Hoping to do Landline Integration

[porgan]

Hello,
We have the old version of Ooma and for 3 months everything worked fine. Then it mysteriously stopped. After 2 hours on the phone with customer service, the gave me a new number and I think dis-established the landline integration.

We have AT&T DSL with a bundle package with Directv which includes the landline service. So it would actually cost us MORE to cancel / port the landline.

I'd like to keep the landline for incoming calls and integrate it with the Ooma account for outgoing. Is this possible??? THANKS

[southsound]

You really don't want to do landline integration. If you check you will find many people have great issues with it - and it has no upside as far as I can tell. That said, many of us are in the same situation as you are. I have Qwest DSL and just fell off their best promotion (free for 2 months then $15 for 12) and cut my package down to basic unmeasured service. It still cost me more than I want to pay but "naked" or dry-loop DSL is only a few dollars cheaper than having a basic line for extra safety in the even of a network outage or power failure. Now before you talk about the virtues of having a UPS, I have 5 of them in the house (we live in the country). The problem is that Qwest only has one on its voice lines - not on their DSL. So when the power goes out, my DSL modem becomes a nice doorstop. The basic line is a great backup because my cell phone is only moderately reliable where we live.

My advice - keep the landline but keep it separate. If you like the number and are unwilling to change, you can work out a deal with ATT to let your number be ported and replaced with a new ATT number. But here is the fun part - why not just get a Google Voice number and tell all of your friends to use it. Point it to your ooma number and to your cell phone. Instant communication without having to know where you are. I was out in the front of the house the other day doing some work with our tractor. We had just decided to upgrade our greenhouse and I was leveling off the area where it would go. A friend called and it rang on my cell. Now this is a great friend but also a person who LOVES to talk. I took the call, got off the tractor and went to the house and grabbed a cordless handset. I told him to wait a sec and dialed * - instantly my cordless started to ring and I answered it - it was my friend. I pressed end on the cell and we talked for an hour. Google Voice offers transfer between forwarded numbers! Also, if I am at the store or home, I never miss a call. It makes a great front end for ooma.

I mentioned that I kept my landline (in this case, my original number). I connected a Uniden DECT 6.0 cordless base, 1580 and set the answering machine to announce only with 2 rings. It says, "You have reached a number that has been changed. Please call 360 555-XXXX. Again, the new number is 360 555-XXXX." I can still use the phone for outgoing local but it trains my friends to use the new Google Voice number.

I hope this has helped. Let me know if I can answer any additional questions.

[tommies]

With land line integration
1. all incoming call is on land line
2. all local outgoing call is also on land line
3. all long distance call is on ooma

You have to pay for feature such as call waiting, CID, call waiting CID with your land line, because of 1. However, this is also true without land line integration (call forwarding from land line to ooma #.) If your package deal contain all of this feature, you're all set.

If you need to pay extra for call waiting, cid, another option is working the phone with ATT CS, explaining that you want to port your number out, but want to keep all of their services. Thus you need a new number for the current services, and have your current number put on a separated (dummy) account and then starting the porting process. This will give some flexibility into the future when you consider other isp.

Land line integration is not played well with the new telo, but it's ok with the older hub+scout combo.

[porgan]

THANKS A TON Tommies and Southsound. So a followup. How hard is it to re-port / retrieve my phone number back from Ooma if the device doesn't work out or if the company goes under etc? We just don't want to lose that number. ALSO, can I port the number to Google voice? Loved that suggestion -- we'll have to think about it.

We really have no legitimate reason for not getting rid of the landline -- no security system and we have good cell phone coverage. We're just being whimpy. Its just a lack of faith that all will be well.