How To Reuse Old Phones With Cheap VoIP

Cheap is good.  Not having to buy new stuff is even better.

Take advantage of these two bastions of frugality by reading the highly informative series on how to use Google Voice by David Gewirtz at his Government Blog.

Challenges of Cheap

In the Gewirtz installment, Google Voice: a cheapskate’s guide to cheap VoIP, it’s assumed you’ve said goodbye to a land line, are relying on a cell phone, and would like to continue using your old comfortably familiar land line handset.

Gewirtz first compares the OBi VoIP adapter versus Ooma proprietary technology and then how to bridge your Google Voice account with an OBiTALK account if you run with the OBi adapter.

Use Your Existing VoIP Adapters Too

I’d like to add that if you already have an existing VoIP adapter like the Linksys PAP2T or Linksys SPA2102 these can be used with Google Voice too by combining it with sipgate VoIP service that gives you a free phone number for one user.

Note:  As of April 3, 2011 Gizmo5 no longer works with Google Voice – the service has been discontinued.

Google Voice Series

For lots more information, The Definitive Google Voice How-To Series currently includes:

• Google Voice: a step-by-step primer on ditching your land line while keeping your number
• Google Voice: the ultimate iPhone how-to
• Google Voice: beyond Gmail. Get voicemail and texts using any client you want
• Google Voice: how to consolidate your virtual phone numbers
• Google Voice: a cheapskate’s guide to cheap VOIP (this article)
• Configuring a complex home office (coming soon)