Update 9 Sept 2010: This post has since become outdated! Please check out the updated post about using Gizmo5 and Google Voice for free calls
With Google Voice (what is Google Voice?) fulfilling more and more invitations, some more great news has recently been discovered (thanks cnr1109): you can now setup Gizmo (a VOIP application very similar to Skype) to make free incoming and outgoing calls using your Google Voice account – no longer do you have to “start†the call from the google.com/voice webpage (or similar). Not only this, but if you get a SIP/ATA device (devices used for Vonage/SunRocket/etc), you can plug it into your existing home phone line and have free calls from home without having to use your computer! And what else? it’s easy to setup:
1. Add your Google Voice number to your Gizmo5 account
Login to your gizmo5.com account and enter in your google voice account information (if you are weary about giving them your gmail account information, which you shouldn’t be – but if you are, you can request your google voice account be associated with a different gmail address) Google Voice number:
update 7/27/09 7:30pm est: There is now a notice on the page that this is an experimental service and calls will be limited to 20 minutes. They also provided a link to more information at www.gizmovoice.com:
update 7/30/09: Now it is limited to 3 minutes of outgoing calls, unlimited incoming, and more – find out full details over at http://www.gizmovoice.com/ or http://gizmocall.com/:
update 8/8/09: (how many more changes will there be!?) Now you no longer have to enter in your Google account credentials:
2. Add your Gizmo5 number to your Google Voice account (and verify it)
Login to Google Voice (http://www.google.com/voice) and add your Gizmo5 number (if you haven’t already):
Once you click save, you’ll see a window pop up with a verification code. Make sure you have Gizmo installed and running on your computer, and then click ‘connect’ (tip: if having problems getting Gizmo5 to work in Windows 7, install AND run it [once installed] in Windows XP Compatibility mode):
Answer the call within Gizmo (you do NOT need to be paying for Gizmo incoming call feature for this call), and then enter in the 2 digit code:
Now, at this point, you can now make free outgoing, and receive free incoming, calls from the Gizmo application (using your Google Voice number)!
3. Setup an ATA device for free calls using a land line phone
To be able to make/receive these free calls from an actual land line phone (using the “normal†phone lines in your house/etc), you will have to obtain a ATA \ PAP2 \ VOIP device. This is basically a box that you plug in to your router/modem and then you can plugin a normal phone line into this device. You then configure the device to work with your Gizmo account, plugin a land line phone (or, plug it into your home’s phone jack in the wall, and then any phone plugged into a different phone jack will work) and viola! Free incoming/outgoing calls using your land line phones.
Where can you find such a device? These are the devices that were/are used for such services like Vonage, the now defunct SunRocket, and the like. Here are a few examples of ATA devices (get already unlocked ones and save your self hassle):
- Linksys Sipura SPA-2100 (or basically any unlocked sipura model numbers) – ebay
- Linksys PAP2 – ebay
- InnoMedia MTA6328-2Re – ebay (not sure how to unlock these)
- Happen to already have an old SunRocket device (most likely InnoMedia)? Follow these instructions (thanks WorpX) to unlock & use with Gizmo5
Once you have a ATA device, here is the information you want to use to set it up to use your Gizmo account (how to access the admin panel of your device depends on the device):
- Username: your ten digit Gizmo number and country code [1 ### ### ####] with no spaces (you can find your gizmo number by logging into your http://www.gizmo5.com account, and it will be listed there as your “SIP Numberâ€)
- Password: your Gizmo password
- Server: proxy01.sipphone.com (or, if you are having problems with hearing audio when receiving calls, try stun01.sipphone.com:3478 – thanks ccengineer)
update 7/30: As mentioned earlier in step 2, Gizmo has now limited (free) outgoing calls to 3 minutes but still allowing unlimited incoming minutes. Here is the email I received this evening about it:
Gizmo Voice Moves from Experimental to Beta
Thanks for trying our experimental Gizmo Voice service. The viral spread of this service surprised us and we’ve received valuable feedback from many users on their experience of linking their Google Voice number to a Gizmo5 account so they can make and receive calls from wifi phones, ATAs, PC software and even a browser window using GizmoCall.com. Many of you have told us about the wide range of SIP devices you can now use to connect to Google Voice and we’re keeping a list of user suggestions of compatible wifi phones and software you might want to try out.
