# A question for those who have Ooma VOIP service



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Looking to reduce my monthly VOIP costs. I have been a very satisfied Vonage customer for several years but have recently been looking at Ooma, because when I do some cost comparisons, it looks like I could end up saving literally $40 to $45 per month. However, before I make the switch--IF I do it--I had a few questions for those who have Ooma.


If I purchase the system at a retail store, how quickly can I port my existing current numbers? I mention this because my next Vonage billing date is September 5th, and I'd like to avoid the full charge for the next month.
I have a fax machine on a second number/line. How easy is it to have the same setup on Ooma? (There's a reason why I have it on a standalone, separate line, so let's stay away from suggestions telling me not to have a 2nd #)
Can I activate and set up everything online? (See first bullet point above about wanting to avoid next month's charge.)
Again, these questions are for those who have Ooma. Suggestions to try other services or setups won't help. My brother switched from Vonage to Ooma and is very satisfied, which is one big reason why I'm considering doing the same.


----------



## Garyunc (Oct 8, 2006)

I am in the same boat as you. Long time Vonage user considering Ooma. I called Vonage and hinted about cancelling my service. I got a deal for $12.50 a month for 1 year ( I can still leave anytime I desire). I would try that route first as the OOMA quality is just not as good as Vonage according to my friend who has both in his house.

It took a couple of weeks for his # to get ported. Sep 5 is definitely not doable IMO.

Here is a good source of info for Ooma. 
http://www.ooma.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1558

Yes you can activate online.

I know you did not want to know about other services but I would recommend this one. My wife uses it for her business line. 
http://www.phonepower.com/voiphome.aspx


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

You're the first person I've heard who has said Ooma's quality isn't as good. My brother's is superb, and others I know who have Oooma love its quality. Vonage has been fine in that dept.; however, I have been getting too much choppiness the last year or so, and Comcast isn't the problem, because I'm running 20+ megs down and 5-10 megs up with them.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

I've got OOMA, and the call quality is superb. I've got a ~10Mbs cable connection for my internet, so plenty of bandwidth for the phone service.

I ported my number over and it took roughly a week. They quoted between 2 and 3 weeks to get it done, but it happened much faster than that. The time quoted was much longer, so I wouldn't count on it happening faster.

I don't have a second number, so I don't know about the setup. I'm pretty sure if you get the Telo handset that you can have the handsets right for certain numbers. I suppose you could have the fax plugged into the telo base station and then have your "home phone" ring to the telo handset.

To your third point, yes, everything can be set up and activated online. Aside from the porting of numbers, it'll take ~5 minutes and you can be up and running.

I've only had Ooma for a month or two, but I love it.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Well, I could actually live with eliminating that 2nd fax line if I could figure out a way for the fax machine (it's one of those multifunction devices that is used only for faxing) to answer a fax call and not a voice call. However, I don't know if that's possible with VOIP.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

Here's what I see on the Ooma website.

It looks like the easy solution is fax machine plugged into the telo base, and then telo handsets for your home phone. The telo handsets are an additional $49 each, but they are handy - I bought two for our home and abandoned the old cordless phones we had.

I think to get the two line solution, you'll have to pay the $12 (I think) per month for premiere - which, if you use your home phone at all has some nice features.

I opted out of premiere (it game with a 90 day trial) since we rarely use our home phones. If it were up to me, I'd have no home phone at all - but the Mrs. doesn't like that idea.... so Ooma was a nice compromise for us - she has home phone service, and keeps her own number, but I only have a $3 phone bill every month!


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I'm going to opt for the $9.99/month premier anyway, mainly because it has one very important feature that I use all the time with Vonage.

As far as the telo handsets, I'd rather not spend $49 to replace the 3 in my apt. right now. That's another $150 in costs, and that's not something I'm looking to spend. My 3 current handsets will suffice.


----------



## brian188 (Oct 13, 2007)

Lord Vader said:


> Looking to reduce my monthly VOIP costs. I have been a very satisfied Vonage customer for several years but have recently been looking at Ooma, because when I do some cost comparisons, it looks like I could end up saving literally $40 to $45 per month. However, before I make the switch--IF I do it--I had a few questions for those who have Ooma.
> 
> 
> If I purchase the system at a retail store, how quickly can I port my existing current numbers? I mention this because my next Vonage billing date is September 5th, and I'd like to avoid the full charge for the next month.
> ...


