? (Sorry, I'm low tech.)

EDIT - I answered my own question. I downloaded Google Hangouts and I can make calls for free with a headset that I already own. Yahoo!! - bring on the bureaucrats and drones..

 

[zinger1457]

Good for you! I'm a "walking cripple" because of a car wreck and can't get to a ringing phone fast with safety. (Lost 3 1/2 inches of my femur and wear a really big shoe which, while it fixes the total length problem, is on the wrong side of the knee.) My husband has Parkinson's. We are the couple the phrase "slow as molasses" was created for. We can't rush to the phone safely. Wish it were better but it's not.

Sorry, didn't consider special circumstances required it.

 

[FUEGO]

Can I make calls using Google Voice within GMail without the Obihai adapter? (Sorry, I'm low tech.)

EDIT - I answered my own question. I downloaded Google Hangouts and I can make calls for free with a headset that I already own. Yahoo!! - bring on the bureaucrats and drones..

Yeah, I do that when I'm too lazy to reach over for a phone and my laptop is up on my lap. Or when someone calls the house, it also rings my gmail tab that's almost always open.

You could always skip the obihai and go with google calling only from a computer. You can also install google hangouts (I think that's the app; might need to google it though ) on your cell phone and call for free using google voice # through there.

 

[travelover]

....... You can also install google hangouts (I think that's the app; might need to google it though ) on your cell phone and call for free using google voice # through there.

Didn't think of that - thanks!

 

[FUEGO]

Didn't think of that - thanks!

No problem. Google Voice is a big part of my $10 per year telecommunications plan for home phone and cell phone.