We’re now moving the service from Experimental to Beta and there are some important facts you should know:
- Gizmo Voice will remain a free service for Google Voice users to link their telephone number to a SIP account via Gizmo5.
- Unlimited incoming calls will be permitted to any SIP software or hardware.
- Free 3 minute calls to US numbers.
- All outbound calls will display your Google Voice CallerID.
- Longer calls will require a purchase of Gizmo5’s Call-Out which offers low per minute fees to all destinations.
- Unanswered inbound calls will use Google’s voicemail with unlimited online storage and free voicemail transcripts.
We hope you are enjoying the high quality VOIP service Gizmo5 has to offer, which includes unlimited calls to 800 numbers, other SIP networks, GoogleTalk users and even the ability to call a Skype user from any SIP device. (To test the SIP to Skype gateway call Try dialing 1-333-666-1111 which is the Skype echo line.) Gizmo5 is committed to user empowerment that comes from the use of open standards and interconnected services.
Any questions!? Have better ATA devices to use? Feel free to ask in the comments!
How can I dial out using the InnoMedia MTA6328-2Re? I can receive calls but when I try to dial out, it says “Your call cannot be completed as dialed, check number and try again.” Anyone know whats wrong? Thanks
Anybody know how to get X-Lite to work with making outbound calls from the app? Gizmo5 works fine, but I can’t make an outbound call from X-Lite.
I can only get the Google Voice Gizmo5 thingy to work on outbound calls with the external application. Using the web site http://www.gizmocall.com/open.html will not allow you to make outbound calls over your googleVoice pair for some reason… any ideas?
Bryce, check my comment a little earlier in the thread. Make sure your username is your sip number(1747#######) and not a regular Gizmo username. Changed this one thing and x-lite started working perfectly.
I’m having a similar problem as BFT. I can make outgoing calls as described above but only with the desktop application. If I try to call through Fring on my iPhone via Gizmo then I get a message telling me I should buy callout credit. Anyone know if this can be fixed?
Same here Sunny. No clue why after researching it all online.
To those having difficulty using Fring or any other client to dial out using GV through their G5 account, please follow the instructions of Jeremy C from the previous page as this solution worked for me. I am at work so I cannot test with http://www.gizmocall.com but it worked with Fring on my ipod touch:
Jeremy C on: 27 July 2009 at 4:32 pm
If you are having problems calling out using another client other than Gizmo5 or your hardware make sure that your user name is your sip number 1747####### and not your Gizmo user name. I had this problem using x-lite where it kept telling me I needed Gizmo out minutes to make calls. Changed the username setting in x-lite to the sip number and works as expected now.
I’m new to Gizmo and I followed the instructions. I also installed Gizmo Lite on my mobile phone. What I don’t understand is how to make outgoing calls from the cell phone which will use the Google Voice number. Any clarification will be greatly appreciated! Thanks.
So I noticed on the gizmo page they are limiting calls to 20 minutes. Is that limitation only present in their software, or does it exist when using an ATA device too?
I want to go buy an ATA device to try this all out, but if that is a real limitation, that kinda sucks…
Is the 20 minute limit for inbound calls, outbound calls or both?
I have Gizmos5 set up on my Gigaset S675IP that I got from Amazon.com. Once I set up the google voice option on the Gizmo5 page, my S675IP can now make calls on google voice. way cool… gonna get one for my parents.
Could anyone please tell me how I should place a call from my cell phone for free via Gizmo5 using my Google Voice number? Thanks!
Just signed up with Gizmo5 and noticed that there’s now a 3 minute limit instead of 20 minutes — hardly worth it….
Yep. The “free” gizmo mashup to google voice is now limited to 3 minutes. It seemed so promising.
So is it limited to 3min only for outgoing calls then? Can still at least have it configured as a service to get free incoming calls to an ATA adapter?
Hi,
I have most of this done but I’m working now on the ATA.
I do understand what needs to be done if I get a new ATA to configure.
