Anyone use Ooma for phone service?

[Brer Shay]

I saw the Ooma box at Costco the other day. $210 for the box, but then you own the equipment and have no phone bill. It's VOIP. We've had Vonage for several years, and while I'm happy with them, no phone bill is better. Wondersing if anyone has tried them and what your experience has been?

 

[phred52]

We started with them about 10 days ago. We're waiting now for our original phone # to be turned over to Ooma, then we'll cancel our Time Warner phone service, about a $40 savings per month. Porting your original # is an additional cost, though. So far, we like the service.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Porting your original # is an additional cost, though.

Can you tell me approximately how much this was? We may consider the service if we can port our number for a reasonable fee.

 

[Brer Shay]

The porting fee to keep your number is $39.99.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

Thanks. I'm going to look into this -- our regular bill is only about $36 a month (we have basic service only, no call waiting, caller ID, etc), but the equipment will pay itself off well before the end of the year. Did you know whether or not you could keep the number before you made the purchase? Or do you have to purchase the equipment first to figure it out? TIA for your help.

 

[MrandMissVacation]

We have the Ooma Hub that I got at woot.com for ~129 bucks. We ported our number to make it easier on the kids and family. In hind sight I would have just chosen a new number.
One word of caution is if you have DSL Internet you will need to get a dry loop service (Internet only). This was some added frustration with AT&T because they didn't hook it up correctly and I had quite a time getting everything to work and play nice. In the end I figured it all out and so far so good!!

I recently hooked my mom's Ooma up (she got the core device at woot.com) and because she chose a new number and has cable Internet the install was SIGNIFICANTLY easier.

Overall we have been happy with it and at about 4-5 bucks/ month to cover taxes and 14.95/month for DSL only we are defiantly saving money.

Good luck.

 

[DawnM]

We have had Ooma for about a year and a half and have been pretty pleased with it.

We did pay the money to have our number ported.

Dawn

 

[rock_doctor]

Ooma is good but it isn't free. You will pay monthly federal taxes and you can find out how much that is from their site. It is different from state to state. If you have DSL going from voice/DSL to DSL only is difficult at best. Especially if you have Verizon since it is almost impossible to find somebody there that cares enough to help you... I use a hub and and have a 15mb FIOS connection. The ooma really needs about 1.5meg down to give you descent voice quality. It will work on 1meg but can saturate you connection during a high data call (i.e. music, fax so on). We love our Ooma and will never go back to ma bell. When you are on vacation you can set Ooma to answer your calls for you and you can get your voice mails over the internet. If you pay for their premier service ($120 a year) you will get call blocking and a second number/line to the house plus porting your number is free... If you have good internet then go for it.

 

[phred52]

One other thing my DH just mentioned.... we got our Ooma from woot back in November. Then it sat and waited for Christmas .... went out of town month of January ..... when he FINALLY opened the box and tried to register the thing, it had already been registered!! Ooma wanted an additional $80 to re-register everything! He had to scrounge around, find the original receipts and talk and talk and talk before Ooma would waive that $80 re-registering fee. I'd be real careful if you buy ooma from woot!!

 

[tink2dw]

What is the Difference between Magic Jack and Ooma? I know the total out lay for Magic Jack is $35.00 the 1st year and $20.00 every year there after! So... other than initial costs??

 

[gracie1]

lol. When I read the title I thought it said Obama

 

[DawnM]

we pay $11.54 per year. That is less than $1 per month.

Dawn

Ooma is good but it isn't free. You will pay monthly federal taxes and you can find out how much that is from their site. It is different from state to state. If you have DSL going from voice/DSL to DSL only is difficult at best. Especially if you have Verizon since it is almost impossible to find somebody there that cares enough to help you... I use a hub and and have a 15mb FIOS connection. The ooma really needs about 1.5meg down to give you descent voice quality. It will work on 1meg but can saturate you connection during a high data call (i.e. music, fax so on). We love our Ooma and will never go back to ma bell. When you are on vacation you can set Ooma to answer your calls for you and you can get your voice mails over the internet. If you pay for their premier service ($120 a year) you will get call blocking and a second number/line to the house plus porting your number is free... If you have good internet then go for it.

 

[DawnM]

Do some google searches for the differences. Ooma is more like Vonage in comparing then Magic Jack. With MJ you need a computer on all the time to even get messages (we turn ours off at night) and the voice quality is not that great. Many more dropped calls, etc....

Dawn

What is the Difference between Magic Jack and Ooma? I know the total out lay for Magic Jack is $35.00 the 1st year and $20.00 every year there after! So... other than initial costs??

 

[Brer Shay]

Thanks for the input. I did some other online review research, and, as long as you have a solid internet connection, seems to work well. Now to figure out where to buy the equipment...

 

[tjs198]

we pay $11.54 per year. That is less than $1 per month.

Dawn

I got Ooma when it first came out and there were no fees at all, no taxes, etc. I know they recently added them but they were nice enough to 'grandfather' in everyone who purchases before so we still don't pay anything.

I love Ooma!

 

[tjs198]

Thanks for the input. I did some other online review research, and, as long as you have a solid internet connection, seems to work well. Now to figure out where to buy the equipment...

Costco sells them

 

[DawnM]

Well, I don't consider it a huge inconvenience, so it isn't a big deal to me.

Dawn

I got Ooma when it first came out and there were no fees at all, no taxes, etc. I know they recently added them but they were nice enough to 'grandfather' in everyone who purchases before so we still don't pay anything.

I love Ooma!

 

[DawnM]

I also got an $80 international credit when I ordered from Costco.com.

It comes in handy for us as DH travels some with work and I have traveled without him as well. We also have friends we call some.

A huge benefit for me is the Ooma App for my ipod touch (or smart phone). I can make calls from my ipod if I have wi-fi and it costs me 2 cents per min. but i can use my $80 credit for that as well.

So, if you don't have unlimited cell calling (which I don't), it comes in handy.

Dawn

Costco sells them