Admittedly, I am not an Ooma fan. I would check out www.quantumvoice.com if i were you. Plans as low as $10/mo including all taxes and fees, and a free incoming fax number. Outgoing faxes would have to be part of your main line though.

I've been with them for more than 3 years, without a single problem - ever. Oh and not one price or "fee" increase. I was a vonage customer prior from about 2003.

Although, not exactly an answer to your question it is a great alternative. One down side, you can not sign up online; you have to call them. Everything else, however can be handled online. Their portal isn't greatest, but it is effective.

Good luck with your search.


----------



## gitarzan (Dec 31, 2005)

I have had ooma for 3 or 4 years now with no phone bill. Nearly perfect and extremely happy with it. I do know of they have had at least a couple of 4-8 hour outages of their service


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

Lord Vader said:


> I'm going to opt for the $9.99/month premier anyway, mainly because it has one very important feature that I use all the time with Vonage.
> 
> As far as the telo handsets, I'd rather not spend $49 to replace the 3 in my apt. right now. That's another $150 in costs, and that's not something I'm looking to spend. My 3 current handsets will suffice.


I'm not sure there's a way to make the fax machine ring on the second line without the Telo handsets. Granted, though, I've never tried. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll see if I can make my regular cordless ring on a specific phone number (I think I have 2 or 3 more days left before my premier trial expires).

_EDIT: I did just find this info on the ooma forums. If your fax machine supports distinctive ringing, you can apparently use that on line 2 to trigger the fax machine to pick up - which would allow you to use your regular phones in the house.
_
One other thing, since you mentioned the costs of the telo handsets: number porting is $39.

If you pay for 1 year of premier up front you can get a telo handset, free number porting, or a bluetooth adapter.


----------



## TXD16 (Oct 30, 2008)

If you truly want good quality service at the absolute least cost possible, you need to take a look the OBi100 or OBi110 ATA combined with a pre-paid service like VoIP.MS and/or a "free" service like Google Voice. 

I moved from Vonage a little over a year ago and have never looked back. Investing just a bit of time in some research can save you a ton of money.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I've tried Google Voice before and must say I was NOT happy with it at all.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Sharkie_Fan said:


> I'm not sure there's a way to make the fax machine ring on the second line without the Telo handsets. Granted, though, I've never tried. If I get a chance this weekend, I'll see if I can make my regular cordless ring on a specific phone number (I think I have 2 or 3 more days left before my premier trial expires).
> 
> _EDIT: I did just find this info on the ooma forums. If your fax machine supports distinctive ringing, you can apparently use that on line 2 to trigger the fax machine to pick up - which would allow you to use your regular phones in the house.
> _
> ...


I'll get premier, so the number porting would be free.

Personally, I think that $39 fee is ridiculous! When I went to Vonage 5 1/2 years ago, I ported two numbers and there was no cost. Most services seem to port at no charge, but Ooma socks one with an exorbitant $39 fee.


----------



## The Merg (Jun 24, 2007)

On Costco.com right now, Ooma with a handset and the Bluetooth adapter is $219. I'm store, the base Telo unit only is being sold for $179. Considering that the retail coat is $249 (although you can usually find a $50 on-line coupon), those are pretty good prices.

- Merg


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

Lord Vader said:


> I'll get premier, so the number porting would be free.
> 
> *Personally, I think that $39 fee is ridiculous*! When I went to Vonage 5 1/2 years ago, I ported two numbers and there was no cost. Most services seem to port at no charge, but Ooma socks one with an exorbitant $39 fee.


I know! We just went VOIP at work, and they ported our number for free... Since I'm not doing premier, I ponied up the $39 to port my number here at home - my ROI is one month, considering my phone bill went from $45+ to $3.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

Well, this service ain't going to last very long!

I found the Ooma Telo on sale locally, so I ended up going with them. In the package it specifically stated that if I sign up for Premier, I was to receive a 60-day free trial, that I would not be charged anything during this 60-day free trial. However, that was NOT the case. Their advertising is blatantly false and misleading. I was immediately charged $119.99 on my credit card!

