Voicemail - Inbound VM Calls Not Playing Greeting

[Groundhound]

I really wish I had not chosen an integrated Landline when I initially set this up, but I can't figure out a way to change that now (any ideas?)

Call customer service and tell them you want to keep your landline separate from Ooma and have an Ooma number assigned to you, that way you can test all Ooma features without the limitations of landline integration. If you later decide you are happy with Ooma you can port your landline number over and it will replace the Ooma number. If possible, have your landline calls forwarded to your new Ooma number so you will receive inbound calls on your Ooma-connected phones.

[escoop]

Sounds like we are living in parallel. My wife was NOT convinced that IP phone service was a good idea in the slightest. She was almost won over with the voice quality but the answering machine debacle has put her off the idea. It just seems dicey if one of (if not THE) most basic phone features works like scum. I mean answering machings have been in the world for decades (no reliable machine = no reliable service).

In answer to your "any ideas" question. As I understood it from one of the support script readers - you can get one of the Ooma temp numbers and establish your service that way - keeping your old landline but not interfacing the wiring. IE - your Oooma connects to the Internet via your modem - your old phones plug into the wall and you delete the phone wire back to the wall from the Ooma device. You would of course need to access the support folks to do that number setup and my guess is that they would rest your account settings from their side (possibly with a factory reboot of the Ooma device on your end required after the work is done on their end). As is consistent with Ooma - NONE of that info is available on their website - unless some frustrated customer posts it here.

Really, these guys seem just plain dodgy. I have been waiting for a week since my case was "escalated" to their high level tech support - No Contact - No Response. That is the Quick way to just flat go out of business. Can't service what you sell - you are toast. I'll bring the toaster on the way to sending mine back!

For the record to those who have not yet been duped - Don't buy Ooma unless you just love having unsupported junk sitting around your house!

[lbmofo]

Really, these guys seem just plain dodgy. I have been waiting for a week since my case was "escalated" to their high level tech support - No Contact - No Response. That is the Quick way to just flat go out of business. Can't service what you sell - you are toast. I'll bring the toaster on the way to sending mine back!

For the record to those who have not yet been duped - Don't buy Ooma unless you just love having unsupported junk sitting around your house!

Do you plan on getting rid of the landline and port your number? If so, only a couple of weeks to deal with a minor inconvenience (your issue is rare). Why so much anger? ooma works great for overwhelming majority so if you are gonna take off, take off but no venom please.

[escoop]

Sorry if you are offended but I would contend that you are misinformed. Don't take it personally but why are these forums full of unanswered questions? The information is not available except for all but the most basic questions. My experience with Ooma is that their tech support is NOT knowledgable except to the level of "have you tried turning it off and on?". Nothing additional was available from them that wasn't available in sketchy form on their website. I could have and did get the basic info there. When further info was unavailable I contacted customer service/tech support and recieved no new info. My case was supposedly "escalated" and that has to date born a week and a half of waiting and NO results or even an inkling that anyone is activley working on it.

To add insult to injury today the darn thing even quit receiving calls - Hey guess what - I've earned the right to be annoyed!

Glad you have had a better experience but I assure you that if I have received this dodgy of service - it will be a cold day before I will port my number and get in deeper with an outfit which to date has proven themselves to be inept.

Dude I do installs for a living - I know what customer service is and is not. Really, I'm glad you are happy now but my advice to you is don't get too comfortable. The tech issue that the script readers can't handle is only a matter of time for you and everyone else here unless these jokers get their act together.

[dsinternet]

I agree that Ooma customer support is not winning awards. I do believe that Ooma is working on improving and they know there is a problem. I have never had a problem and have always had great results each time I have called. I like Ooma so much that I forked over lots of money to become a life time member back in December. I know things will get better. Good luck with your problem.

[lbmofo]

Dude I do installs for a living - I know what customer service is and is not. Really, I'm glad you are happy now but my advice to you is don't get too comfortable. The tech issue that the script readers can't handle is only a matter of time for you and everyone else here unless these jokers get their act together.

There you go again. There is really no need to get upset. I think that it's no big deal if ooma can't fix things that involve external factors that they can't control...for instance, the charateristics and behavior of your landline. I had a different issue when my landline was integrated with my Hub; no incoming callerid. I was one of the rare folks that had this problem. Naturally, I didn't demand or expect ooma to drop everything and fix my particular problem. If they spent significant time and money to address cases like yours and mine, ooma would no longer be in business or their business model would have to change drastically.

So, you have 2 options. Port your number over and see that all your problems go away or just walk away from ooma realizing it didn't work out for you. No need for name calling.

[FrontPorchView]

OOMA Hub installed a few days ago. Maintaining old land line and number during my testing process. For inbound Voice Mail calls my greeting plays 1/3 of the time, the other 2/3 there is either no greeting played or a partial greeting played. When it's a partial greeting it will play from somewhere in the middle or start near the end and play until the end of my greeting. I've altered the number of rings in the settings menu and turned off call screening, but that has not altered the "greeting playback" problem.

It is inconsistent in behavior. My test calls over a 4 day period all demonstrate the greeting will play fully on occasion, but most times it may play not at all or only the last few words. I'm eager to terminate the land line, but uncomfortable in doing so with the outgoing message play inconsistency. Otherwise the call quality is fine and the system works well.

[lbmofo]

In ladnline integration mode, my incoming callerid didn't work even though I signed up to callerid with landline. My dishnetwork receiver was showing callerid so I knew it was a problem with my hub. I went through with number porting and callerid works fine now. This problem with greeting playing/not playing should go away after port is my thinking; don't see this problem reported unless landline integration.

[escoop]

FrontPorchView - Your experience seems to parallel mine. Although Ooma advertises the phone system as compatible with a landline integration - 4 weeks of trying and forums and inept and non-existant "higher level support" (they NEVER contacted me in 3 weeks) causes me to conclude that land line integration was the issue with voicemail and a few other issues I was having. Clearly I had to ask - If they would mislead their customers by not actually having the ability to maintain an Integrated line, what else might they be misleading us the customers about? Additionally, what else down the line could their non-existent support folks not be able to handle. In the end I was not able to justify a deeper commitment to a dodgy outfit that would mislead in their advertisement and documentation. I sent mine back and would advise you to do the same.

Yes many folks are getting good service - but - and it's a big but - many are not. When you get bad service from Ooma there is really no where to turn. Do you feel lucky?

[lbmofo]

I'm eager to terminate the land line, but uncomfortable in doing so with the outgoing message play inconsistency. Otherwise the call quality is fine and the system works well.

I am sure your problem will go away once port is complete. My callerid issue went away as soon as port completed. If others have issues with greetings even after port, please chime in.