Ooma Core VoIP Phone System
by ooma
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List Price: Our Price: $170.00 You Save: $79.99 (32%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Ooma Core VoIP Phone System
Customer Review: Tale of Three Installations
Summary: 5 Stars
My dad, a retired 74 year old, was looking for a way to reduce his $65/mo phone bill. I looked at Vonage, but didn't see how he could save all that much. Then I saw OOMA and told him about it. He got very exited and bought before I even had time to ask questions. He then ordered up basic DSL at $20/month and connected the phone lines to the house properly ( usually a $200 charge, but my Dad used to be an electrician ).
He installed the OOMA to his new DSL modem and BANG was using it right away. Even with a 768/384 basic dsl he had astonishingly good call quality. He liked his new number and cancelled the old phone line, going all digital. That was a few months ago. He gets an occiasional echo, but overall it's perfectly fine and even clearer than his old phone line. So a 74 year old grandpa had no problem.
I then told a friend and she went out to Best Buy to get OOMA that same day and got the same results with her DSL. She had a little higher bandwidth than my Dad and she thought it worked great. Plugging her fax directly to the OOMA and using the SCOUT her for phone, she even managed to be able to send and recieve the occasional fax. She emailed over the form for the phone number port, but there was a bit of an error on her part. Nonetheless, ATT ported her number - getting the DSL back on was a hassle and a $200 re-install fee. For awhile she had no phone or DSL until they turned everything back on. However, it's all working fine now.
So, I decided I was dragging my feet and bought an OOMA too. Ordered from amazon it took a week to arrive. Now, I have cable internet. Which is a bit more complex. I also don't have a phone jack or a computer anywhere near my cable modem. I have everything wireless. So, I hooked up my OOMA per the instructions and it worked right away. However, call quality was terrible. it was very choppy. I played with the QoS settings all day and got no decent results. I called the cable company and they checked the signal - finding an issue which turned out to be a faulty modem. Got a new modem and it was crystal clear. THEN, I noticed at certain times of the day it would get choppy again. Since cable internet is shared bandwidth I realized that my signal was varying WAAY too much for a clear connection. So, I increased my bandwidth ( $10 more a month ). And MAN it was clearer and I never had a disconnect. Once in a while I get an echo, but that is maybe a few times a week out of several calls. So, if you have cable internet you may need to increase the bandwidth - case in point during the Oscars my internet came to a complete crawl and so did the OOMA. Now, I got my phone ported. I *had* to, there were no more numbers left in my area code. It's $40, but it's still cheaper than a $90/mo phone bill from ATT. After one month I got my phone ported from ATT - which for about 24 hrs I had no service on that number. The following day it worked like a champ. Internaitonal calls are less than half of what I was paying on a low-rate calling card before. I can basically call overseas for several hours for only $10!
NOTES:
If the power goes out or your little kid unplugs the power, turn on the modem, then the OOMA, then the router or computer. Do it slowly in series. If I don't my internet comes to a complete halt.
I guess I am one of the lucky ones, I've always been able to contact customer service within 5-10 minutes. USE the forums, they are super helpful.
If you increase bandwidth, change your QoS settings or the calls go wacky and the internet slows.
Customer Review: Ooma Core...get it while you can!
Summary: 5 Stars
Here's a quick review of the Ooma Core System I hope will help some of you who may be on the fence about purchasing this product.
1) Don't fear the hardware...it works in front of, or in back of, any modern router (QOS engine equipped) with ZERO issues
2) Voice quality, which is paramount when making VOICE calls, is as good or better than POTS. While the standard quality setting would be acceptable for most, I have bumped mine to the max setting (230K) to make it hyper good...again, equal to or better than POTS...it simply doesn't get any better than that.
3) Regardless of network location, I have detected only slight bandwidth degredation during an active call. As many here have already done, I have gone out of my way to stress the network during calls and voice quality has remained stellar
4) While the Telo is the latest device from Ooma, and by now I'm sure they have worked out just about all of their initial launch issues, for me the Core is the only viable solution...here's why:
Like so many these days, I have a "network closet" where all of my network hardware resides. From that closet I have multiple Cat-5e runs to every "phone jack" in my house. Given the single device nature of the Telo this means it must either a) reside in the closet where it can easily integrate with my alarm system and phone or b) sit on counter next to the phone in the kitchen which would make all of the buttons easily accessable, etc. The problem with option b) however is that in my home I have a monitored alarm system. SOP for alarm monitoring is they must have first position in your phone network, giving them the ability to grab your dial tone and then kill everything beyond it. Given this requirement option b) would require me to run the dial tone from the Telo in the kitchen up to the closet (alarm panel), back to the kitchen for the cordless phone base unit and then back to the closet for home wide dial tone distribution. Even with multiple Cat-5e connections in my kitchen this is ugly.
Enter...the Core.
