Ooma Telo

The following article by Rich Tehrani, a VoIP industry expert and the CEO of Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC), makes some very good points as to the benefits that Ooma Telo provides to its users and why a cell phone is not really an adequate replacement for a landline telephone:

It is tough to impress me when it comes to home telephone systems... I have seen it all or at least I feel I have. Covering the telecom space as long as I have, I figured there are few innovations I haven't seen. That was until I took a train into Manhattan to see the execs at Ooma to learn how they are evolving their Telo home phone system to do more and more. Over a year ago I proclaimed this is a phone system that Bang & Olufsen could have designed and I am still impressed with the way it looks.

But more important than the aesthetics is the inside of the system which boasts the open-source Linux Freeswitch telephony operating system running on a 450MHz dual-core ARM processor with 1GB of Flash and RAM.

Why do you need all of this horsepower? Well, the company is looking to advance the entire home user telephony (and eventually computing) experience and having more horsepower in the home helps in this regard. How? Well, Ooma offers a wire speed router so customers can put the device as the root of their network without slowing down their Internet access. This allows them to guarantee that voice traffic receives adequate priority to avoid any voice quality problems when your home network is busy. In addition, this horsepower allows new features to be added without impacting the core functionality of providing high-quality voice telephone service.

Perhaps the simplest feature is a USB port and nowadays, having one is not such a big deal. But since there is one in the device the company decided to use it to offer a Bluetooth dongle which I saw last week. It is the size of a quarter or so and allows you to connect up to seven devices to your Telo. Some of these can be headsets but what is really innovative is the ability to pair cell phones so you can use your home phone system as an extension of your mobile phone.

You can see the original article here: Ooma, Making Home Phones Better

- August 3, 2010 -

PALO ALTO, Calif., - Aug 3, 2010 - Ooma, Inc. today announced three new international calling plans that further extend the cost savings and convenience of calling friends and family around the world. With these plans Ooma customers can now call 70 countries for less than a penny per minute and call other countries at reduced "bulk discount" rates. With the introduction of these new plans and the recently announced Ooma Mobile Application, Ooma offers the most affordable and functional international calling experience.

"Ooma is committed to providing our customers the most affordable, feature rich and convenient international calling plans," said Jim Gustke, vice president of Marketing at Ooma. "Forget about the frustrating calling card codes and their multiple access numbers and hidden fees. Stop watching the clock and worrying about expensive fee overages often associated with mobile calling plans. With Ooma's award winning call quality and reliability, staying in touch with friends and family from around the world in crystal clear audio has never been so easy and affordable."

Ooma offers its customers a comprehensive international calling program that affords multiple ways for consumers to save on international calls:

Ooma International Calling Bundle
Available today, Ooma customers can select from three new plans that best fit their calling lifestyle. The first plan offers Ooma customers 1,000 free minutes of talking to friends and family in 70 countries for the low rate of $9.99 per month. The second plan, which also costs $9.99 per month, offers access to significantly reduced "bulk discount" rates for use when calling all other international countries. The third plan, which is available only to Ooma Premier customers, provides both the 1,000 free minutes to call 70 countries and the access to "bulk discount" rates for calling other international countries combined for $9.99 per month. The original Ooma International calling bundle - $4.99 a month for 500 minutes of calling to 70 countries - also remains available for Premier subscribers. For more information, visit the international calling page:
http://www.ooma.com/products/international-rates

Ooma Mobile Application
Save mobile minutes and up to 90 percent on international calls compared to traditional mobile calling plans with the Ooma Mobile App - now available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad - by placing calls over any Wi-Fi connection or 3G network. For more details, visit the Ooma page in the App Store:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ooma-mobile-for-iphone/id348758102?mt=8

Ooma to Ooma Calling
Placing Ooma to Ooma calls is always free. If you own an Ooma system and send an Ooma system to friends and family abroad, they can assign a U.S. phone number to that system and call back to the states for free.

About Ooma, Inc. Founded in 2004, Ooma offers a consumer electronics device that provides free, U.S. telephone calling and advanced telephony services to its global base of customers. Ooma delivers exceptional call quality with its exclusive Ooma PureVoice%u2122 Technology and the reliability of traditional phone service at a fraction of the cost, in a sleek and innovative design. Ooma is available at more than 4,000 leading retailers and online destinations. For more information, go to www.ooma.com or blog.ooma.com. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

The detailed terms and conditions of Ooma's products, services, and support are fully set forth in the Terms and Conditions at http://www.ooma.com/termsandconditions. Customers pay only applicable taxes and fees. To determine the specific charges in an area, go to http://www.ooma.com/rates.

Call Over 3G and Wi-Fi Networks, Save up to 90 Percent on International Calls and Experience Superior Voice Quality with PureVoice Technology

PALO ALTO, Calif. - June 29, 2010 -

Ooma, Inc. today announced the availability of the Ooma Mobile Application (app) for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The new app offers Ooma customers the ability to save money on their mobile calling plans with improved convenience and functionality and outstanding voice quality with Ooma's PureVoiceTM Technology.

