Local Zone Call Charges

[Brian]

Just hooked everything up and everything working great. Opted to keep landline but eliminated all Verizon charges except unlimited local calling. However, although I have an unlimited local calling plan they still manage to slip in "Zone" charges for local calls (approx. 2.5¢ p/call). As ooma routes local calls from across the nation through my hub potentially these "zone" charges (for each call) could add up. Question: Other than actually turning off my hub (and then foregoing voicemail) how can I prevent local calls from running through my network/ooma hub? I vaguely remember reading that if you sign up for ooma's premier service they'll block calls from routing through your hub. Is this true? Thanks........Brian

[Bobby B]

We currently are not routing calls through inactive landlines - so those zone charges should match to the outbound calls that you make. Does verizon supply a list of phone numbers you've called for a particular month?

[Brian]

Bobby B: Thanks for your reply.....
1. You asked:

Does verizon supply a list of phone numbers you've called for a particular month?

.......No, they just provide a total number of calls for each local calling "zone" (for each call there is a "Rate per call" charge (1¢ p/call) and a "Rate per minute" charge (1.6¢ p/min)). So.....there does not seem to be a way of matching up the totals they're showing and the calls that I actually make.
2. You noted that ooma does not "currently" rout calls through "inactive" landlines. My asumption was/is that my landline is "active" if the ooma hub is turned on and blue light is lit. Is this not correct? AND "currently" suggests that calls will/could be routed through an inactive landline. So...I'm back to my original problem of having to pay for all calls routed through my landline (at least "zone" charges). I'm not concerned about the local calls that I make (the $$ totals for these is nothing) BUT if ooma does start to route all other local calls through my landline the $$ could add up...
3. Can ooma configure my system to keep other calls from being routed through my hub/landline AND also can ooma route my calls over ooma instead of the landline? Does signing up for premier service keep other calls from being routed through my hub?

Thanks.............Brian

[Bobby B]

Er, sorry about my semantics - we're currently not routing calls over ANY landlines. I'll make the swap such that your outgoing calls will go over the ooma network (e.g. you can avoid Verizon charges), but incoming calls will come in on your landline.

[AngelaKendig]

Er, sorry about my semantics - we're currently not routing calls over ANY landlines. I'll make the swap such that your outgoing calls will go over the ooma network (e.g. you can avoid Verizon charges), but incoming calls will come in on your landline.

What is the default routing for outgoing calls? I'm waiting for my landline to port over so my outgoing calls should be on land line until the port completes I would guess.

[Bobby B]

If you have your ooma system configured to work with your landline, outgoing local calls will go through it. Outgoing long distance calls (outside your local calling area) will go through the ooma network.