All of the above issues are removed because you have two devices. In my case I have placed the hub in the closet and the scout next to the cordless phone in the kitchen. In this case the hub's phone routing can easily run in and out of the alarm box then on to all of the phone jacks in the house EXCEPT the jack that is reserved for the Scout which has a seperate line run to it where it generates a seperate, clean dial tone for the cordless phone. Almost too easy!
5) I've read lots of horror stories about Ooma's customer support. Let me tell you my experience has been world class. I did not have to call them at all to set up the system but as I added features I got a little ahead of the curve so needed their help to get it sorted out. Much to my surprise each time I have called them the wait time has been in the 1-2 minute range and each rep has been friendly and very knowledgeable. Yesterday I even made a request to disable the broadcast caller id on my second line to ensure my primary line is always displayed when making a call from either line. Not only did the rep take care of this issue but he called me back today to make sure I was happy with the performance!!!!
Bottom line, I believe Ooma's got a great set of products and the support to back them up so you can't go wrong with either product. That said, I would encourage you to carefully think about how you will configure your network and phone hardware before making your final decision.
Customer Review: Received a defective kit - however, replacement seems to be working fine
Summary: 3 Stars
I was disappointed with my Ooma set that arrived. After installing all the cables, I plugged it in and the hub did not work. I tried plugging and replugging into the hub as well as into multiple outlets and it was still not working.
The kit looks like it has been opened or was used before (e.g., instruction book looked scuffed, power cable was not neatly coiled). Thus, maybe it was defective.
[...]
UPDATE 7/18/09:
I returned the defective unit to Amazon and at the same time received a replacement unit (btw, very quick service by Amazon to send me replacement).
Installation was not as straightforward as I expected and I needed to call Ooma customer service. I followed the instructions in the user guide and quick start guides, but ran into a couple of unforseen issues.
BOTTOM LINE: I finally have it up and working, but it took a good hour or so to work through and resolve the issues with the help of Ooma customer support. The product seems to be working very well for the past day or two - so a little early to fully tell - and I would give the product 4 stars based on its functionality (as compared to my previous VoIP service provider's). I cannot give 5 stars because it was not as easy to install for me. For more details of the issues I ran into (and things to consider / watch out for if you have a similar situation), you can read more below...
DETAILS OF MY CHALLENGES:
I activated the service on [...] using my current phone # which I have with my current VoIP provider (Packet 8). This created 2 problems / issues:
1) By using a VoIP service via cable modem, when I followed the steps in the Quick Start Guide (e.g., page 6), the hub was not working because it was trying to detect a dial tone but could not find one. Reason is that the Guide told me to plug the Ooma hub into a phone wall jack - but I had never used the wall jack since I never had a land line (duh!)...
2) The other problem was I activated the Ooma hub with my current phone # (that I currently use with my VoIP provider). Again, the Ooma hub was not able to detect my the phone number since I had not ported it over yet from my current provider.
RESOLUTION: To bypass these 2 issues, I needed to have Ooma assign me one of their phone number temporarily (I needed to call customer support to do the switch, since my account was set up with my current phone #). I also had to set up call forwarding from my current VoIP number to my temporary Ooma number until my phone number is ported over. This is a temporary work around until my current VoIP number is ported. Once that happens, I can shut off my VoIP service.
Not sure how common this situation is, but I would imagine it is fairly common since I think a good number of Ooma customers are currently using other VoIP providers versus land lines.
RECOMMENDATION/TIP: If you currently use a VoIP service provider for phone service, make sure when you activate Ooma with one of their temporary phone numbers first (don't use your current phone #). Once the Ooma hub is running, set up call forwarding from your current VoIP phone # to the temporary Ooma phone #. That way, calls to your current number get forwarded to your Ooma unit. Once your current phone # is ported, you can cancel your current VoIP service and start enjoying free call service.
Customer Review: Ooma Hub and Scout
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought my Ooma from Amazon in January 2010. I bought the Ooma because it is free phone service for free (the telo has a $13.00 charge). I had a home phone and a cell phone and was paying $100 per month for people to call me and leave me voice mails at home. I got rid of my home phone about 3 years ago and was using just the cell. But that can be problematic at times. I heard about the Ooma and decided to try it.
It took about a week for the Ooma to get here. I set it up (installation was relatively easy) and it worked for 24 hours and it died. Just died. I sent an e-mail to Amazon and to Ooma notifying them of the problem. Amazon sent me an e-mail the next day and sent a replacement out by regular mail (which took two an a half weeks to get here). When I got the new phone I set it up and it works perfectly. I have DSL connection through Verizon, no home phone, a MacBook (laptop), a Dell All in one Fax machine and a panasonic phone. The second Ooma works fine. To send a fax you must hist *99 and send the fax (but the does appear in Ooma's handbook). Sometimes the call quality has echoes (like a cell phone). I noticed that this occurs more often when you are on the computer and phone at the same time. This is why I gave it a 3 on the sound quality. So far I have had it up and running for about three weeks and everything is working fine and I like to talk on the phone.
