Ooma hub dead after 15 months! Ooma wants $200 to replace!

[southsound]

This doesn't seem right. The retail price for Ooma at Best Buy and Costco is $199. This includes the hardware (which is worth between $50 and $100) and unlimited calling forever. Ooma should charge only for the hardware replacement when outside the warranty period. That is, the charge should be no more than $100.
And if you own the company, you are free to do so. I'm sure that in the business model that is used to set ooma pricing, they calculated a lot of costs. Believe it or not, it COSTS OOMA MONEY to provide us with free phone service (and lets not discuss taxes and regulatory fees which are to recover their actual costs).

As an example, I signed up with cable internet over 10 years ago and the cable company provided me with a free modem. After about 5 years, the modem was acting slow (the internet speed had gone up significantly since the modem was made) and the cable company happily gave me another free modem. This summer, my connection speed slowly dropped from 30Mbps to less than 5Mbps. When the technician came out to diagnose, it turned out the free modem was dying and had high packet loss.
Great example since I'm sure that when you bought your cable service they charged you a one time fee and you never had to pay for cable service again, right? NO, they charged you each month for service - and a part of that charge was to compensate for eventual replacement of the equipment, the technician to diagnose it, and a host of backbone costs. ooma does not charge you a monthly fee for phone service.

The cable tech installed another modem for me (a new model). I asked him how much the cable company would be charging me for the new modem (since I can buy the same modem for $50 on eBay) and he said it would be free since the cable company had originally provided me with the modem that failed. He said it wouldn't be right to have the company force me to pay to replace a failed modem that they had provided to use their service even though it had been 5 years!
Translation: If you don't have a working modem, we can't continue to charge you money. So we'll give you one so you continue to be a paying customer.

As a new Ooma customer, I hope that they place a priority on customer service and not try to charge full retail for out of warranty replacement where the hardware is only part of what is included in the full retail product. You shouldn't have to rebuy the entire service just to replace a failed hardware part.
As an old customer (both in years and years with ooma) I can tell you that they do place a priority on customer service. They do a great job in providing me with stellar phone service and both of my ooma devices, the hub/scout and the Telo have worked great. JHHO, but I think you might want to rethink your argument that they don't care about customers.

[lbmofo]

The cable tech installed another modem for me (a new model). I asked him how much the cable company would be charging me for the new modem (since I can buy the same modem for $50 on eBay) and he said it would be free since the cable company had originally provided me with the modem that failed. He said it wouldn't be right to have the company force me to pay to replace a failed modem that they had provided to use their service even though it had been 5 years!

Besides what SouthSound said about cable bill being almost $60 a moth, they got to be charging you $5 for modem rental every month. Haven't heard of free cable modem. If you find that you are charged $5 a month, I'd go get yourself a modem so you can save $5 a month.

[ktwalrus]

JHHO, but I think you might want to rethink your argument that they don't care about customers.

I didn't mean to imply that Ooma doesn't care about customers. I think you read too much into my comments. I'm too new to have had any interaction with Ooma's customer service.

My number transfer request has been sitting in "Order Received" status for 5 days now and hasn't moved to "Information verified" status. I hope this isn't Ooma's customer service not processing number ports in a timely manner. Other than that, I haven't called or had any other interaction with Ooma's customer service.

My only point is that an out of warranty hardware replacement should reflect the cost of the hardware being replaced and not include the prepaid phone service that is a major part of the cost.

[MikeekiM]

My only point is that an out of warranty hardware replacement should reflect the cost of the hardware being replaced and not include the prepaid phone service that is a major part of the cost.

I don't disagree that this is what I would love to see as a customer...

However, if you think about what we've all signed up for...it is free service for the life of the hardware... Hardware dead...service ended... That's the terms and conditions... I don't love it (cuz I always love a deal!)... But that's the agreement...

Fortunately, Ooma has been very good about allowing lifetime premier members to transfer their memberships over to the replacement hardware...but this still does not protect even lifetime premier members from having to purchase a replacement and effectively re-buying the service...

[noltian]

The cable tech installed another modem for me (a new model). I asked him how much the cable company would be charging me for the new modem (since I can buy the same modem for $50 on eBay) and he said it would be free since the cable company had originally provided me with the modem that failed. He said it wouldn't be right to have the company force me to pay to replace a failed modem that they had provided to use their service even though it had been 5 years!

Besides what SouthSound said about cable bill being almost $60 a moth, they got to be charging you $5 for modem rental every month. Haven't heard of free cable modem. If you find that you are charged $5 a month, I'd go get yourself a modem so you can save $5 a month.

You need to call the cable company. These days, no company charges for modem if the customer complains. (of course yes they like to charge if the customer does not know but have you see any commercial saying they will charge for modem with new contract these days?)

[noltian]

Purchase from Costco next time. Then you don't have to worry about replacement cost as long as you want to use OOMA.
It's win-win if you do that

[FreePhone]

I guess you mean what happens if the Telo has been replaced by a new products?

I currently have an Ooma Hub, if it fails and I am willing to pay Ooma for a replacement, what will they give me? A Tela? I don't want a Tela and thus have to pay the Federal fees, this is this only reason I initially purchased an Ooma Hub so as not to have any monthly payments.

[FreePhone]

Purchase from Costco next time. Then you don't have to worry about replacement cost as long as you want to use OOMA.
It's win-win if you do that

Costco no longer has a lifetime warranty on electronic items.

[roadshow]

I guess you mean what happens if the Telo has been replaced by a new products?

I currently have an Ooma Hub, if it fails and I am willing to pay Ooma for a replacement, what will they give me? A Tela? I don't want a Tela and thus have to pay the Federal fees, this is this only reason I initially purchased an Ooma Hub so as not to have any monthly payments.

If the Hub/Scout dies, OOMA has a special upgrade plan that includes a discounted Telo, and Telo handset. It also Grandfathers your Hub/Scout terms, still no taxes, and all of the benefits that came with original hardware. The only thing you would lose is name on caller Id, unless you are Premier. It's a great program, especially if your Hub/Scout are dead.

[allo]

...

If the Hub/Scout dies, OOMA has a special upgrade plan that includes a discounted Telo, and Telo handset. It also Grandfathers your Hub/Scout terms, still no taxes, and all of the benefits that came with original hardware. The only thing you would lose is name on caller Id, unless you are Premier. It's a great program, especially if your Hub/Scout are dead.

Where do you see the above TOS written?
Very doubtful they will do that indefinitely... I think they said "somewhere" they will allow the same service for a 3 yr period in case of a hardware replacement/upgrade if approved by ooma....( which would guarantee the user to have a service for at least 3 Yrs on the original acquisition terms!)

.