I contacted Ooma support, and their explanation to me was both unacceptable and pure BS. They tell me that the annual Premier begins in 60 days, but I am charged immediately for it. WTF is that? They should legally advertise that I'm getting 14 months for the price of 12. That IS a difference--in reality and in legality.

I told them that I will dispute the charge on my credit card as a charge not authorized, because they specifically state that the 60-day trial period is free. On their support forum, I, of course, am getting the fan boy reaction that I am, in fact, getting this free trial. Uh, no I am not. A free trial period is just that--a period in which one is not charged anything, in order to allow a consumer a specified period in which to try the service. If at the end of this period I do not like it, I walk away without being assessed a fee. If, however, I do like it, the regular subscription begins at that time and a fee is assessed.

Ooma does NOT do it that way. I spent many years in sales and marketing, and our lawyers always told us when we had free trials, even though we could accept billing information, we could not legally charge a consumer anything during this free trial period.

You might think I'm nuts here or making a big deal of this, but I'm seriously thinking class action here. It's not just the $119.99 (on top of the $170 I just spent for the system); it's the principle of it. I fully expected my credit card to be charged in early November, not NOW!


----------



## gitarzan (Dec 31, 2005)

Lord Vader said:


> Well, this service ain't going to last very long!
> 
> I found the Ooma Telo on sale locally, so I ended up going with them. In the package it specifically stated that if I sign up for Premier, I was to receive a 60-day free trial, that I would not be charged anything during this 60-day free trial. However, that was NOT the case. Their advertising is blatantly false and misleading. I was immediately charged $119.99 on my credit card!
> 
> ...


I like Ooma but I agree that seems a sleazy thing to do. What you say aobut the 60 day free trial is also stated on the Ooma web site.

When I purchased Ooma it was completely free but now they charge new customers a small fee for taxes and regulatory services but you can't find that information on their web site. At least I can't. They should make that more clear also to prospective customers. The wikipedia article on ooma says I should not get charged the regulatory fee and taxes, only those who became customers after the terms of service changed. I will be unhappy if that ever changes. I don't think I ever provided a credit card number so I should be safe.


----------



## Sharkie_Fan (Sep 26, 2006)

That's odd they do it that way. As I said before, I didn't pay for premier, so I got the free trial... and I got exactly that, 60 days free, no money from me.

I think since I gave them my credit card, it was set up to automatically renew after the trial ended, if I didn't opt out, but there weren't any charges during the trial period.

I get your side, but I also see the other side of the coin, since they're packaging a "bonus" in with the 1 yr subscription. They don't want to pay out the "bonus" until the 1 year is paid for. Not that it makes it right... but I get their thinking.

I think you'll be happy with the service - and once it's set up there's really not much reason to interact with Ooma - so maybe the actual service will outweigh the customer service.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I replied to Ooma's BS Email response by telling them I was giving them 24 hours to credit my card, then they can bill me in November when the 60 days are up. If they don't do this, then I'll dispute the charge as one not authorized and for services that I did not order and for which I was not to be charged.


----------



## TBlazer07 (Feb 5, 2009)

Be careful. They can easily shut you down without notice if you dispute a payment. 

If you're paying for the Premier service (and taxes) Ooma is no bargain and there a lot of other better services with more features (and a smaller device) out there.

I worked for Vonage here for a couple years as level 1 tech support and never liked them (either as a company or as a provider).

I've use VOIPo for the last couple years and have 2 dedicated lines and it cost me less than $90 year total. Like ANY voip provider there are occasional glitches (sometimes ISP related and sometimes provider related) but that's part of the voip game.

The number of features included with VOIPo are amazing and they always have "pre-renewal" deals (example: I picked up 2 years for both lines for $125 a while back. They are also pretty well rated over on DSLREPORTS.COM. Customer service/support is all USA based and the CEO is always available except he's a real Dick .... Tim Dick that is. 

They are owned by HOSTGATOR a major web hosting company.


----------



## Lord Vader (Sep 20, 2004)

I spoke earlier today with a CSR supervisor (the regular CSR kept reading me the company line of a "free" trial). I explained my situation and told him that I simply believed their advertising is blatantly misleading. He agreed to refund my credit card $119.99 and said that my Premier trial period would expire on 11-4-11. If I do not contact Ooma by then, then I will revert to Basic. If I want to keep Premier, then I would call them and tell them I wish to do just that.

