Ooma Telo DECT 6.0 Cordless Handset (100-0200-200) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this phone as a bonus freebie with a paid one-year Premium subscription on the ooma Telo.I chose the handset because you must have at least one ooma Telo handset to use the second line feature (available with Premium subscription) of the Telo, and I liked the idea of being able to access my Telo voicemails from the handset.But, when the handset arrived, I was a bit disappointed (see below the feature lists for Positives/Negatives and comparison).

Notable Handset Features:
DECT 6.0 technology
Intercom between handsets
Online phonebook
Caller ID
One-touch voicemail access
Speakerphone
Call log

Premier-enabled Handset Features:
Instant 2nd line
Do not disturb
Send to voicemail
Personal number
Private voicemail
Call screening

Phone Menu Features:
Do not disturb mode
Call Forwarding mode
Auto Answer
Auto Hangup
Voicemail speaker mode
Call screening (you can remotely listen to voicemails as they are left, and pick up in the middle)
Incoming call ring
Ringer volume
Earpiece volume
Speaker volume
Handset software update feature (must place phone in charger base)

NOTE: At the time the handset was released, the Telo base only supported ONE handset.Ooma plans to release a future firmware around 12/4/2009 that will enable more than one handset.

Battery pack note: The handset uses a NiMH battery pack, model HB1001.

Positives:
1. You can turn on "Do not disturb", to prevent ringing.

2. Apparently, you can set Call Forwarding, though I haven't done so.

3. You can screen calls from the handset, when away from the Telo base unit.

4. You can retrieve voicemails from the Telo without being at the base unit.

5. Even when someone else is using the primary Telo phone line (with Premium service), you can make outgoing calls on "line 2".That's handy when you have others trying to use the phone a the same time.You can't access the "second line" of the Telo base unless you use the Telo handset.

6. Using the handset, you can send a call to voicemail by pressing a button.That is handy if someone has something that you want to write down but don't have a pen and paper handy.You can pick it back up using the call screening feature.

7. You can get a second phone number and assign it as a private line to a particular handset, with its own voice mail.

Negatives:
1. It has no headset jack, doesn't seem to support a wireless headset.It does have a speakerphone feature, but I prefer a headset for privacy.

2. I'm not a fan of how it is shaped.The back of the phone is smooth and round, but where the face meets the outer edge, the phone has a sharp edge. My personal preference is for rounded corners because it just feels better.

3. The contrast of the handset's LCD is not very good.Even on maximum, it looks a bit faint to me, regardless of the angle of viewing, in a normally lit room.Also, the typeset used on the LCD is tiny, which might be hard on older eyes.

4. The charging base has a very bright blue LED on the front (similar to the Telo base's blue backlighting but brighter).If it is put anywhere in visual range, it is very distracting, especially in a dark room. Taping over that LED might help.

5. The Telo handset is supposed to have HD call quality, but I haven't noticed better call quality than that of my Panasonic KX-TG6445.In fact, it sounds a bit more tinny and metallic than my Panasonic, with a slight hiss in the background.That sound quality comparison is when comparing the Panasonic connected to the telephone input on the Telo base.

Comparison to Panasonic KX-TG6445 Panasonic Dect 6.0 Titanium Black Cordless Phone with Answering Machine (KX-TG6445T):
I bought the Panasonic set specifically to go with the Telo base unit since I could put the base in my closet (with my Telo base unit and Internet router), and then have cordless access around the house.I bought the Panasonic set because the Telo handsets weren't available at the time I bought my Telo base.The Panasonic phone has a headset jack, and a belt clip.The Panasonic also has larger type on the LCD than the Telo handset, with better contrast.The LCD quality, features, call quality, and feel in my hand are all superior to the ooma Telo handset.Also, the Panasonic uses generic AA-size NiMH rechargable batteries, which can be cheaply replaced when they wear out.

I realize this is ooma's first handset, but I wish they had done a better job.If they had used the Panasonic as a benchmark, they would have put out a much better phone.Unless you plan on using the second line or other special features of the ooma Telo, you don't need the handset.The voicemail and call screening features are available from the Telo base unit.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ooma Telo DECT 6.0 Cordless Handset (100-0200-200)

Product Description:
Get the most out of your Ooma Telo with the official Ooma Telo Cordless Handset. Thanks to DECT 6.0 technology, the handset provides enhanced sound quality as well as security. It places all of Ooma's features at your fingertips, including one-touch voicemail access, second line service, and phonebook access. If you're an Ooma Premier subscriber, the handset also allows you to take full advantage of advanced features like private voicemail and personal number settings. Quite simply, you'll be able to enjoy premium phone features without having to worry about nickel-and-dime service fees.
NOTE: The handset requires an Ooma Telo (sold separately.) Each Ooma Telo can support up to four handsets.


