HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

100% Free Landline Calls using the default OS2008 Internet Call app (VOIP):

Installation
1. sign up for gizmo
2. sign up for grandcentral
3. setup grandcentral using your gizmo 10-digit phone no.
4. update rtcomm
5. setup an internet call account - pg. 27
* select the “sipphone.com” service
* enter your gizmo username/password

Use
Incoming Calls:
Landline calls to the grandcentral phone no. => ring the tablet as an internet call (voip)

Outgoing Calls:
Calls from the grandcentral.com address book (or inbox) => ring the tablet as an internet call (voip) => ring the landline

note: if flash player is not available, a. use grandcentral.com/mobile and b. select gizmo no. as your mobile number.

This procedure is due to the open-source projects which are part of the Internet Communications Software and many internettablettalk members

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Yes, this is awesome, I just figured this out the other day.

It should be noted, though, at some point the outgoing call point may become not free.

http://www.grandcentral.com/support/showanswer/605 says:

"Will GrandCentral always be free?
Our current plan is to offer a free service with as many features as we can and later add paid features at a very affordable prices. During beta, all available features are free."

Also, from the FAQ:

"Will GrandCentral always be free?
Yes, we're excited to say that we will always offer a free version of GrandCentral, even after beta. Our free version will include unlimited inbound minutes, unlimited voicemail (up to 30 days old), and access to all of our core features. During beta, we're giving everyone unlimited access to our premium features. In exchange, all we ask is that you send us your feedback (good or bad) to beta@grandcentral.com. We'll read every comment."

However, it is Google now, and you know how long their betas generally last. :) So you may be able to enjoy the free outgoing calls for a long time, who knows?

-SG

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

To actually answer an incoming call from GrandCentral, when the call comes in go to the main menu and select Internet call->DTMF Dialing and then press "1" on the keypad to answer the call.

If there is an easier way to do this I would sure like to know.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Unique311 posted this on IRC yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJpS5doGZM

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Hmm, what's the purpose of updating rtcomm? I just tried without it and it seems to work (well it echoes but that's probably because I'm talking on my cell phone and tablet at the same time lol).

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I'd love to try this. But the Grandcentral site says "GrandCentral is currently a private beta service, which means you must receive an invite from GrandCentral or a GrandCentral user to sign up."

Would someone be so kind as to invite me? My email: anonymous469@gmail.com

Thanks so much!

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

You can just go to the website and hit reserve a # and they'll send you an invite. But as soon as I get one I'll send you one.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Thanks Laughing Man!

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Ok I think I sent you one.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

In step #5 of dkwatts' instruction, how should I complete the ID after the @ sign? I tried (myusername)@gizmoproject.com, but it didn't work.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Got it. Thanks LM!

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

By this do you mean the gizmo SIP number? This is the onlyone I have and I cant seem to setup grandcentral to use it. :confused:

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I guess I'm missing something.. doesn't it cost money for a gizmo number? How is this "100% free"?

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

You need to add a regular phone # first, then after your account gets confirmed. Go to settings, and there should be an option in the drop down box (select one of the ones that say cell) and change it to Gizmo. That stumped me too.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Don't need to update rtcomm.
because gizmo is sip, and sip is available in the default settings.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Heard it takes close to 1 WEEK.
But i ran out of invites, so i cant really help you with that.
but you can go to the IRC channel #maemo and ask for an invite.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhJpS5doGZM

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I reserved a number last night for the first time and had an invitation in about an hour. Maybe I'm just really lucky.

I suspect it depends somewhat on the availability of numbers in the area code where you reserve. It might also help that I have a gmail address, but I doubt that is as big a factor.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Ok...got it now. And it works though I just get that recorded message on incoming calls. There must be a way to not have to press 1 to accept the call...

I got my GC invite within 12 hours of signing up.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I guess the "press 1" feature is called "call presentation". If you'd like the option to disable it, please suggest it here:

http://www.google.com/support/grandc...t_type=suggest

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

pull up the dtfm dialpad
and you can press 1

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

If someone could send me an invite it would be greatly appreciated

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

having to pull up that dialpad is annoying as hell , first of all you should have the option in grandcentral to not have to press any numbers , and second , on the tablet it should constantly have the button for dialpad on the screen , not have to go into a menu for it.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I need invitation, too:p

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

From blog.grandcentral.com

# Vincent Says:
April 25th, 2007 at 3:07 pm

"thanks for the feedback. If we turn off the caller presentation, the first forwarding phone that answers will get the call. This means that if your cell is out of battery, it will pick up all your calls and you would never be able to take them from another phone. You would also lose usage of the central voicemail. We’re looking at alternate ways of doing this and as you mentioned, we’ll soon let you speak the command so you don’t have to fumble for your phone.
As for the SMS, it’s coming. thanks for your patience"

Vincent Paquet

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I know how to press 1...I'm saying that it is a dealbreaker for GC being useful for me. If Google hopes to turn this into a pay service they'll need to give users that option.

