Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

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bw1
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by bw1 » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:08 am

Morpheus wrote: The feature was just there. Add a Bluetooth dongle to the Ooma Telo and go. Now they decide that this is something that they can use to leverage on basic subscribers by pushin a firmware update to disable the feature, then turn around and force the basic subscribers to purchase the Premier service to get it turned back on. This is just sleazy practice.
Whatever made you think that you would be able to use it in the first place or that it would be free.

Sometimes, companies have loopholes in their system. When they find out that customers are getting something they shouldn't they fix the issue and close the loophole. With T-Mobile prepaid, customers found out they could change from paygo to pay-by-the-day and then back again and their expiration would be extended for a year. Of course, they were getting something for nothing and T-Mobile eventually fixed it.

For you think that they don't have the right to close a loophole that is giving their customers something they were not entitled to for free, is pretty unbelievable.

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bw1
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by bw1 » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:14 am

Morpheus wrote:
bw1 wrote:I also had the Windows 7 RC for free for a few months. It had a built in trigger to disable the functionality and I had to purchase and re-install a full version.

Ooma never said that they were going to allow the use of your own Bluetooth adapter for free, nor was there Bluetooth capability built-in that they disabled. Like lbmofo said, you may have been able to use your own adapter while they were configuring the firmware to use their proprietary adapter. You shouldn't expect that to continue since they would probably have a lot of support issues allowing any adapter to be used.

However, it was reported on blogs that the bluetooth adapter would be free to Premier subscribers and $50 to everyone else. Perhaps that was a marketing mis-communication or they changed their marketing plans.

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2010-01/oom ... of-tricks/
Ooma never said anything about using any sort of BT dongle on the Ooma Telo. Where did Ooma state that a generic BT dongle could be used while they were developing firmware that would eventually restrict that function to their own proprietary BT dongle.

That's a pretty sad analogy. You knew going into the Windows 7 BETA program that it was going to die, try again...
Exactly! Where did they state that a generic BT dongle could be used. Period.

It was posted on this forum that they were going to have an upgrade to the Telo to enable Bluetooth. I think they even said it would be using the USB port.

RE: W7. I knew, yes. I suspect not everyone "knew" and I'm sure there were some that didn't and then got on the Internet and threw a tantrum.

Morpheus
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by Morpheus » Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:53 pm

bw1 wrote:
Morpheus wrote: The feature was just there. Add a Bluetooth dongle to the Ooma Telo and go. Now they decide that this is something that they can use to leverage on basic subscribers by pushing a firmware update to disable the feature, then turn around and force the basic subscribers to purchase the Premier service to get it turned back on. This is just sleazy practice.
Whatever made you think that you would be able to use it in the first place or that it would be free.

Sometimes, companies have loopholes in their system. When they find out that customers are getting something they shouldn't they fix the issue and close the loophole. With T-Mobile prepaid, customers found out they could change from paygo to pay-by-the-day and then back again and their expiration would be extended for a year. Of course, they were getting something for nothing and T-Mobile eventually fixed it.

For you think that they don't have the right to close a loophole that is giving their customers something they were not entitled to for free, is pretty unbelievable.
What don't they cut the number of handsets down to two for basic subscribers. Why not limit pure voice for premiere subscribers. why not... why not... The list could go on.

It's just bad business for a company manipulate their customers in this fashion. Apparently you see no problem with ATT and the way they just screwed over a LARGE population of their mobile subscribers.

I'm just getting tired of these companies taking advantage of their customers.

Block the BT capabilities
Charge for the dongle
But don't make me pay for a premier account to activate it.

I'll take all 4 of my handsets back and buy a replacement system that is far better than the Ooma Telo for the basic Ooma service, which supports BT, and has the ability to add a corded headset. I supported Ooma by buying 4 handsets when there were other far better solutions out there for basic Ooma service.

Morpheus
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by Morpheus » Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:13 pm

bw1 wrote:
Morpheus wrote:
bw1 wrote:I also had the Windows 7 RC for free for a few months. It had a built in trigger to disable the functionality and I had to purchase and re-install a full version.

Ooma never said that they were going to allow the use of your own Bluetooth adapter for free, nor was there Bluetooth capability built-in that they disabled. Like lbmofo said, you may have been able to use your own adapter while they were configuring the firmware to use their proprietary adapter. You shouldn't expect that to continue since they would probably have a lot of support issues allowing any adapter to be used.

However, it was reported on blogs that the bluetooth adapter would be free to Premier subscribers and $50 to everyone else. Perhaps that was a marketing mis-communication or they changed their marketing plans.

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2010-01/oom ... of-tricks/
Ooma never said anything about using any sort of BT dongle on the Ooma Telo. Where did Ooma state that a generic BT dongle could be used while they were developing firmware that would eventually restrict that function to their own proprietary BT dongle.

That's a pretty sad analogy. You knew going into the Windows 7 BETA program that it was going to die, try again...
Exactly! Where did they state that a generic BT dongle could be used. Period.

