Outbound calls with Google Voice

[manubit]

I recently got a Google Voice account and have been playing with it and thinking about its usefulness. I have come to the conclusion, while its great for inbound calls, it has serious limitations for outbound calls (calls displaying my Google Voice number as the caller id). Let's assume what I believe to be the most common scenario - I have a computer, a mobile phone and a landline phone (VOIPo or otherwise). Following are the 3 ways I can make an outbound call from Google Voice -

Use a web browser to log into my Google Voice account (from a computer or mobile phone) and place the call, which will be connected to one of my phones.
From my mobile phone, use Google Voice application (if available for my mobile phone's make/model/OS) to place the call. At present, such application is available only for BlackBerrys and Andriod OS phones.
From my mobile phone or landline phone

Call my Google Voice number.
Enter 2.
Enter the number I want to call, followed by "#".


Its obvious the third method above is the only option for VOIPo phones (without the use of a computer) and you can imagine how cumbersome and unusable it is.
Hence I come to the reason for this post - What can be done to ease making outbound calls from Google Voice using VOIPo phones?
For a number already in my address book, I can change it to look like "<MyGoogleVoiceNumber>p2p<PhoneNumber>#" (for eg., if my Google Voice number is 1234567890, number 2345678901 in my address book should be changed to 1234567890p2p2345678901#).
Perhaps one day Google will release an API which would ease creation of an option in VPanel to route outgoing calls via Google Voice. But in the meantime, is it/can it be made possible to (from the example above) prepend "1234567890p2p" and append "#" to all numbers I dial out?

[caseydoug]

There is another option, but I don't think it's worth much: you can open a free account at Gizmo5 and set it up to make free calls using Google Voice with your SIP phone or ATA. The catch: the calls are limited to three minutes.

Otherwise, you could set up a speed dial setting on your phone rather than on vPanel (assuming your phone supports it) that would get you most of the way there, so that you hit the speed dial number and then input the telephone number.

But to what end? You already have "unlimited" outbound calling from VOIPo. Are you just trying to have your CID show the GV number rather than the VOIPo number? If so, perhaps we should request CID spoofing as a feature. Other providers offer it.

[ver2go]

+1 for the option to put in CID for google voice.

[manubit]

Are you just trying to have your CID show the GV number rather than the VOIPo number?
Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to achieve.

If so, perhaps we should request CID spoofing as a feature. Other providers offer it.
That's a neat idea!! Simple and effective. But how does a provider ensure the CID I want belongs to me?

[caseydoug]

But how does a provider ensure the CID I want belongs to me?Here is the Help entry from Callcentric:

How do I verify my non Callcentric caller ID?

Verifying your non Callcentric caller ID is simple. You will need to follow the instructions below:
Please place a call, with your caller ID unblocked, from each of the lines/numbers you would like to use as an outbound caller ID to 1-866-346-0222. You will hear an error message then hang up.

Open a Trouble Ticket on your Callcentric account asking to get your number(s) verified.

Include within the trouble ticket the numbers you would like added on your account, and the approximate date, time, and time zone you placed the verification calls to the Toll Free number listed above. Once we verify that we have received your calls for the listed numbers we will add those numbers as verified numbers on your account and update your ticket.
Once we have properly verified your numbers and updated you you can then begin using these caller IDs by setting your desired caller ID in your preferences, or by sending them out selectively.

[manubit]

Thanks caseydoug!! I guess the ball is now in VOIPo's court to let us know their thoughts on it and if they have/can include the feature in their roadmap.