How to integrate a landline after activation?

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WayneDsr
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by WayneDsr » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:04 pm

Your Direct TV works? I was under the impression it didn't.
Tell me more.

Wayne

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Bobby B
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by Bobby B » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:07 pm

One of the main benefits of keeping a landline is the ability to make and receive 911 and regular calls during a Power/Internet outage (provided you have a wired phone). ooma has a built-in "fail-over" mechanism to use your landline in case this happens.

The downside of using only a landline phone number is that some of the advanced features (Blacklisting, Multi-ring, ACB) do not work with a landline phone number yet (though it should in the next few months). Also you need to add Caller-ID and CFB (to enable the Instant Second Line) as extra services with your landline company.
av8rdude wrote:Why would you want to keep a landline after buying ooma? Save the money and cancel or port your landline number into ooma.

My security system works great with ooma as does my directv, etc. I can think of no reason for a landline?
Bobby B

oohma
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by oohma » Thu Feb 05, 2009 3:37 pm

Where I just moved from I didn't have a landline and used ooma only as a VOIP device.

At my new home DSL is only available over a landline so unless I go cable (which I don't want to do) I'm required to have a landline.

The silver lining is that I get real 911.

But, yeah, I'd probably junk the landline if I could. This is why I have the landline configured as cheaply (no busy call forward, no caller id) and sending all messages into the ether...

WayneDsr
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by WayneDsr » Fri Feb 06, 2009 4:03 pm

OOHMA: (or anyone else)
So, is your main number now your landline number or are you using an ooma number?
I called ooma and they said after provisioning the number it would become my main ooma number, and if I did not have caller id on the landline, I would not have caller id on any call I received.

I'm not real happy with having to add caller id AND CFB $10+ for this to work.

Is this correct?

Wayne

oohma
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by oohma » Fri Feb 06, 2009 4:58 pm

As I mentioned above.... the landline is a requirement for me to have DSL. I don't care about the calls coming to that number. Therefore I can go without caller ID and busy call forwarding.

The calls I do care about come to an ooma number (actually a number i ported to ooma from another voip provider) and have all the ooma features available.

If the landline was my home number that friends and family called I'd probably get busy call forwarding and caller id to get full use of the ooma.

WayneDsr
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by WayneDsr » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:14 pm

Yeah, same here, I am keeping the landline number in order to keep DSL until I decide to cut the landline completely.
Since they charge $5.00 for CFB I might as well just add call forwarding from my landline to my ooma number and forget about "provisioning".

So what you're saying is that your landline number is NOT your ooma number? (saying that your ooma number is ported from an old voip) you have 2 numbers?

According to ooma help today, they told me I needed Caller ID because NO ID will EVER show, since my landline number will become my omma number when they provision the number. I'm so confused.

Thanks for your response!
Wayne

oohma
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by oohma » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:22 pm

i have a total of 3 phone numbers that ring my ooma phone:

1) landline
2) home number (ported to ooma)
3) home office number (new number from ooma)

lines 2 & 3 show caller ids and work with second line no problem cause they are hosted by ooma.

line 1 does not (unless i add bcf and caller id).

your suggestion of forwarding all calls to your ooma number is a good one especially if all the calls going to that number are yours.

in my case, the calls coming in are for the family member who lived in the house prior to me and i want them going into their own mailbox on one of the scouts...

WayneDsr
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by WayneDsr » Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:40 pm

Thanks. That clears things up for me. What I was told by ooma help today was not totally correct, or maybe they misunderstood.
I want this:
1. My present ooma phone number. (caller id)
2. My provisioned landline number. (no caller id) very few people will call this number and eventually I will give certain ones the new ooma number and it can go away.

According to ooma help once the landline number is provisioned it becomes my main number and I lose caller id on both. I need to call them back and make my self clearer I guess.
Thanks OOHMA!

Wayne

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Soundjudgment
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by Soundjudgment » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:24 am

Some people just want the added insurance that if they loser AC power or lose their Internet connection, they still have a way to make landline phone calls.
ooma customer since December 2008
ooma hardware: core (hub/scout) and Telo
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dlubbs
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Re: How to integrate a landline after activation?

Post by dlubbs » Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:53 am

I have DSL and originally configured Ooma to use the same number as my landline for trial purposes. I then called my phone company to put the DSL on a dry loop so I could port my number to Ooma and not loose DSL service. This is what I ended up with:

1. They installed a second line (waived all install fees) with minimum service and changed my DSL service over to that new line/number (Billed separate on own account).

2. I am waiting for my original number to be ported to Ooma.

3. Once the number is ported, I will cancel the original account and only have a basic landline with DSL in addition to Ooma.

The big benefit is this: by doing this with customer retention incentives, my landline and DSL (3Mbps service) cost less than stand-alone DSL on a dry loop. I have ATT in Michigan, and they were very helpful. I will not have caller ID on my new line, but who cares? I will almost never use that number since I only have it for DSL.

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