Keeping landline and using Ooma

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Boodles
Posts:6
Joined:Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:07 am
Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by Boodles » Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:19 am

Can anyone explain to me as a new Ooma user the differnece between using Ooma with a land line and using without a land line. Are there positiives to keeping a land line? I have started the porting process and have my dsl on a separate account now. I also am keeping my land line until the port process is complete. Can I or should i keep just the minimal land line? Thanks

WayneDsr
Posts:3790
Joined:Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:28 pm
Location:Northern Indiana

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by WayneDsr » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:40 pm

When using ooma WITH a landline all your local calls and incoming calls use your landline service. If you dial a long distance number you would be using ooma.
You would have to put caller ID and Call Forward on Busy on your landline for this to work properly.

You can still use your landline by signing up with ooma using omma WITHOUT a landline. Add call forwarding to your landline number and forward it to your new ooma number. This way all calls regardless of local or long distance use omma, along with all incoming calls.

In this case if you connect the WALL from the ooma hub to a wall jack your landline will take over if ooma or your network goes down.

So the only positive in keeping a landline is for back up in case ooma or your network goes down.

And that's really not an issue if you have a cell phone for backup.

Wayne

luvalaff
Posts:11
Joined:Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:00 pm

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by luvalaff » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:18 pm

So wayne, a little help please. I need to keep the landline because it is connected to DirectTV. If I keep it barebones, no call forwarding, no voicemail, do I need to port the number over to OOMA? or will incoming calls be the same as always and I'd just call out from OOMA and have the ooma answering service answer? Can I make local calls from ooma?

trim81
Posts:262
Joined:Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:14 pm

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by trim81 » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:29 pm

luvalaff wrote:So wayne, a little help please. I need to keep the landline because it is connected to DirectTV. If I keep it barebones, no call forwarding, no voicemail, do I need to port the number over to OOMA? or will incoming calls be the same as always and I'd just call out from OOMA and have the ooma answering service answer? Can I make local calls from ooma?

DirecTV WILL be able to be used with Ooma...

My suggestion is to go ahead and port it...it will save you tons of $$ and will indeed work with DirecTV

To get it to work:(in the connections menu of Direct, use a prefix of *99. before dialing)

Boodles
Posts:6
Joined:Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:07 am

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by Boodles » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:49 pm

WayneDsr wrote:When using ooma WITH a landline all your local calls and incoming calls use your landline service. If you dial a long distance number you would be using ooma.
You would have to put caller ID and Call Forward on Busy on your landline for this to work properly.

You can still use your landline by signing up with ooma using omma WITHOUT a landline. Add call forwarding to your landline number and forward it to your new ooma number. This way all calls regardless of local or long distance use omma, along with all incoming calls.

In this case if you connect the WALL from the ooma hub to a wall jack your landline will take over if ooma or your network goes down.

So the only positive in keeping a landline is for back up in case ooma or your network goes down.

And that's really not an issue if you have a cell phone for backup.

Wayne
Thanks Wayne
I guess I'll go ahead with the port ( from the sounds of this forum I may have some problems) b/c I do have two cell phones in the house. I guess with just plain Ooma i won't get caller id right?

Nancy

WayneDsr
Posts:3790
Joined:Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:28 pm
Location:Northern Indiana

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by WayneDsr » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:36 pm

Just plain ooma will get you voicemail, caller ID and call waiting!
And the call log in the lounge will keep track of all your calls in and out.

Also, I use ooma for Direct TV and it works fine. You just don't realize how many times Direct TV calls out until you see it on your call log!


Wayne

luvalaff
Posts:11
Joined:Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:00 pm

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by luvalaff » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:47 pm

so if we have 3 tv's on direct tv, in 3 different rooms....do I need 3 scouts?

trim81
Posts:262
Joined:Thu Jul 31, 2008 9:14 pm

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by trim81 » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:02 pm

luvalaff wrote:so if we have 3 tv's on direct tv, in 3 different rooms....do I need 3 scouts?

No, you can do a home-install "hard wiring"/ and only use 1 Ooma Hub.

More details can be found reading this forum: http://www.vonage-forum.com/forum12.html

tommies
Posts:862
Joined:Sun Mar 01, 2009 8:10 pm
Location:Atlanta

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by tommies » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:04 pm

luvalaff wrote:so if we have 3 tv's on direct tv, in 3 different rooms....do I need 3 scouts?
Yes and No.
Well the yes part is easy, just fork out around $200 for 3 extra scouts! If you pick the 'no' path, thing might get complicated a bit if you use DSL, read this thread viewtopic.php?f=2&t=658 for explanation of the wiring option. If you use cable or fiber optic, thing is simpler, just connect the phone port on the hub into your wall jack. If you plan to keep a land line (usually on line 1,) then you need to hook the hub on to line 2 of your house's wiring.
tommies

WayneDsr
Posts:3790
Joined:Wed Feb 04, 2009 6:28 pm
Location:Northern Indiana

Re: Keeping landline and using Ooma

Post by WayneDsr » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:05 pm

Yes, put a splitter on the PHONE plug on the back of your hub and share this with your present phone and the phone wall jack of your house. This will make any phone jack in your house a hub connection. Extra Scouts not needed.
I don't use this setup, but have heard in the forums that it works.

Wayne

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