Ooma
I admit that I have carefully avoided the whole "where is phone service headed" discussion.
It's confusing, there are so many different models and technologies, fees, devices... not to mention crazy acronyms that make no sense to anybody.
Here's a new entrant that sounds pretty good on paper: the unfortunately named Ooma.
Ooma is the brainchild of entrepreneur Andrew Frame, and believe it or not, Hollywood icon Ashton Kutcher.
The system is relatively simple: you buy a device (a hub, $399). This hub is connected to your high-speed-Internet-equipped computer. You hook your landline (without without external phone service, which you may choose to keep for backup during power outages and 911 calls) phone(s). Now, you make any number of residental calls, any amount of time, free
The benefit, aside from the free calling, is that you can have regular telephone handsets throughout your house, as you do now. (Unlike many VOIP services, which require you to make/take calls at your computer, a serious inconvenience!) However, in order for the service to be extended to other lines in your home, you will also have to buy the Scout device.
If you want to keep your current phone number, there is a a "porting fee" of $39.99.
Oh, yes, and if you want other services, such as voice mail, call-waiting, caller ID, etc., you will also have to subscribe to Premier ($99.99/year). (For subscribers, the phone number "porting fee" is waived.)
Naysayers are convinced there is nothing new or special about Ooma.VOIP has existed for some time - through services such as Skype, for example. And while Ooma does allow you to keep your landline as noted above, detractors say just put your landline on the cheapest plan and use VOIP.
The jury is still out on the Next Big Thing in phones. But Ooma is at least one of the contenders.
It's confusing, there are so many different models and technologies, fees, devices... not to mention crazy acronyms that make no sense to anybody.
Here's a new entrant that sounds pretty good on paper: the unfortunately named Ooma.
Ooma is the brainchild of entrepreneur Andrew Frame, and believe it or not, Hollywood icon Ashton Kutcher.
The system is relatively simple: you buy a device (a hub, $399). This hub is connected to your high-speed-Internet-equipped computer. You hook your landline (without without external phone service, which you may choose to keep for backup during power outages and 911 calls) phone(s). Now, you make any number of residental calls, any amount of time, free
The benefit, aside from the free calling, is that you can have regular telephone handsets throughout your house, as you do now. (Unlike many VOIP services, which require you to make/take calls at your computer, a serious inconvenience!) However, in order for the service to be extended to other lines in your home, you will also have to buy the Scout device.
If you want to keep your current phone number, there is a a "porting fee" of $39.99.
Oh, yes, and if you want other services, such as voice mail, call-waiting, caller ID, etc., you will also have to subscribe to Premier ($99.99/year). (For subscribers, the phone number "porting fee" is waived.)
Naysayers are convinced there is nothing new or special about Ooma.VOIP has existed for some time - through services such as Skype, for example. And while Ooma does allow you to keep your landline as noted above, detractors say just put your landline on the cheapest plan and use VOIP.
The jury is still out on the Next Big Thing in phones. But Ooma is at least one of the contenders.
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