The Home Blog

Ooma, a new breed of VOIP

Ooma is a new breed of VOIP (Voice over IP phone) designed to save you money while making your phone experience easier and more accessible. All you need to use ooma and save money on your phone calls are two things: a high-speed internet connection (cable/DSL); and a telephone or cordless phone system. Once your ooma is plugged in you're ready to:

• Eliminate Your Monthly Phone Bill! - Once you purchase and install ooma you are never again tied to monthly bills from your local phone company.
• Get Unlimited Domestic Calls - ooma provides unlimited calling in the US with no monthly fees or contracts.
• Enjoy two lines on one number, with the ooma Instant Second Line feature
• Use ooma's message screening to send those annoying callers right to voicemail.
• Have online access to voicemail and calling preferences.
• Enhance your phone use with premium features, like enhanced call-waiting, three-way calling, caller-ID, one touch do not disturb, at no extra charge
• Feel safe. Ooma offers a 100% Money Back Guarantee.

Order ooma Now & Save $200! - Just in time for the Holidays.

Bye-Bye Vonage?

We have been using Vonage as our VOIP provider since March of 05. It comes close to a 99% uptime (I'd estimate about 97% at our house). I'm sure that's what they're shooting for. But close is not enough when one is used to the 99%+ uptime of traditional phone companies. I've been seeing a few  reports of people switching from Vonage to Skype, including this report from Ross Mayfield.

I just ran into another friend who only has Skype at home and uses a cellphone for all other calls. I'm not sure how that would work and will report back when I find out.

VOIP Security Issues

Of course the minute I post that story about VOIP over land lines Hotwired posts a story warning about possible security flaws in VOIP internet traffic. The article doesn't draw any real conclusions other than the issues are known and the various companies are working on them. Still, everyone I know using VONAGE is quite happy with the service and haven't experienced any security problems at all.

[ ttags: voip, telephony, security, home ]

HomeHack: VOIP over your home lines.

I can't recommend signing up with Vonage, or a similar Voice Over IP (VOIP) company, enough. Not only do you usually get free long distance, but you escape the fees and clutches of your local monopolistic phone service.

For lots of people one hurdle remaining before they switch to VOIP is the ability to receive phone calls on their existing house lines. Well Jack Ludington has just posted a great hack to solve that issue. Anyone with just a little technological savvy can do this.

Vonage is also coming out with a WIFI Phone that will work with VOIP. Perfect for towns and cities that have a public access WIFI network.

Btw, if you want to sign up with VONAGE, I'd appreciate it if you drop me an email and I'll send you a referral link. I get credits for free service and so will you!

[ ttags: voip, telephone, home, vonage ]