{"id":3868,"date":"2020-11-16T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.foell.org\/justin\/?p=3868"},"modified":"2020-11-15T18:04:10","modified_gmt":"2020-11-16T00:04:10","slug":"porting-your-google-voice-number-to-skyetel-to-use-with-incrediblepbx","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.foell.org\/justin\/porting-your-google-voice-number-to-skyetel-to-use-with-incrediblepbx\/","title":{"rendered":"Porting your Google Voice number to Skyetel to use with IncrediblePBX"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once upon a time you could hook your Asterisk-based PBX to your Google Voice account to make and receive calls. How you hooked it up over the years changed (annoyingly). And at the end of 2018, support for accessing Google Voice via XMPP was dropped. Remember when we trusted Google to be the “for the better good” company? Oh, how times have changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the tech giant under increased scrutiny for it’s advertising practices<\/a>, I’m not at all sad about leaving one of their products behind. The only thing I wanted to keep was my cool Google Voice phone number: 29-FOELL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I did it with the help of Nerdvittles<\/a> and included several screenshots here for easy reference. I also used his advice when it came to picking a new VOIP provider. After looking at a few options, I’m going with Skyetel. Not because it’s the cheapest (it’s not), but because it has an important feature for our home phone: E911<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Skyetel Account<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To start my Skyetel account, I went through Nerdvittles’ referral program<\/a>. He’s negotiated a $10 initial credit, and a buy-one get-one (BOGO) on your first pre-paid amount<\/a>. It’s not automatic, likely to prevent fraud. You have to submit a support ticket to request a $10 credit after your initial sign-up. Then submit another support ticket after you’ve pre-paid into your account. So I started with $10 (added for free). Then I pre-paid $50 and with another simple support request they matched it with another $50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pro-tip: don’t port your number over to Skyetel until you’ve made your first deposit into you Skyetel account. Once you make your first actual<\/em> payment, they offer a 60-day free port-in service (normally $10).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Back when I had a land line from the local telephone company, it would cost at least $20\/month. I expect the Skyetel monthly charges for a local number ($1) and E911 service ($1.50), plus call time, to be less than $5\/mo. It’s worth it to me if I can reliably call the house and anyone can dial 911 in an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My initial deposit of $50, doubled to $100 should last me over 2 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Porting your number out of Google Voice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Follow the instructions for porting your Google Voice number out to a mobile phone service<\/a>. I realize you’re not porting it to a mobile phone, but the instructions are the same. You need to unlock your number<\/a> so the new provider can claim it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It will cost $3 to unlock – worth it to me because it’s a cool number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once your purchase has been confirmed you’ll be emailed a receipt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And now your number is unlocked!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Porting your number into Skyetel<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From your Skyetel dash<\/a>, go to Port Orders and click Submit New Order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The process is fairly simple, but here are some key settings:<\/p>\n\n\n\n