I gave it a 2 on reliability because the first one died, so I am kind of leery about the quality. This also made me decide that I am going to buy the 3 year extended warranty form Ooma (on their website) so it guarantees phone service for 3 years. IMHO $300 for 3 years of service is phenomenal.
I also gave a 2 on customer service for both Amazon and Ooma. Amazon sent an e-mail within 24 hours telling me that they were replacing the unit, but it took 2.5 weeks to be delivered. Second Amazon sent me an e-mail approximately a week after I received the replacement device telling me that if they did not have the defective device in their possession within 10 days they would recharge my credit card. I sent it back the next day but it was going to nashville or someplace like that that had a bunch of snow and the president's day weekend was the weekend so I did not know if it would make it back in time so I had to stop my credit card to make sure that they did not double charge me. that left a bad taste in my mouth. My issues with Ooma. If you have an issue do not send an e-mail as it takes them about a month to get back to you. I received a reply to my e-mail that the Ooma died a month later telling me that if I did not resolve the problem to let them know. I replied that I returned the phone to amazon and the account should be cancelled (I created a new account and new number for my second Ooma). However when I did get my second Ooma I had a problem (my phone calls were going straight to voicemail (it turns out I had the mailbox button selected on my hub) and called their customer service number. It was about a 5 minute wait (I do not hold for more than that) and the young lady I spoke to was very helpful and nice and spent a good amount of time with me making sure that the problem was resolved, she called my Ooma to make sure that it was working correctly. The point if you have a question call Ooma customer service because by the time you get a response to the e-mail you will no longer need it, That being said, I do believe that the Ooma is an amazing device and it is the way of the future.
Customer Review: IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT THIS ITEM THAT MIGHT HELP
Summary: 5 Stars
I was hesitant to buy this item after reading from a few reviewers that the customer service was so bad SO, before buying it, I called customer serviece a few times at different hours of the day/night etc. It was very good. The hold time was very short. They told me that when they first started up, they were understaffed and that has been cleared up now.
Now about the product. There are a few things you MUST be aware of since customer support didn't know about this problem. When I first hooked it up, I was using a WESTELL 7500 wireless Modem/Router combo. My DSL speed went DOWN DRAMATICALLY. OOMA didn't know why. I then tried a Westell 2200 and a Westell 6100 It worked GREAT with those two OLDER modems. So now I have one Westell 2200 and 2 Westell 6100 modems. I bought them because the newest Westell 7500 is NOT compatible with the OOMA and will slow up your speed DRAMATICALLY. I informed OOMA about this conflict. Now, with either of the other two modems that I own, the OOMA works GREAT. You computer does NOT have to be on, be BE AWARE that when the computer IS on, it does affect phone quality since it is sharing bandwidth with the OOMA. If you have a very fast internet connection, no need to worry, but if you have less than a 1500 download speed, be aware that the OOMA is not going to work as well when your computer is on.
I do not pay extra for the OOMA Premier which gives you some extra services that I do not need. I am very happy that I get free long distance in the US, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico, call waiting, caller ID, voice mail etc. I chose to take an OOMA phone number so I can't tell you about any trouble some people have mentioned about porting their number from Verizon to OOMA. Rather than hooking up the OOMA Scout in another room, I chose to go an easier route by buying an AT&T Cordless phone answering machine combo that comes with three handsets. This way, the other two handsets have a docking station in any room you want without running any phone wires around your house. You just plug each docking station into the AC outlet on your wall so that the extra two handsets stay charged. I like that I don't have to run phone lines around the house this way, so I have no use for the OOMA Scout that comes with it. With the OOMA scout, you must run hard wire phone lines to each scout and also plug each scout into an AC outlet. That would be more work, more wires and more expensives if you wanted 3 or more phones in your home.
All in all, I am VERY happy with this product. It's MUCH better than Vonage and that other item that you plug into a USB port into your computer. I forget the name of it, but its something JACK. With that you must leave your computer on, and I really didn't like the way it performed compared to the OOMA. I'm really surprised that it works this well. JUST REMEMBER. It does NOT work well with the Westell 7500 modem which is the latest modem that Verizon is pushing. I hope that they are not intentionally making their newer modems incompatible with the OOMA. Not accusing Verizon of anything, but I find it strange that the NEWER Verizon modem pushed by Verizon slows down your internet speed to a crawl. So, just to be careful, like I said, I bought TWO brand new 6100 Westell modems from Verizon and one Westell 2200 on Ebay just to have extras in case a modem burns out since the newest model is NOT compatible.
If you have a compatible modem, this is a GREAT PRODUCT. I've had it for 3 to 4 months now and am enjoying FREE phone service.