Synch the handset to the Ooma Telo (sold separately) at the touch of a button .

Secure calls, clear reception.

Featuring caller ID, instant second line, voicemail access and more. View larger.
Ooma: The New Way to Call
Switching to Ooma lets you enjoy all the benefits of a local and long distance telephone service, but without the high costs or monthly bills. By adding an Ooma Telo to your landline and to your high-speed Internet service, you can make calls anywhere in the United States for free, without any monthly charges. At the same time, international calls will be pennies on the dollar. And by replacing your landline with an Ooma Telo Cordless Handset, you can immediately access all the great calling features that Ooma offers.
DECT 6.0 Technology for Maximum Clarity
The Ooma Telo's sound quality has often been described as "better than a landline." With the Ooma Handset, you'll enjoy even greater clarity. It features DECT 6.0 technology, which guarantees reception and security without interfering with your local Wi-Fi network. It also maximizes your handset's range, allowing you to wander freely about your house while talking.
Advanced Voicemail Features
The Ooma Handset helps you make the most of Ooma's superior voicemail options. At the touch of a button, you can listen to your voicemail from anywhere in your house. If you're screening your calls, you can activate the "Do Not Disturb" mode and forward all of your calls to voicemail. You can even record your calls to voicemail by pressing the "Sent to Voicemail" button after you've picked up the phone.
Online Phonebook Access
The Ooma Handset allows you to download your entire online phonebook and access it at any time. You'll be able to look up and dial numbers from anywhere in the house, without having to refer to your address book first.
Caller ID for Effective Call Screening
With the Ooma Handset, you'll know who's calling before you answer the phone. The Ooma Handset displays the incoming caller's number, allowing you to avoid unwanted calls. If you don't recognize the caller, you'll have the option to listen to their message first and then decide whether you want to pick up.
Instant Second Line
If you share your house with a phone hog, Ooma's Instant Second Line feature presents a solution for you. When the line is already in use, you can simply pick up a second Ooma Handset and get a fresh dial tone. Up to two separate calls can be made simultaneously.
Personal Number
With an affordable Ooma Premier subscription, you'll gain access to the Personal Number feature. This feature allows you to create a unique phone number for everyone in the family. Multiple numbers can be mapped to the same handset, but you can make each number ring distinctively so you know who the call is for. Up to nine additional numbers are allowed.
Add Unwanted Callers to Your Blacklist
The Ooma Handset also allows you to instantly add unwanted callers to your blocked list. If telemarketers are harassing you, simply press the "Blacklist" button to avoid future calls.
Loud, Clear Speakerphone
The Ooma Handset features a built-in speakerphone with loud and crisp sound. When you need to multitask, just activate the speakerphone for hands-free conversation.
Intercom
With the intercom feature, you can use multiple Ooma handsets like walkie-talkies to communicate with family members from room to room. You can also use the intercom to transfer calls between different handsets.
Detailed Call Log
The Ooma Handset's detailed call log helps you keep a meticulous record of your phone history. It allows you to view all incoming calls, outgoing calls, and call duration.
What's in the Box
Ooma Telo Handset, cradle, A/C adapter, battery.

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Ooma Core VoIP Phone System Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I have been a Vonage customer for three years and suffered through all of their growing pains.At $25 a month though for unlimited service I thought I would check to see what other options were available and decided on giving Ooma a try.

The Ooma hardware is well designed, with thoughtful touches like a built in speaker for listening to voicemail and a brightness control so that you can turn down the brightness of the unit in a bedroom.The hardware comes wonderfully packaged like a product from Apple and includes just about any of the cords you might need to get everything connected with your existing service.

Setup was quite easy.You have to get online and activate the Ooma Hub unit by entering the MAC address on the bottom of the unit and telling Ooma what kind of service setup you are doing, such as whether you will use Ooma with an existing line, get a new phone number, etc.They don't even need your credit card and you are activated.

If you are getting a new phone number then you are essentially done at this point.You get a new phone number to use, and you connect the Ooma hub to your home network.Ooma recommends you put the Ooma hub between your Cable or DSL modem and your home router (if you have one).The reason for this is that it allows the Ooma unit to manage your outbound internet traffic and make sure your phone calls are optimized ahead of other traffic, so that phone calls always have priority, sound good and work properly.

If you have a more sophisticated home network router than can do traffic shaping, recognition of IP audio, etc (some of the top of the line D-Link models have these "QoS" features built in) then you can simply plug the Ooma hub into such a router and get good results.

After plugging in the Ooma to your home network you simply connect a home phone to the Ooma unit and you are pretty much ready to go.There is an "ooma music" dial tone you will hear when you make or receive a call.This is one of the ways Ooma lets you and others know you are using their system and is sort of a free advertising that lets people know you are using this service.

