New VM email notification not working anymore

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mnappi0606
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by mnappi0606 » Wed Apr 13, 2011 7:33 am

Message to Thread Moderators: Please do not delete this post like you did my last one. As a paying Ooma customer in the United States of America, you should allow us to share opinions freely. Thank you.

Once again, although I can not "prove it", I distinctly remember voicemail notification without sound clips being included with Ooma Basic.

REGARDLESS of whether it was intended or not, I had that capability for just about a full year. Ooma then pulls the ability without any notification or apologies to me. I was an Ooma fanboy just like you guys. I really was. However, this is just bad customer service. I have no doubt that as time goes on and Ooma gets more popular, Ooma will continually push standard features into their premier bundle to coerce Ooma basic users to start paying monthly. Their manner of dealing with this "bug" shows that they have little interest in showing their free customers that they are valuable. If they did, they would have offered some sort of middle ground to customers like me. For instance, they could have explained in andvance of fixing this so called "bug" that this feature will be a premier feature moving forward, however, due to the fact that they were giving it to me free, they will upgrade me to premier for free for a year to avoid an unexpected interruption in the level of service I was used to receiving.

Honestly, there is no way their business model will survive if they don't have recurring charges like every other phone company. It will essentially turn into a legal bait and switch over time.

Due to their decision to handle this in the way they did, I can no longer recomend this product to friends and family. The cable company has been pitching their triple play to me ever since I left about a year ago and it is starting to look better and better...

Razec
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by Razec » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:02 pm

I have the exact same "problem", my VM notification suddenly stopped working and the only response that I get from support is “that option is for premium customers” (I’ve never been a premium customer) and yet received the VM text notification, it’s a shame that this company is getting greedy and is willing to lose customers for a few pennies..
on the link below the VM to email option is still part of the core service
http://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/de ... arison[url][/url]

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lbmofo
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by lbmofo » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:29 pm

Razec wrote:I have the exact same "problem", my VM notification suddenly stopped working and the only response that I get from support is “that option is for premium customers” (I’ve never been a premium customer) and yet received the VM text notification, it’s a shame that this company is getting greedy and is willing to lose customers for a few pennies..
on the link below the VM to email option is still part of the core service
http://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/de ... comparison
Razec, I vehemently disagree with what you said about Ooma. Ooma couldn't be more upright.
Core service (link you provided) is for folks that originally activated with Core hardware. More info below.
lbmofo wrote:Ooma provides 2 types of base services and a Premier service (we don't want to consider exceptions like "Basic Plus" or "Ehanced Voicemail" add-on here).

The 2 kinds of base services, which are free, are relevant to our topic.

If you are not a Premier customer, the type of base service you get is entirely up to the hardware you initially activated your Ooma account on.

You get the Core base service if you activated your account on the Ooma Core (Hub+Scout combo).
You get the Basic base service if you activated your account on any other device (Telo or standalone Hub).

These are the features you get with Core but don't with Basic:
  • Caller-ID Name (Hub only customers will also get this until Contacts lookup works for Hub)
  • Voicemail Notifications
  • Anonymous call blocking
That's it. It is as simple as above.

The reason you've been getting VM notification until lately is because the system didn't downgrade you properly <-- a bug. The reason you were able to provision it even after Premier trial expiration (I wasn't aware people could) is because the GUI was wrong <-- a bug. I've seen "enable call screening" checkbox visible and provisionable for non Premier customers forever (rendered invisible just a few months ago) but that didn't mean that it worked or non Premier customers were entitled to that feature.
lbmofo wrote:
huynhl wrote:According to this web page

https://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/91

Voice mail notification is a (basic or core) feature, not a premier feature, it stops working for me recently, I am a basic user and it was working before
huynhl, you get Core base service/free service only if you originally activated with Core hardware. Otherwise, you get Basic base service/free service.

