Comments on: Ooma Not Dead Yet

By: mkwon

mkwon — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:42:14 +0000

I set up the Ooma box last weekend. It took longer than the 20 minutes promised due to the fact that I did not know initially to log the device information on the websight. Perhaps I missed it, but I do not think the instruction manuals allude to this.

Other than that, the device more than delivers. Call quality has been indiscernable from a land line and there have been no connection issues for my domestic phone calls. I have not tried an international call yet. I hope that this excellent product survives the market place. My question is that if one only uses the basic free service, will this be interrupted if the company goes belly up?

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:57:07 +0000

I don’t have Ooma yet but I can hardly wait to give it a try! I agree with the poster who mentioned that landlines are not problem free either, as long as your ISP is consistent then this system is at the very least a good deal compared to paying AT&T for the same local and minimal long distance. I’ve been paying them $45 for local and fees/taxes alone plus last month I made $2 worth of long distance and they gave me a $5 charge for “convenience fee” for being able to make the $2 worth of long distance calls. So….$45 + $5 + $2 = $52 compared to Ooma’s $250 up front. Simple math means 5 months after starting month, I’m in the black for an even better service (unlimited LD). Does it get any more simple?

Just using basic math,

Adam.

By: Simply Gadgets » Blog Archive » One Year Later: Ooma

Simply Gadgets » Blog Archive » One Year Later: Ooma — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 17:45:39 +0000

[...] buy the Ooma. It went on sale on their website in August 2007. When a number of key executives left the company (we grabbed Sarah Ross, their former VP Communications), some blogs said they were in [...]

By: Rich Buchanan

Rich Buchanan — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 06:53:42 +0000

Jim,

I’m glad you appreciate the voice quality of our service. It sounds like you’re having ISP problems if your Internet service is dropping out every 5 minutes. If you’d like we could provide you with some guidance to talk with your ISP if you contact our customer support.

On your issue of the $12.99/mo, that fee covers a set of advanced services beyond basic phone service, not unlike many of the packages you pay for today on your cell phone e.g. SMS, ring tones, games, etc. If you don’t want/need the advanced services, feel free to not pay the $12.99/mo, you’ll still get unlimited local and long distance US calling.

BTW, you actually don’t get free long distance calling on your cell phone now do you. Remember that monthly fee you pay to your carrier?

As to the issue of price? I fail to understand what point your making about the price of the unit. You want a less expensive solution? I would suggest a service like Skype or MagicJack that requires a PC for all the compute power to run the VOIP algorithms.

Best regards,

Rich Buchanan
CMO
Ooma

By: Jim Downs

Jim Downs — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 18:58:34 +0000

Well, to start, ooma has pretty good voice quality. Although, my calls randomly seem to drop every 5 minutes. I guess that’s the price you pay since I no longer have a phone bill.
Second, I think that their original “no more phone bills” quote is crap, because now they charge $13/mo… so, now you dont pay your phone company, you just pay ooma. Um, I’m sorry, to me that’s a phone bill. DUH!
Ok, so, US long distance is free. I have that with my cell phone. So, there’s no real reason to buy or use ooma anymore.
The price drop tells me that the company isn’t doing well anymore and that there are some type of struggles. I don’t ever see ooma going down to $99 or even $199 per box…
They’ll be out of business before that ever happens.
Goodbye ooma, nice try.

By: Thomas Howe » Did I Lose the Ooma Bet?

Thomas Howe » Did I Lose the Ooma Bet? — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:07:01 +0000

[...] Om is unconvinced (and as a testament to his writing prowess, he thrusts it home with a single comma: “Ooma is [...]

By: Andre

Andre — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 22:16:41 +0000

I have been using Ooma for a year now and the service has been impeccable. Call quality is great (I have enabled QuOs on my Linksys router phone port - maybe that helps), I can check my voicemail from anywhere in the world, and best of all, I no longer contribute to SBC/AT&T’s bottom line!

And when I’m ready to move, I can bring my Ooma box with me and keep my number. What’s not to like?

I just hope the new pricing and push strategy will help Ooma survive and prosper.

By: AskTeens - One Year Later: Ooma

AskTeens - One Year Later: Ooma — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:38:57 +0000

By: One Year Later: Ooma

One Year Later: Ooma — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 08:27:50 +0000

[...] in the year, and customer reviews are overwhelmingly positive. When a number of key executives left the company (we grabbed Sarah Ross, their former CMO), some blogs said they were in big [...]

By: Marty

Marty — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 01:26:31 +0000

I have to agree that the ooma detractors sound like they’re selling short a phone service they probably haven’t even tried. I’ve had ooma since January and it’s really pretty damned good. Occasionally, when I’m downloading files and talking at the same time on my cable-connected system, my callers tell me I’m breaking up… but this is the exception, and not the rule. Ooma is reliabe and the customer service people - especially Dante, rock!

By: Jim Dutton

Jim Dutton — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:17:36 +0000

I’ll have to say that everything discussed by Mr. Peng above has been delivered on. I’ve been using the Ooma system for several days now, and it is a distinct improvement over my decades long relationship with BellSouth/AT&T.

Voicemail forwarded to email is wonderful.

Your entire phone system being instantly turned into a two line system (by adding their Scout devices) is wonderful.

Unlimited long distance without paying $25 a month for it is … wonderful.

I just hope that this company prospers and is able to provide this service to me for years on end. However, my break even point on the cost of the devices vs the phone bills I won’t be paying anymore come VERY quickly in this process.

By: Alan Horschler

Alan Horschler — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 04:43:33 +0000

I have also been a happy customer for 4 months. The product does exactly what it says and I sometimes forget I even have it, which is a GOOD thing. I could often times tell I had Vonage which is one of the reasons I didn’t like it. I have referred 3 people who constantly thank me for telling them about it. The big telephone companies should watch out, I could see ooma becoming a serious threat in the next year or two.

By: Ron Kay

Ron Kay — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:14:24 +0000

I have Ooma for two months now. I think the call quality is as good as my land line. No dropped calls like my cell phone and no monthly bill. I have recommended it to family and friends.

By: Sonny

Sonny — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:31:54 +0000

I have tried them all (VOIP) and I think ooma is the best yet. Can’t say enough about the product and service. 5 STAR.

By: Gerald Lovel

Gerald Lovel — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:50:28 +0000

The OOma call forwarding technology is a marvelous extension of VoIP.
In the premises, OOma expects a Scout on each extension. Simple rewiring at the punchdown allows OOma to serve two lines to multiple extensions (8 in my building) with one hub and one scout. I could wait for OOma to introduce a multi-line SMB product, but, well, I have already ordered another Hub/Scout set to add two more lines at each extension. For the long haul, I haven’t found another solution which beats OOma for the price or the performance. Call me stupid, but … I appreciate OOma.

By: Scott

Scott — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:56:32 +0000

I have had Ooma for a few months now. I love the service. Call quality is great.