You can plug the Ooma hub back in to one of your home wall jacks and then connect the Ooma scout unit in to another jack in the house so that you can use a 2nd phone there.The scout can even be configured to only ring on a 2nd line, have it's own voicemail, etc... this is possible because the Ooma hub has a built in DSL network system in it that allows it to communicate with the scout units over your home phone wiring.This is very sophisticated compared to other VoIP vendor offerings.You can add up to about 20 scouts on the system and keep adding lines, etc, but obviously there are bandwidth and practical limits that you might run into in such a scenario.

If you are porting a number things get a bit more complicated. After indicating I wanted to port my number I was informed on their website that I needed to call them to complete the porting process.The agent I reached was a bit confused and kept insisting I should just use my existing phone service with Ooma.About the 3rd time of telling him I just wanted to get my number ported he got the paperwork started up.They email you some forms a few days after activation that you need to fill out and fax in to get your number ported, which takes a few weeks.In the interim you are assigned a temporary number to use and you can plug your existing line into the Ooma hub and it will take your inbound calls and route them through the Ooma system.There is a $40 charge for porting your existing number but Ooma will waive this fee if you sign up for the $99 premier service that includes a 2nd phone number plus additional features.Ooma advertises that you can keep your original home service as a backup line, so that your phone works even if the Internet is down, but in my experience Internet service is at least as reliable as my old school home phone line.Anyways, it's your choice.

In my case I elected to port my number, but didn't connect my old line to the Ooma Hub (as the agent insisted I do), I simply forwarded the number to the temporary phone number that Ooma assigned to me during the porting process.

Ooma offers a full suite of software features such as "simulring" (ring a cell or 2nd line at the same time your Ooma phone is ringing), magical "2nd phone line" from another phone on the system when the 1st line is busy, etc.You can control your entire Ooma system from the "Ooma Lounge" which is basically a web page you can access from anywhere that lets you control your Ooma system, features, additional numbers, caller ID, etc.You can learn a lot more about these features on Ooma's website so I won't go into them in great detail since this review is long as it is.

Sound quality on the Ooma is very very good.My mom who is used to hearing me talk on my Vonage line immediately noticed how much better the service was.Sound quality should be excellent provided you connect the Ooma equipment properly.

I would strongly recommend this service to anyone with even a basic technical ability.If you simply need the "basics" of phone service such as call waiting, caller ID and voicemail, Ooma will be a one time purchase.Their premium services are also very nice and reasonable at only $99 a year (sure beats paying Vonage $300 a year for similar features).

One question that keeps coming up is how Ooma can make money with this model.The answer is that Ooma makes money when you buy the system hardware and also makes money when you subscribe to the $99 premium service.There's no saying that they won't increase the price of the premium services at some time in the future.Also, I wouldn't be surprised to see Ooma come up with new tempting hardware offers down the road such as better "scout" and "hub" units that offer features such as video calling between Ooma subscribers.

I am a voice over IP engineer and can certainly recommend the Ooma service, it's a great option compared to spending $30-$60 a month for basic phone service with your local phone company.Ooma supports E-911 for emergency calling, and if you are really worried about having a phone line during a power outage simply connect your cable modem, Ooma Hub and cordless phone system to a UPS Battery Back UP and you will have power for at least an hour during a power loss since all those devices will be running on battery.

I highly recommend this product and the model that Ooma are starting to put together to move beyond the "bell head" phone system that we all grew up with.

12/16 update//

I wanted to provide an update to my review and answer a few additional questions.My number port was completed by Ooma almost exactly three weeks after the request which is fantastic.When the porting request is completed you start to log into the Ooma Lounge with your "real" phone number versus the temporary one that Ooma assigns to you.

I had no issues setting up my 2nd line either.Simply select from available numbers in the area code of your choice and tell Ooma how you want the call handled when it comes in (if you want it to ring to a particular hub/scout, have its own voicemail, etc).Now on to a few questions and/or mis-information I have seen about the Ooma system.

1. I have seen a lot of posts comparing Ooma to Magic Jack.There is no comparison.Magic Jack is a USB adapter that requires a PC running 24/7 to handle your phone calls. PC crashes, no phone.Want multiple lines/scouts... too bad.The Magic Jack is a toy compared to Ooma.Additionally Ooma's basic features are far superior to Magic Jack and requires NO FEES!With Magic Jack you do have to pay annual fees for unlimited calling.So Ooma will actually be cheaper in the long run for most users!

2. I have also seen reviews indicating that Ooma works well, but choppy voice is experienced when using the Internet.This is caused by incorrect installation of the Ooma hardware.Ooma hub must be installed BETWEEN your cable modem and your home router or it cannot prioritize your telephone calls for good quality!The only exception is if you have a home router that prioritizes your voice traffic, such as some higher end models.If in doubt you must put the Ooma directly behind your Cable or DSL modem to get the optimum performance!