Feature Comparison between Ooma Premier and Basic:
http://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/90

Feature Comparison between Ooma Premier and Core:
http://ooma.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/91

In this post, you'll see Ooma Core hardware:
Ooma Hub vs. Ooma Telo: viewtopic.php?t=9245#p64442

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lbmofo
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by lbmofo » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:57 pm

mnappi0606 wrote:I have no doubt that as time goes on and Ooma gets more popular, Ooma will continually push standard features into their premier bundle to coerce Ooma basic users to start paying monthly.
Wrong. To date, Ooma as delivered as promised. Only extra (bug or not), never less.
mnappi0606 wrote:Honestly, there is no way their business model will survive if they don't have recurring charges like every other phone company. It will essentially turn into a legal bait and switch over time.
Wrong. Ooma is doing just fine even with basic/core subs.

About what the Ex Ooma CMO, Rich Buchanan, said about what the cost is per sub:

Rich was talking about $1.75 a month @0.5 cents per min worst scenario termination cost with average of 350 outgoing minutes; he was talking cost per sub of about $21 a year. BTW, Rich was figuring the life span of the Ooma device @ 5 years.

http://www.fiercevoip.com/story/ooma-co ... 2009-03-19
mnappi0606 wrote:Due to their decision to handle this in the way they did, I can no longer recomend this product to friends and family. The cable company has been pitching their triple play to me ever since I left about a year ago and it is starting to look better and better...
Wrong. If I try hard enough, I can understand you being upset about suddenly losing a feature (that you were never supposed to get) but c'mon now, don't let that knock your math skills out the window.

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EA PA
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by EA PA » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:53 pm

mnappi0606 wrote:Due to their decision to handle this in the way they did, I can no longer recomend this product to friends and family. The cable company has been pitching their triple play to me ever since I left about a year ago and it is starting to look better and better...
Wrong. If I try hard enough, I can understand you being upset about suddenly losing a feature (that you were never supposed to get) but c'mon now, don't let that knock your math skills out the window.
Agree with math comment - my math says 13 bucks with premier a month beats the 65 I was paying POTS - at 3 bucks per month, I guess I would have to live with with basically free phone with limited features even though I got a free ride on some features for 6 mo
Customer Since: 12/2010
Telecom Equipment: 1 Telo, 1 Handset, (4) Dect 6 Uniden DECT1580-4WXTPT
IN THE MONEY: 09/2011
Poor Legacy Carrier: Frontier

huynhl
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by huynhl » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:02 am

I'm tired of someone exaggerate the monthly phone service cost of other phone company like $65/month to advertise for Ooma. They said that premier service ooma cost $13/month, the monthly cost of phone comapany just about an half of $65, they also forget the fact that in order to use Omma for $13/month, you have to pay in advance $200 to buy Telo not mention that if Telo not working if it passed guarantee period 1 year, you have to buy another Telo for $200. Do the math.

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lbmofo
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by lbmofo » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:46 am

huynhl wrote:I'm tired of someone exaggerate the monthly phone service cost of other phone company like $65/month to advertise for Ooma.
That's the boat most people are in when stuck with traditional landline. Domestic LD cost a lot of $. Ooma provides this for free.
huynhl wrote:they also forget the fact that in order to use Omma for $13/month, you have to pay in advance $200 to buy Telo not mention that if Telo not working if it passed guarantee period 1 year, you have to buy another Telo for $200. Do the math.
Even if you have to buy a new Telo every year (this is impossible unless you are the luckiest guy in the universe), with basic service and just paying $3.47/mo in RRF, your cost is $20 a month (even in this impossible/drastic example). All the domestic calls included for free? C'mon, that's an awesome deal! If you are a normal guy and your Telo doesn't go belly up every year, you only pay the RRF ($3.47/month); savings!