With the Ooma Mobile app, Ooma customers can make domestic and international calls from an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad over any Wi-Fi or 3G network. By tapping into an active Wi-Fi or 3G connection, Ooma customers can use their Ooma account credentials while on the road to connect calls and bypass the high international calling rates associated with mobile calling plans from major carriers.

The Ooma mobile app can save Ooma customers up to 90 percent on international calls. Ooma customers can enjoy further savings by reducing their minutes on their calling plans since they can now save minutes by using their Ooma account. In addition, Ooma's PureVoice Technology uses advanced voice compression to reduce bandwidth usage by 60% minimizing data usage allowing for longer calling times over 3G.

"Everything you love about your Ooma home phone system now fits in your pocket and into your mobile lifestyle," said Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Ooma. "For consumers who want competitive rates for domestic and international calls, exceptional functionality and ease of use, Ooma fits the bill, without sticking you with the bill."

Pricing & Availability
The Ooma Mobile app is priced at $9.99. Calls using the Ooma Mobile app start at 1.9 cents per minute for U.S. calls or applicable rates for international calls. Ooma Premier Customers using the Ooma Mobile app receive 250 minutes of U.S. calling for free every month. For a limited time promotion, Ooma Premier Customers who also subscribe to Ooma's International plan will get 750 minutes of free calling in the U.S. and to 70 other countries. Use of the Ooma Mobile app requires an Ooma account. A customer must already own an Ooma Hub or an Ooma Telo in order to use the Ooma Mobile app. Download the Ooma Mobile app now by visiting: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ooma-mobile-for-iphone/id348758102?mt=8

About Ooma, Inc.
Founded in 2004, Ooma offers a consumer electronics device that provides free, U.S. telephone calling and advanced telephony services to its global base of customers. Ooma delivers exceptional call quality with its exclusive Ooma PureVoiceTM Technology and the reliability of traditional phone service at a fraction of the cost, in a sleek and innovative design. Ooma is available at more than 4,000 leading retailers and online destinations.
For more information, go to www.ooma.com or blog.ooma.com. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

The detailed terms and conditions of Ooma's products, services, and support are fully set forth in the Terms and Conditions at http://www.ooma.com/termsandconditions. Customers pay only applicable taxes and fees. To determine the specific charges in an area, go to http://www.ooma.com/rates.

Ooma Bluetooth Adapter Integrates Mobile and Home Phones
Ooma Telo Now Pairs with Bluetooth Enabled Devices for Enhanced Calling Experience

- May 24, 2010 -

PALO ALTO, Calif., May 24, 2010 - Ooma, Inc. today announced the availability of the Ooma Bluetooth Adapter, allowing Ooma Telo Premier subscribers further integration of their mobile phones with their home phone systems. With today's new offering, Ooma marks another milestone to delivering on the promise of being the smart phone for the home.

"Ooma is bringing together the functionality of smart phones and the home phone for a simplified user experience," said Tami Bhaumik, Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Ooma. "Today's announcement further demonstrates the power of the Ooma Telo, by integrating the mobile phone into the home phone via Bluetooth technology, offering our customers both money and time savings."

Pricing and Availability
The Ooma Bluetooth Adapter is available for purchase now for $29.99 including shipping and handling, directly through Ooma. The Ooma Bluetooth Adapter and service is only available to Ooma Premier subscribers and can be purchased by going to https://my.ooma.com/home/login.

The Ooma Telo and Ooma Telo Handset are available at Ooma authorized resellers including: Best Buy, Datavision, Fry's Electronics, J&R, Micro Center, CompUSA, Meijer, RCS and leading online destinations including Amazon, BestBuy.com, Buy.com, Costco.com, Dell.com, JandR.com, NewEgg.com, OfficeDepot.com, PC Mall, Provantage, Dial-Tone Solutions, Southern Utah TV & Satellite, Shop Harmony, Staples.com, Sears.com, K-Mart.com, Tiger Direct, RCS, Nebraska Furniture Mart, B&H Photo, Circuit City, CompUSA and Walmart.com.

About Ooma
Founded in 2004, Ooma offers a consumer electronics device that provides free, U.S. telephone calling and advanced telephony services to its global base of customers. Ooma delivers exceptional call quality and the reliability of traditional phone service at a fraction of the cost, in a sleek and innovative design. Ooma is available at more than 4,000 leading retailers and online destinations. For more information, go to www.ooma.com or blog.ooma.com. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. The detailed terms and conditions of Ooma's products, services, and support are fully set forth in the Terms and Conditions, available online under the "legal" tab on the bottom navigation bar of the Ooma Web site.

All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

The detailed terms and conditions of Ooma's products, services, and support are fully set forth in the Terms and Conditions at http://www.ooma.com/termsandconditions. Customers pay only applicable taxes and fees. To determine the specific charges in an area, go to http://www.ooma.com/rates.