My question:
I have viatalk currently and I have a PAP2 that came with it. It’s unlocked and I have the admin password. I can see that there are two lines on it, line1 seems to be the one used Line2 doesn’t seem to be configured.
Is it possible to configure G5 on Line2? Will I be able to use Viatalk and G5? Although I’m unclear on how SIP/VOIP will know which to use. I haven’t tried this because I don’t want to screw up my phone just in case this is not compatible.
Best Regards
reapur,
I am in the exact same situation you are – ViaTalk user with a PAP2T and an unused Line2.
I asked around and came up short, but eventually I constructed the right google search that brought me to: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19601198-Two-PAP2s-behind-one-router-can-they-use-same-SIP-Ports
Check out the settings N9MD posted on 2007-12-11 21:54:17
I entered them into Advanced Settings for Line 2 and it connected a couple of seconds later.
Good luck!
Alex
Thanks Alex.
Already working on it :)
Bad news folks. Gizmo still allows unlimited calls coming IN from GoogleVoice but have instituted a 3 minute time limit on calls going FROM Gizmo5 TO GoogleVoice.
Trying to organize the traffic in my head….
which leg is the one from G5 GV that is limited?
Is it if someone calls you on G5 and it rings thru to GV?
No, if you dial OUT from Gizmo via Google Voice, then the call’s limited to 3 minutes. If someone calls your GoogleVoice number, then you can talk on Gizmo5 for as long as you like.
Bear in mind that this is still experimental and when I tested the 3 min limit last night I got 20+ before I accidentally let the call end
I still feel like Gizmo will (or at least needs to for this to be worthwhile) come up with a way to transition a call from a free x min GV to a paid-for Gizmo call
@Alex, it sounds like (from the email I just posted) that they will (if not already) make it so it will automatically transition to your GizmoOut paid credit once you go beyond your free 3 minutes.
If nothing else, perhaps this could be a good free fax service (assuming you send a small fax)!
I am lost in the logic loop here. Everything is associated between GV and Gizmo, but how do I get to make the free calls? I don’t get it. I
when I call out with ATA , gizmo5 account setup inside, and associated with GV, I can’t hear anything from the other party, but if the other party call my GV No. which is transfered to my GZ5 account , there is no problem at all. very strange.
I didnt change any setup, and this setup has been working until yesterday.
Does call-out still work? I only see this:
Integration with Google Voice:
– Answer calls from your GoogleVoice US number on any device or software
– Callees automatically see your GoogleVoice telephone number as Caller ID
– Integration with GoogleVoice voicemail using transcription
– Use sophisticated Google Voice answer features like ‘listen in voicemail’ from your PC or handset
No mention of any time limit. When I do try to call out, I get a message saying to purchase Gizmo call-out minutes…
Great idea but I don’t think I’ll be giving gizmo my gmail username and password, sorry …
What’s Free?
If I “inititiate” the call from the Google voice site, it calls my Gizmo number and I receive an incoming call from my Google voice number. I answer it. Then the number I’m calling starts ringing.
If the call from my Google Voice number to my Gizmo number is treated by Gizmo as an “incoming” call, then I can make unlimited free calls. But if Google Voice “hands off” the connection to Gizmo in such a way that Gizmo sees it as an outgoing call, I’ll only get three minutes.
I’m about to join an hour long teleconference, and I haven’t provided Gizmo with any way to bill me for outgoing calls, so I should know what the situation is real soon now.
Note: If I initiate the call directly from my Gizmo client, I’m sure it will be an outgoing call and I’ll be charged appropriately.
hey GregC, what was the result of your experiment? I thought about this as well…that initiating the call from GV and having it ring your Gizmo5 is now the only way to get free unlimited outbound calling.
Gizmo5 no longer requires your Google password.
@hallo – thanks for the heads up! I went ahead and updated the post
I just tried this on my Polycom SIP phone which I have connected to Gizmo. After enabling the GV integration, I called myself to my cell phone. The number showing on my cell Caller ID was my google voice number. Yet when I refreshed my Gizmo5 members page, my CallOut balance was decreased. Tested 2 more times with same results.
