Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Useless brick after a year. I have been using OBI110. I have been quite happy with it because I could use my Google Voice account to make/receive calls. About 2 years ago, I ordered OBi202 just because it supported fax. I realize that the fax feature was no better than OBi110. What I did not know before I ordered OBi202 was that they have come up with ingenious way to extort money. Even though it is only $10 a year, they don't mention it anywhere when you order. Both my OBI110 and OBi202 stopped working about a year ago even though I never ever logged into the web interface (for OBI110) or the obitalk.com site to change any settings. When I finally got around to trying to fix the the issue, OBi110 doesn't give any option to set up Google Voice. It appears to be already configured and set up since I never changed any settings. As for OBi202, it shows that the device is online and when set up with Google Voice but does not work. When I try to dial out, I hear the recording "No device configured error. Go to Obitalk.com and configure your device". I tried to configure it again but as soon as I click on Google Voice, it jumps back to the support page prompting me to pay $10. No OBihai, I am not going to give you $10 annually because the only reason I bought this device with the fax option was to use it probably once a year when I ever need to send a fax. I say once a year because I probably have to send one fax in a year if at all. Today when I needed to send a fax, you made me realize that I wasted my money buying your device. If OBihai wants to go with a subscription model, then they should actually offer a SIP service. What are you actually offering with the $10 yearly except for allowing your users to use a third-party service (Google Voice) that costs you nothing? I don’t get it. Imagine buying a cable modem that deactivates after a year and the modem manufacturer asking $10 every year to let you use the cable modem that you have already paid for. It does not matter if it’s only $10 - it is just not being honest with your product. With this review, I want to warn others who may be thinking that this device works like it used to. It does NOT. As for my once-a-year fax solution? I found an Android app that lets you send a 5-page fax (or five 1-page faxes) for $2.50 and that is a much reasonable solution.