Voicemail Alert

[todda]

The main reason I started using Ooma was to cut the costs associated with the landline, and for this I love it. However, short of paying $10/month for a premier account and having many, many features that I don't want, I would like to know if there is a way to get a text/email when a new voicemail is recorded. Even and iPhone notification within the app, which could be made visible on the lock screen, etc, would be great. Is this possible or is premier the only way?

[oomamaniacal]

I use Google Voice voice mail for my second number, and that is free, and I do get emails when there is a new voice mail.

[oomg]

If you are using a smart phone, set up email account access on your device. Then forward your messages to the email address. Your messages will then come into your email account as an MP3 attachment. Even if you were to inadvertently delete the message on your smart phone, it will still be on your Ooma device. if you are concerned about privacy on your smart phone, you can establish a separate email account that is used solely on that device.

I have multiple Ooma systems and have the messages from each one forwarded to an email account on my smart phone. Works great. I also use the multiring feature on each system to ring at my smart phone through the Talkatone app. If I cannot answer on the smart phone, it will default to answer on the Ooma number the caller is using to call me. Once again, works great (although I have a request for a modest feature change on the Talkatone app).

[thomasm]

Wow! What a lot of work to save ten bucks a month! Premier is probably the best feature package ever offered for a landline phone. How much do you pay for your cellphone by comparison?

[oomg]

Wow! What a lot of work to save ten bucks a month! Premier is probably the best feature package ever offered for a landline phone. How much do you pay for your cellphone by comparison?

I agree, cell phone costs are generally much greater... so consider the following: My wife does not use her cell phone extensively, but feels comfortable having one in her possession. I got her an iPhone 5 that had been on the Sprint network and signed on to FreedomPop with it. FreedomPop gives the user a monthly free allotment of 200 talk minutes; 500 texts and 500 mg of data. Loaded the Ooma Mobile App, and as ended up with more talk minutes than the wife would likely ever need. Add a GV number which is forwarded to the Ooma Mobile number and you end up with the same talk and text number on the cell phone. In my wife's case, her FreedomPop number is used only if her Ooma Mobile app is unavailable. How does it work? In a word: Great! Monthly charge is ZERO for the cell phone, but you do have to add the cost of the Ooma Premier service.

So, for about $15 per month (including applicable taxes), you can have both home telephone service and cell phone service. Try to beat that.

[chutch15]

Have you used the IFTTT app with it?
https://my.ooma.com/apps/ios

However, if the mobile app is working correctly, you shouldn't have to set up IFTTT or Call Forwarding. Currently, no banners or alerts are issued by the app when a voicemail is received. Badges will appear, but only after opening the app and accessing the Voicemail screen.

I hope Ooma devs are working to correct this. Otherwise, the mobile app is not that useful.

[shellbr]

I've been waiting for voicemail notification for over a year. You are correct, the badge appears after launching the app, so they just need to have it check periodically in the background, then send a notification via the mechanisms that are already built in iOS and Android.

These workarounds to set up email alerts, Google voice, and IFTTT are adding complexity were it does not need to be.