Jose,
That is by design
The free 3inute calls are a teaser for you to purchase Callout minutes, at which time you’ll be charged 1.9c/min for every minute
GregC: I was wondering the same thing as well. Does unlimited outgoing calls work when you have google voice ring gizmo through the website?
confirmed for myself, unlimited calling will work when using google voice to connect gizmo to a call as it’s technically an incoming call from google voice
quadomatic
Can you tell me how to do this?
Will I be calling my G5 1747 number from the G5 site and it rings my GV numbers?
Alex: Go to the google voice website and log in. Click the call button, put in the number you want to call, and tell it to ring your gizmo number.
Gizmo will receive a call from a google voice number (not your own) and you will be connected to the number you wanted to call. Because google voice connected the call, it counts as an incoming call, which remains unlimited.
Just to understand…..
I enter my sip details into an ATA… It registeres to Gizmo 5.
Then I forward my GV account to my Gizmo 5 account.
So far it’s pretty straight forward.
I also follow all the other steps mentioned…
The only thing not mentioned ion this thread is on the most important things..
When you pick up the phone that’s connected to the ATA (registered to Gizmo), how do you access your Google Voice Account?
Do you just pic k up and dial – and the call is automatically routed through Google Voice? Or, is there something special you must dial to access your Google Voice account?
Alex, let me clarify. I never went over 3 minutes when I made my test calls, they were all under 30 seconds, yet my Callout credits decreased anyway even though G5 was using GV.
i have a problem, i have my google voice account set up with my gizmo5 acc. and i was able to verify the gizmo number with google voice after trying a couple of times it went threw and connected. after a couple of days it 2 days i stopped recieving calls now it does not go threw at all.but i still can make outgoing calls,my google voice number shows up in caller i.d. but i cant get any calls. i sent gizmo5 support telling them about my problem and they said basically that the free 3 minute outgoing calls is for testing purposes and that im gonna have to buy minutes,and i replied saying yeah im willing to buy minutes but i wanna make sure that its gonna allow me to receive incoming calls. well if anyone knows how to fix this problem please help im using my android phone to with sipdroid.thanks!
Hi James, thanks for this great post.
I have one serious problem that I have tried desperately, but unsuccessfully, to resolve. When I pick up my phone, I can hear the tone and everything appears to be working fine. However, after I dial a number, the line is completely mute. I cannot hear a dial tone or the person who I am trying to reach. The weirdest part is that I did not initially have this problem. I only started to have this problem once I disconnected my phone from the (unlocked) PAP2-NA phone adapter and reconnected it.
I contacted Linksys and they recommended that I reset the PAP2-NA to its factory settings. However, I understand that doing so would lock the PAP2-NA and I have no clue how to unlock it again (I tried reading some articles on the Web, but the procedure seems far too complicated).
Do you have any suggestions? Any help would be much appreciated.
As of today (Sept. 4, 2009) Gizmo5 has discontinued free incoming calls.
@ocbizlaw: please post a link, I cannot find that. Thank you.
@TwoHawks & @ocbizlaw:
WFM still. I just tested it with my PAP2 just now.
@ past three posts, haha – it’s working for me still as well, nor do I see any thing to suggest that it doesn’t work. When logged into my gizmo5 account, I still see “…- Free inbound calls on wifi phone, smart phone, ATA or software of your choosing…”
Thanks to Mario–just spent an hour on various posts of “free” incoming calls, yet Gizmo says $3.00–my two-cents (or $3) suggestion is: yahoo or Skype for $3 a month, and we know they work.
Thanks Mario. Yeah, I looked everywhere and couldn’t find validation for that being ‘gone’. And I am still using it ;^)
Look folks… Gizmo is actively promoting the Google connection right now, and just to mention, just out is the inclusion for 911 services (thru e911) for a push to make/grow Gizmo into replacement landline service.
The reason I don’t think the free connection capability thru GV is going away anytime soon is if you look on the forums over at Google Voice there are some posts about how if they do a takeaway on this it is going to adversely affect other systems… i.e., its a technical by-product from other things they need that simply makes it work.
