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My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:10 pm
by JasonV
I am overall satisfied with the Telo, except for some voice quality (small delays) issues. However, as a company I would allocate resources to the Telo handset. The battery is a joke. There is no other option if you want to have a 2 line phone system with the Telo. You need the Telo handset or the blue-tooth adapter which I have. I just wish I had a secondary phone (i.e Telo handset new version) that was trouble free like most other handsets manufactored in the world. Does anyone know if there will be a new handset in the future and how do you feel about the handset?

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:34 am
by nn5i
From the comments I've read here, I can't imagine why anyone would purchase a Telo handset. There are any number of excellent multi-handset wireless telephone instruments on the market. Many of these work farther, allow a greater number of handsets, have batteries that last ten times as long, and cost less (telephony is a cutthroat market with razor-thin margins). My Telo feeds two Vtech 5831 base units, each of which has six remote handsets that work 100 yards away, and work for days without recharging. I've had'em for about ten years. The disadvantage is that they're one-line devices when fed by the Telo. I don't want or need two lines. Had I wanted two lines, I guess I could have bought a Hub instead, and fed a two-line system otherwise similar to what I have.

My point is not that users should purchase other brands; rather, it is that if other companies have been able for ten years to market instruments as good as my Vtechs, Ooma (with the advantage of ten years' progress in the technology) ought to be able to do so too.

I agree

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 7:50 am
by wpwood3
I have to agree with everything said above...
My Telo works great and has in many ways exceeded my expectations. On the other hand, my Telo Handset is somewhat of a disappointment. I bought one of these handsets to check it out and will basically only use it in my home office when I need a second line.

- LCD is poor even when the contrast is set to 8
- Battery life is not great
- Replacement batteries are expensive
- Range is only fair
- Sound quality is not up to par (there's a faint hissing sound)
- Sharp edges don't feel good in the hand
- No 2.5mm headset jack
- Speakerphone mode is fair
- The back of the phone is slick so you can't hold the phone on your shoulder
- No belt clip

After using the Telo Handset for 2 days I decided to buy a set of Panasonic Dect 6+ cordless phones. Even my ancient Motorola cordless phones work better on my Telo. When I use my Telo Handset it seems that people are more likely to detect that I am using VoIP.

I too would like to see a "new and improved" Telo Handset ver-2. The current handset is not up to the high standards set by the Ooma Telo.

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:09 am
by Nat Ray
An alternative would be to program the Telo to operate with systems such as the Panasonic Dect 6.0, with Talking CID, as it does with the Telo handset. Is this possible :?:

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 10:23 am
by southsound
Nat Ray wrote:An alternative would be to program the Telo to operate with systems such as the Panasonic Dect 6.0, with Talking CID, as it does with the Telo handset. Is this possible :?:
No.

However, the Telo handsets tend to grow on you. I have two on my Telo, along with 6 Uniden DECT 6 1580 handsets (the system actually came with 5 but I "borrowed" one from my other 1580). I still prefer the Uniden for answering a call but I love the extra features of the Telo handset: Integrated Contact List that I updated from my GV contact list; a great speakerphone (a little cleaner than the Uniden); ability to use the instant second line, a second number, and when a call comes in and I am on the phone, answer it on the Telo handset instead of just having Call Waiting. Although I agree with most of the negative points, I would not be happy to go without it. JMHO - YMMV :cool:

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:38 pm
by wpwood3
I agree, it is worth having one Telo Handset for access to the features and the second line. I just wouldn't want it to be my only handset.

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2010 7:31 pm
by Nat Ray
I really appreciate the response of the participants of this forum. I am new to the Ooma family, and naturally want justification for my decision to invest in the company, and its equipment. I especially want to thank WPWood3 and SouthSound for their input.

After purchasing the Ooma Telo with the Premier Service, I invested in the Panasonic – DECT 6.0 Expandable Cordless Phone System with Digital Answering System, Model: KX-TG6445T. Three functions of the Premier Service swayed my decision, the second line, call blocking, and the included porting of my existing number. The porting took 3 weeks to accomplish, of which I couldn’t really evaluate the system, since only one of twelve phones in my home was connected to the Ooma Telo during the wait period.

Only now, after the port, can an effective evaluation be conducted. Overall, my experience has been grand. Not to say the system has not been without faults. I have experienced at least one dropped call, but could not pin it down to Ooma or a spotty cell phone connection. What I am not comfortable with is the Premier Service. Except for the second line, the Panasonic Cordless Phone System offers the same features of the Premier Service, including caller blocking. The Panasonic caught a call that should have been blocked by Ooma, but wasn’t, a call without a phone number (Anonymous Call Block).

By the end of next week I will make a decision as to whether I will keep the Premier Service. While I would certainly like the company to succeed, the bottom line is saving money. Currently, I am leaning toward dropping it. :cry:

Best regards,
Nat Ray

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 9:02 am
by JasonV
I love the Premier service and wouldn't ever drop it. I have 2 phone #'s (residential /home and business). Because of the two phone # setup, I need the Telo handset. And that is the problem. The quality of the Telo handset for the residential side. My business phone # is with a Panasonic KX-TGA652 with the Premier VM and works fantasic. The residential # is with the Telo handset and is supar. The LCD display is terrible and the battery not really good. The Ooma Telo is a great device, the Premier service is great, but the Telo handset is not there. I will deal with it in the meantime and wait for a new version Telo handset that meets modern standards. Overall, I am very happy. I just wished that Ooma selected a better Chinese manufacture for the handset. The reviews on Amazon reflect my opinion.

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 11:30 am
by Nat Ray
Please correct me, if I am wrong . . .

Is it fair to say, I am wasting my money subscribing to Premier if I don’t anti up for the inferior Telo Handset :?

Best regards,
Nat Ray

Re: My Suggestion = New Telo handset

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2010 12:38 pm
by Groundhound
Nat Ray wrote:Please correct me, if I am wrong . . .

Is it fair to say, I am wasting my money subscribing to Premier if I don’t anti up for the inferior Telo Handset :?
Depends on what you find valuable in the Premier package. You need a Telo Handset to use the second line, but other Premier features can be used without the Telo Handset. See the list here: http://www.ooma.com/premier/features