3.I have also seen people comment that you can't use multiple phones with the Ooma system.This is only partially correct.If you want to use scouts and the features they offer (have a 2nd or 3rd number ring in to a scout, etc) then yes, you would need a scout for each phone you want to use with Ooma.However, if you just want a "shared line" (like regular home telephone service) then you can simply plug your Ooma Hub into your home phone jack and plug in as many other phones as you want.This will prevent some of the advanced features from working, but will basically work like a Vonage system, etc.Obviously many people have multiple handset wireless systems these days so they will just plug their wireless base station into the Ooma Hub and use scouts for other phones.

4.Someone asked me the question if I work for Ooma since I've commented in many reviews.The answer is no, I don't work for Ooma but I am a very satisfied customer and a voice over IP engineer with 13 years of industry experience.Ooma is the best residential voice over IP system I've ever seen and I very much would like them to succeed and offer their superior service for decades to come.The only way this will happen is with strong word of mouth advertising from professionals such as myself!

2/28 update//

There have been numerous questions...Read more›

Click Here to see more reviews about: Ooma Core VoIP Phone System

Product Description:
In a volatile economy, there's one utility you can save with the aid of VOIP technology - your phone service costs. Smart and stylish, the ooma Hub and ooma Scout partner with your high-speed Internet and your existing home phones to deliver free home phone service. Your one-time purchase eliminates monthly bills for U.S. calling and delivers extremely low rates for international calls. Your one-time purchase of an award-winning ooma Hub device frees your phone service. Call anyone, at any number, anywhere in the U.S. without charge. Think how much you pay the phone company each year. Now imagine what you could do with all the money you save. Ooma is the only company in the history of the telecom industry that lets you own your dialtone. Your one-time ooma purchase eliminates monthly charges for unlimited US calling. Compared to other stand-alone VoIP providers, there are no monthly fees for US calling. Plus, the ooma system has been architected to deliver exceptional voice quality and reliability, giving you the crisp, acoustic performance of a landline, without the associated fees. A number of our customers have reported that ooma delivers "excellent voice quality," "better than landline." Easy-to-read manuals are full of colorful diagrams and simple instructions to make set-up as painless as possible. It takes the average customer less than 20 minutes to activate and install the ooma system. Using the ooma system is even easier! ooma devices have been designed to provide an intuitive out-of-box experience. Ooma can move your number from your current phone provider for a one-time fee of $39.99. To use the ooma Hub device, you need TWO things: 1. A high-speed Internet connection (cable/DSL/fiber-optic); and 2. A home phone. Try out ooma's enhanced calling features with a free trial of ooma Premier, which includes a free second phone line, real-time message screening, one-touch Do Not Disturb and Send to Voicemail, a second personal number with private voicemail, and more.

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Phone Power Broadband Telephone Service Combo Pack Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I transferred my Vonage phone service to Phone Power.After about a month of service, I couldn't be happier.The call quality is great compared to Vonage and I no longer have audio problems which constantly plagued us where the audio would only work in one direction.We even tried switching the Vonage adapter and my cable modem and router without any success.Phone Power on the other hand worked immediately, my phone number was transferred on the day that they stated and is staffed and operated in the US, unlike Vonage which outsources tech support overseas.

Another great benefit is the free virtual 2nd line option which allows you to make and receive two calls at once with your primary phone number.The USB phone adapter for your computer is also very handy and you can plug a standard phone into it just like Magic Jack or use a headset and mic.Another little known fact is that you can get a soft phone which support will provide if you ask and you just install the software on your computer (does not require the USB adapter) that allows you to make and receive phone calls with your headset and mic.

Phone Power has a voice mail fax option as well which will send you a fax even if you don't have a physical fax machine and picks up during a voice mail if it hears a fax tone.

So far I highly recommend Phone Power, the service has been excellent and customer service great as well.I am on the two year plan for $199.00, not including taxes and haven't looked back at Vonage and don't miss it at all.Additional lines are reasonable also, unlike Vonage which charges the same price as your primary line.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Phone Power Broadband Telephone Service Combo Pack

Product Description:
The Phone Power "Combo Pack" is a complete home or small business telephone replacement solution. Utilizing high speed internet such as DSL, Cable Internet, FIOS... Phone Power offers top notch phone service at half the price of your current provider. They also offer a wide variety of service options, including: * Month to Month ($19.95 / mo) * 1 yr plan ($16.95 / mo) * 2 yr plan ($14.95 / mo) * 2 yr Pre-Pay ($8.33 / mo)* We also have over 30 features available at no additional cost. Including : * Unlimited calling in the U.S. and Canada * FREE 2nd Line * Keep your number * 60 Min FREE International every month * Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Block, 3 way conference calling, Find Me Follow Me, Voicemail to Email etc...* Fax Catcher* E911 Service - Phone Power stands alone as the clear choice to carry your voice.

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