It is just not a normal telephony feature for those of us who only want to use GC with one phone (gizmo in this case).

Try picking up a gc call when you are 50ft from your phone on a BT headset.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

DTMF, I assume? Then all you need is a whistle with 697 & 1209 Hz frequencies. Blow the whistle to transmit a '1' press. (Of course, one shouldn't have to resort to old-school phreaking techniques to use gc, but until they fix it, you could.)

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Haha phreaking..I can imagine it now, all the people on bluetooth headsets walking around D.C. making the dial tone noise for 1.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Ok, I followed the steps and I've got a working connection plus a few extra invites. Who wants one? Post your email address.. I think I've got 5 or so left.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

If your using Gizmo to dial in and out yes it would cost money. But we're connecting Gizmo to Grand Central. And Grand Central is handling the in/out calls (and it's currently free for Grand Central).

And since both are SIP operable (still don't understand it fully myself..just that it's an open protocal for voice to voice then let's say Skype) that means it's free to interchange voice calls inbetween the two services.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

It doesn't help but... Note: that the quick rule settings will disable the call confirmation step, but you can't select your gizmo sip number.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Does this work in Canada?

I'm looking at this and am a little confused about the whole setup. Anyone want to help with a newbie's guide?

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

nevermind.

I see below someone found the link. I knew I saw it in one of the categories. News was my last guess. It should be added to wiki, I don't know if/when I'll get around to it.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

I posted this free call method over a week ago http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...1&postcount=50
I must not have ¨yell¨ loud enough, glad others now see this is a good combination N8xx/GrandCentral. :)

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Clicker, I'm in Canada and it worked for me.

heavyt, I just wanted to confirm whether the link you posted in step 6 should be prox01.sipphone.com or proxy01.sipphone.com

When I checked my Gizmo account for my sipphone number, it said @proxy, so that's what I used.

The calling part works fine; I can call my GC number through SkypeOut, and my N810 will ring (and thanks to the other helpful post, I now know how to press 1 to answer it!). So, that's all well and good. I have un-enabled my cell phone at GC because the whole reason for this set up is to avoid the crazy *** roaming charges of a Canadian cell phone in the US. But, when I tested it initially, both my N810 and my cell phone rang when I called my GC number.

My only issue now is when I try the "new internet call" and view the presence of my accounts, the GTalk is "connected" but the sipphone is "authentication failed." I suspect but I'm not sure that this is a router / "need to open a port" problem (as I have seen in some other threads) as I was having trouble connecting with just plain old Gizmo from the laptop. I haven't pursued the matter because I'm a SkypePro gal and that takes care of our outgoing calls.

But in summary, yes, heavyt's method works perfectly for my Canadian cell phone, and for receiving calls on the N810 in Canada.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Sarah, did you have the option to pick *your* area code in Gizmo? Mine's not there.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Nope, sadly the only numbers available are US numbers. So, I have a number based in sunny Florida . . . (no subconscious, Manitoba-based climate envy here)

So, in short, there's no real advantage for anyone local (and, we've only just recently moved from the GTA, so ideally we would have wanted a Toronto number) unless they have a comprehensive long distance plan that includes US numbers. But, here's what I can now do:

I've put a GC "call me" button on my website. This button will first use my GC number to ring the caller (who gives their own number in the web button), then rings Gizmo on my tablet. As far as I can tell, free for all involved, and the person calling me can use a normal phone. (You can see what it looks like at www.weliveherenow.net and go to the contact page.) Feel free to call it, to see what it's like. If I don't know you, I won't answer anyway so it will just go to voicemail.)

It's a little bit of overkill, admittedly, but I was more interested in the exercise of setting it up and seeing what I could do with it.

It might be useful when we travel to Europe and SkypePro (north American) will cost Skype Out credits. I'm thinking of giving people my GC number and telling them to put it in their caller ID, so that I can use my own web button and simply put THEIR number in, so that I can call them when I'm outside NA. (I've verified that the caller ID shows my GC to the other person, so if they receive a call from this number, yet only hear ringing, they'll know it's me trying to call them.)

As I mentioned, I don't have a need yet for "Gizmo Out" so I haven't experimented too much with that.

Anyway, that's how I've been using it. More as a learning experience than a solution to a real problem, but it has some use for sure.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

this is all quite interesting but one question has not been asked. Does this work when calling internationally? For example, calling from the US to Europe (or visa versa). Additionally, does this work when calling European cellphones (i.e. do you avoid the tariff for calls originating outside Europe)?

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

Thanks for this, it works for me. Once my cingular contract is up I will cancel my cell phone and get a prepayed phone for emergencies only.

Re: HOWTO: Free Landline Calls - Beta
 

It won't work for calling TO Europe, Asia, etc. It WILL work for calling from Europe, Asia, etc to the USA/Canada. I was in Argentina this past week and used my N800/Gizmo Project/Grand Central to make and receive calls to the USA without problem. I just had to have a good internet connection (McDonalds had them and they were free).