I have no problem with this, because if you ask me, THAT is how this whole thing is supposed to be from the start. I sign up for Premier, try it out for 60 days, then if I want it, I pay for and keep the annual plan for $119.99, a cost to be charged at that 60-day time period expiration and not before.

My only concern is that when he refunds my card, he doesn't cancel and remove Premier altogether. He said that wouldn't happen, but we'll see. BTW, he did tell me that the reason I was charged immediately was because I ordered online. He said their website is designed to process and charge an order immediately. He stated that to avoid being charged this $119.99 fee immediately, I should have called them on the phone to place the order. Granted, this doesn't make sense, but that's what he said.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

I know this is a very old thread but did not want to start a new one.
I am fed up with T land line charges. I call them every year and drop something and complain about the higher and higher phone bill.
Most recently my bill was down to $44.29. I called in March and dropped everything except the basic phone. No caller id, forwarding, etc.
It dropped to a little over $30 per month. This month it is up to $42.99. When I asked why I was told that I lost my customer loyalty discount. I told them I was a loyal customer still. They said they were sorry.
I told them that I did not know what I was going to do but there would be a change coming.

I then looked up the Ooma thing and called them. They are shipping me a unit. From the posts on here I don't think I will be disappointed.
I can use a new number to try for a month and if I don't like it I can send it back.
If I do like it I can then port my home number to it for $40. That is a lot for that but it is a one time thing. The new service should pay for itself in just a few months.

Thanks for all the previous posts about your experiences.


----------



## larryk (Aug 17, 2006)

I switched to Ooma September of 2016, I did port my landline number, and I do subscribe to the "Premier" service because of the additional features. My monthly "phone bill" is now $5.09 (all of the fed/local fees's). I have been very happy since the change.


----------



## scooper (Apr 22, 2002)

I've been using CallCentric (a BYOD VoIP provider) since the time I dropped Centurylink on phone / DSL for TWC cable internet. I'll never go back.


----------



## mgavs (Jun 17, 2007)

Info for folks who are not aware of these options....
Callcentric here too, we have 7 accounts. We use 6 iPads as cordless phones, for regular handsets I recommend Yealink, I've had various models and now have three T58Vs, no ancient analog stuff in this house. You can connect iPads and phones directly to _multiple_ VOIP services, but for super capabilities I use an Mac mini as a PBX with no monthly fees. If anyone is interested in checking it out I wrote the macOS pages in this wiki: Confluence Mobile - Confluence

Our calls are FaceTime 50 percent of the time since it's completely free, and most of our friends have it.
For calls that can't use FaceTime but are VOIP to VOIP we have video support. All our friends with VOIP can make video calls. Callcentric passes video fine.
For other calls like landline or POTS then it's a plain voice only between them and Callcentric and VOIP to us.


----------



## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

jimmie57 said:


> I know this is a very old thread but did not want to start a new one.
> I am fed up with T land line charges. I call them every year and drop something and complain about the higher and higher phone bill.
> Most recently my bill was down to $44.29. I called in March and dropped everything except the basic phone. No caller id, forwarding, etc.
> It dropped to a little over $30 per month. This month it is up to $42.99. When I asked why I was told that I lost my customer loyalty discount. I told them I was a loyal customer still. They said they were sorry.
> ...


Update: I got my unit Thursday. Read about and looked at the pictures to hook it up.
Installed it Saturday morning and it worked. Made a few calls on it and it works like it was supposed.

Got up this morning and the light on it is slow flashing Red. Unplugged it and plugged it back in. It works again.
40 minutes later, Red flashing light and it is dead. Did this once more and then called them. They had me unplug the Ethernet and plug it into the Home port and asked me if there was a green light at the connection. It was. Now move the cable back to the Internet port. Does it have the green light. No. Tried a second cable. No.
She said the Internet connection Port is Faulty.
Gave me a number to write down and told me they were sending me another unit.


----------



## DrummerBoy523 (Jan 9, 2007)

Make sure you don’t daisy chain the unit into your setup (modem, Ooma, router). Just run your ooma off your router/switch. My ooma was throttling my speed by a ton. And so I just plug it into a free port on my switch. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Yeah they want you to but unless you have super slow speed internet there is zero reason too. You can change the qos settings in the ooma if you want as well but not worth the time.


----------