It was posted on this forum that they were going to have an upgrade to the Telo to enable Bluetooth. I think they even said it would be using the USB port.

RE: W7. I knew, yes. I suspect not everyone "knew" and I'm sure there were some that didn't and then got on the Internet and threw a tantrum.
I bought the Ooma Telo and I can plug anything I want into the device, without the permission of Ooma.

Peope were told multible times about the expiration of Windows 7 RC. This went over several different medias for months.

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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by lbmofo » Thu Jun 10, 2010 5:40 pm

Morpheus wrote:Apparently you see no problem with ATT and the way they just screwed over a LARGE population of their mobile subscribers.
What did AT&T do? Change data plan prices? Are they not allowed to restructure their price plans? FYI, existing data plan customers can choose to stay on what they got.
Morpheus wrote:I bought the Ooma Telo and I can plug anything I want into the device, without the permission of Ooma.
You still can. Who is stopping you? It just won't work according to your taste. Since ooma never promised what you got going would work, no harm in you losing that.

Morpheus
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by Morpheus » Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:31 pm

lbmofo wrote:
Morpheus wrote:Apparently you see no problem with ATT and the way they just screwed over a LARGE population of their mobile subscribers.
What did AT&T do? Change data plan prices? Are they not allowed to restructure their price plans? FYI, existing data plan customers can choose to stay on what they got.
Morpheus wrote:I bought the Ooma Telo and I can plug anything I want into the device, without the permission of Ooma.
You still can. Who is stopping you? It just won't work according to your taste. Since ooma never promised what you got going would work, no harm in you losing that.
You know exactly what ATT did and it wasn't just the price restructuring, it's the way they announced the price restructuring, and the order in which they did this. ATT is nothing more than a sleazy company trying to squeeze as much money as they can from their mobile subscribers for a mediocre service.

But can I stop Ooma from pushing an update to my Ooma Telo that is going to disable a functioning BT port.

Bottom line is; I not happy with the fact that Ooma never put a 5 cent headset adaptor into the Ooma Handset. Then they turn around and install BT capabilities which is the only way to get any sort of headset capabilities with the existing Ooma equipment, just by adding a BT dongle.

Well the solution for basic subscribers is to NOT buy their handsets and to use another phone system to get the BT capabilities and the use of a hard wired headset jack. Plus they are going to be getting a far superior phone system.

It's a royal pain to not have the ability to have a hardwired headset adaptor or BT capable phone. And who doesn't put a headset jack on their phone system in today's world. Oh, yea, ATT and the Trimline phone.

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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by lbmofo » Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:44 pm

I think you said it best Morpheus! Morpheus: "Welcome to the real world."

I'd point you these alternatives:

http://telephones.att.com/telephones_ui ... rent=23952
http://telephones.att.com/telephones_ui ... rent=23932
http://www.myxlink.com/

oldanbo
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by oldanbo » Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:35 pm

This subject seems to have denigrated to a piXXing match.

O & O :(

Morpheus
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by Morpheus » Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:41 am

lbmofo wrote:I think you said it best Morpheus! Morpheus: "Welcome to the real world."

I'd point you these alternatives:

http://telephones.att.com/telephones_ui ... rent=23952
http://telephones.att.com/telephones_ui ... rent=23932
http://www.myxlink.com/
I'm going to pick one of the below this weekend and give it a try. If that fails, I'll give your suggestions a try. I really don't like to switching phone systems, so do it right the first time.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Verizon-SL785 ... u=13812603

All Ooma needed to do, was add a way to connect a headset. Oh well, it looks like someone will be getting some refurbished Ooma handsets.

philw132
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Re: Bluetooth Adaptor - Pay Up! - Why is it?

Post by philw132 » Fri Jun 11, 2010 1:26 pm

To the poster of the the first post,

Microsoft DOES push updates that cuts the ability of your computer.......... for all the latest versions of "windows" there has been a "basic, standard, home primum, ultimate, pro" and guess what? when you upgrade from just say home primum to pro.. you dont get a CD, you just get a keycode... it "unlocks" the functions that are already there! and that update on sale is like $89.99 and alot of companys are following suit. look at the ARCHOS portable internet tablets (media players) they run android (opensource google operating system) however they do not let you have access to the 1,000s of free apps that android has avable in their "marketplace" instead they block the app "market place" and add "applib" that allows you to download (paid or free) apps that ARCHOS desides you should use. the list goes on. point being ooma is a starter company (since what 2004?) They are doing what they can to make money to continue services. however i will admit im not crazy about the fact they do advertise the abillty to use bluetooth on the box, one would think that the function was built into the telo not having to buy a bluetooth adapter that would give you the abilly. but i did buy the dongle and it was on backorder i finnaly got it, i may give it a try tomorrow see how it is. its 29.99 i think.. in any case that isnt going to make you have to sell your home cause you cant pay the mortgage or something crazy.. just my 2 cents.....
Morpheus wrote:I'm having a problem here:

What do you think would happen if Microsoft pushed an update to your computer that cut the ability to use a standing function, just so they could sell you a service.
Customer Since: 4/6/10
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