New Warning when dialing?

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slim26
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New Warning when dialing?

Post by slim26 » Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:26 am

Today I noticed a new message when I dialed out for a conference call that I often use.

Warning says something like this "ooma would like to inform you that you are dialing a non-residential number that imposes abnormally high fees..."

Anyone else getting this? What is this and how do I get rid of it?
Last edited by slim26 on Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

slim26
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by slim26 » Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:36 am

Okay -- I guess it's a new message telling you about traffic pumpers, and tells you to check out:

https://my.ooma.com/info/trafficpumpers

It's a free conference call service that I call several times a week for work. This is a bit of a nuisance to have to listen to this message now.

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lbmofo
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by lbmofo » Fri Apr 29, 2011 9:57 am

Can you get whoever setup this conf you call into to switch to http://www.rondee.com/?

slim26, also, please consider editing out the number you posted. Ooma just asked for your help "refrain from dialing" and you ask everyone to try? :?

slim26
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by slim26 » Fri Apr 29, 2011 7:48 pm

lbmofo wrote:Can you get whoever setup this conf you call into to switch to http://www.rondee.com/?

slim26, also, please consider editing out the number you posted. Ooma just asked for your help "refrain from dialing" and you ask everyone to try? :?
Number edited -- good call.

Unfortunately when you're a consultant and use your home phone for work, I don't have the ability to tell everyone in my company to switch to a different conference call center.

It's unfortunate that they charge these charges, but it's highly unlikely that most people can do anything about it. Hopefully a ruling passes that puts these guys out of business, then I won't have to deal with it.

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tomcat
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by tomcat » Sat Apr 30, 2011 5:54 am

slim26 wrote:Okay -- I guess it's a new message telling you about traffic pumpers, and tells you to check out:

https://my.ooma.com/info/trafficpumpers

It's a free conference call service that I call several times a week for work. This is a bit of a nuisance to have to listen to this message now.
Thanks for posting. Good information.
slim26 wrote:Unfortunately when you're a consultant and use your home phone for work, I don't have the ability to tell everyone in my company to switch to a different conference call center.
I would suggest you take this information to your company. They may be just as unaware of this as you were. By educating them, they may be willing to look at alternatives. Certainly worth a shot.

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lbmofo
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by lbmofo » Mon May 02, 2011 9:00 pm

I checked this out further. The free conference number is blocked by GV; it just tells you the number is invalid.

Vonage (as well as AT&T cell) completes calls to these numbers but they can probably afford it better because they are charging a lot per month. Cost per sub is at $8-$9 a month; they have numerous dollars to go per sub before they see their profit eaten away by people calling these numbers.

However, Ooma is in a different boat. Ooma doesn't charge much monthly even if you figure in Premier subscription. For basic/core users, Ooma is figuring cost per sub at below $2 a month. They can not afford to have people calling these numbers often.

FYI on the cost per sub post: viewtopic.php?t=10664#p74117

fonfellow
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by fonfellow » Tue May 03, 2011 2:52 pm

slim26 wrote:
It's a free conference call service ...."

Just a note to say the the "free" part is for the conference bridge itself. Unless the host provides a toll-free (800, 888, etc) number to dial into the conference, the participant pays for the long distance charges.

kieranmullen
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Re: New Warning when dialing?

Post by kieranmullen » Thu May 05, 2011 10:02 pm

Arbitrage is how telecom works. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arbitrage User A Calls within the same area code to User B served by a different phone company Uaser A does not get charged anythign extra, but User A's telephone company does. Usually in fraction of cents. Conferencing companies do this, but also other companies like MagicJack (which is owned by a CLEC) also benefit from terminating traffic.

Arbitrage is needed, but it is hard for government to control how much money a company is allowed to charge as the telecom industry is suppsoed to be deregulated. However your phone company is free to block them, and you are free to choose another company.

As another poster already said, education and perhaps a Betamax voipbuster.com account on the side, is the best way.

slim26 wrote:
lbmofo wrote:Can you get whoever setup this conf you call into to switch to http://www.rondee.com/?

slim26, also, please consider editing out the number you posted. Ooma just asked for your help "refrain from dialing" and you ask everyone to try? :?
Number edited -- good call.

Unfortunately when you're a consultant and use your home phone for work, I don't have the ability to tell everyone in my company to switch to a different conference call center.

It's unfortunate that they charge these charges, but it's highly unlikely that most people can do anything about it. Hopefully a ruling passes that puts these guys out of business, then I won't have to deal with it.

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