@Peggy: the thing to do is Do Not put your Google info into your settings over at Gizmo -> you leave that blank and off. Also, do not turn on forwarding. Yes, Peggy, I am enjoying unlimited free incoming and outgoing long distance anywhere in the US right now… using only GV if I call locally from the landline, and using GV+Gizmo if I initiate the call via my computer so GV can call me on my landline or cell and then connect me to the other caller.
Hope this helps. Cheers, TwoHawks
Depending on your usage, and if you need to port a number, I have found localphone.com to be the least expensive option.
I just wish I didn’t need to port my number as they don’t support that.
Either way, I can use my localphone.com account to get ridiculously low international rates, and my ATA is programmed to automatically use the localphone.com settings when I dial 011 or 001 :)
Hi Folks–and thanks Two Hawks for your input. Perhaps I’m working with a basic misconception here–I DO NOT have a home phone- cell only and don’t want to receive ic calls there ($). Today is Dad’s 97th b’day for which I needed ic phone- after today pressure is off and I can really try this out.
Currently have Vz cell (fam plan) & many contacts on Vz ( free) & have unlimited Skype out–for $24 (this year anyway).- very worth it–good connections US and cheap infrequent calls to Europe. Just started GV for ic calls- ic voicemail is fine but no actual calls on PC –Can I receive a call on PC with Gizmo? (what’s my number? the Sip # in Gizmo registration isn’t valid.)–
The cellphone charger broke 2 days ago and that prompted this urgency–New cellphone arrives 4 days and immed problem is over, but I’d still like to understand this…I resolved the last few days dilemma by calling my Vz VM every 1/2 hr from Skype and then returning calls (tethered to laptop) via Skype. I previously had AIM phoneline 2yrs until they disbanded svc and only rec’d VM msgs there too (had a #, but never rang when I tested it -rec’d dashbd and e-mail, but no live call – decided it was bc I hadn’t “bought” any outgoing time –now moot.
hope I explained well- nice to find a forum where contributors are knowledgeable (and smart).
A few disclaimers: 1. I do not get a commission from Skype (I wish I did; I just found it very handy & easy for me & began using in 2005 or 6 when they offered 7 months free US calling, 2. As a Bell retiree I shouldn’t be advocating these freebies or cheapies: (Need that pension!), and 3. have not had a homephone for 24 years.
I hope my first note didn’t sound sarcastic–I really meant Thanks to Mario–because that meant I could stop trying to figure this out- I just re-read all recent posts and see that calls are still working, but don’t know how to get phone # to enter in GV. Be back to try again in a day or so. Thanks again to all…P.A.
@Alex: thank you for posting that ;^)
@Peggy Ann: np & yw. Now lets see if I go this straight…
You need to receive a call on your PC, yes? You can do this using GV with Gizmo… Here’s what you do…
1) input your Gizmo sip info into your GV account. Look around in GV help for setting up your Gizmo # on GV if you need details
2) set your GV default number to your Gizmo account
3) in your Gizmo account, forwarding is off, and there are no settings entered for GV
4) open a Gizmo softphone on your PC. (You need to set it up, details are furhter down.)
5) Now, when someone calls your Google Voice Number, it will forward on to Gizmo. With your Gizmo softphone setup on your PC …it will ring, and you pick up the call.
That’s it.
——————————–
But you need to setup a softphone on your PC that is linked up to your Gizmo SIP for it to ring (or call out). There are many alternatives…
1) At the Gizmo5 website there is a Flash Phone you can use from right in your browser – no set up required, you simply log into it.
2) You can download Gizmo5’s softphone, install and set that up
3) You can use “x-lite”… a very nice softphone,
4) and there are others as well.
I use x-lite. A gentleman at GV, Bernal, made an excellent tutorial on how to set it up here:
http://googlevoices.blogspot.com/2009/04/google-voice-to-gizmo-with-x-lite.html
That should get you started.
——————————-
If you want to call out, you could James info here, and pay for Gizmo for your calls, OR…
1) Login to your GV account and initiate a call,
2) Pick up your Gizmo softphone when it rings
3) you will hear it keep ringing… because you are being connected to your intended callee…
…oh, and that’s a free call from your PC to anywhere in the US or Canada.
I hope that helps.
Cheers, ;^)
TwoHawks