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southsound
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by southsound » Fri Apr 15, 2011 9:56 am

huynhl wrote:I'm tired of someone exaggerate the monthly phone service cost of other phone company like $65/month to advertise for Ooma. They said that premier service ooma cost $13/month, the monthly cost of phone comapany just about an half of $65, they also forget the fact that in order to use Omma for $13/month, you have to pay in advance $200 to buy Telo not mention that if Telo not working if it passed guarantee period 1 year, you have to buy another Telo for $200. Do the math.
Yes, and some of us are tired of being called liars or exaggerators. If you like I'd be happy to fax you a copy of my previous Qwest phone bill. I had two lines so I replaced that service with ooma and Premier. My actual cost for the service for a typical month was as follows:

2-line Popular choice 42.95
Federal access charge (line 1) 5.87
Federal access charge (line 2) 5.87
Federal universal service fee 1.29
Federal excise tax at 3% 1.68
State 911 fees .40
Local 911 fees 1.00
TRS Federal ADA req. .24
Telephone Assitance Prog .28
Total Qwest Local Service 59.60

And since we have family and friends to are not local, we added their long distance package:

Qwest Choice Unlimited LD 17.38

Total bill from Qwest 76.98

Some of us are realizing a great savings with ooma. I happen to be one of them. Have a great day.
ooma customer since February 2009
VoIP hardware: 2 Telo w/3 handsets & Linx / ooma core
Total Lines: 8 / Numbers: 11 / Handsets: 20
Lifetime Premier Member
Friends don't remember what Landline Integration was or why we did it.

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EA PA
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by EA PA » Fri Apr 15, 2011 6:32 pm

SS – I had basically the same setup including 2 lines with all the trimmings and myriad taxes. In fact, as I told you before, Frontier told me that it should have been $75/mo and I was getting a great deal at $65 for signing a 2 year contract. Somewhat shocking! :o

As huynhl correctly notes, cheaper plans are available. I can attest to the current availability of a single line POTS with a local plan only for about $25 bucks per month, as I also have.

The astonishingly obvious point here huynhl, is that there is a wide variety of POTS plans out there. Accordingly, another intuitive conclusion; there are therefore innumerable cost benefit and break even points. I’m not going to waste my time to prove my bill to you as SS has so generously offered. If the math does not work for you, frankly keep paying POTS, I could not care less.

And by the way, thank you by for sharing your astute observation that there is up front cost with OOMA. That was a real head slapper for me! I had to rush to do a cost benefit analysis to make sure I was not robbed. When I put pen to paper, here is the real math vs the blather.

Telo 200 Non-recurring
Premier 119.88 Yr
Tax 3.5 Mo
POTS 65 Mo


Month
1 138.5
2 77
3 135.38
4 73.88
5 12.38
6 -49.12
7 -110.62
8 -172.12
9 -233.62
10 -295.12
11 -356.62
12 -418.12
13 -479.62
14 -541.12
15 -482.74
16 -544.24
17 -605.74
18 -667.24
19 -728.74
20 -790.24
21 -851.74
22 -913.24
23 -974.74
24 -1036.24

Wow I am so lucky - not a bad return for me, 5 mo break even, 6 in the money. :cool: I’ll take that bet. Thanks goodness that Frontier has been hammering me so hard. :x

Edit: If I keep getting accused of pushing for OOMA, Ill have to start charging a fee.....
Customer Since: 12/2010
Telecom Equipment: 1 Telo, 1 Handset, (4) Dect 6 Uniden DECT1580-4WXTPT
IN THE MONEY: 09/2011
Poor Legacy Carrier: Frontier

mnappi0606
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Re: New VM email notification not working anymore

Post by mnappi0606 » Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:47 pm

Let's talk about math for a minute since my math skills are under attack...

Every Cable company phone offers vm notification as a basic function. So to get the same product from Ooma, premier is required.

Without home phone through the cable company, I am paying $60.00 for direct tv and $50.00 for broadband. Now add Ooma's premier cost $10.00 per month. Total=$120.00 per month. Plus let's not forget about the $200.00 up front cost for Ooma.

I literally just had a cable rep at my door offering me a triple pay package for $80.00 per month locked in for two years. Add an HD DVR for $10.00 per month. Total=$90 per month.

So basically for the next two years, I'm paying an extra $30.00 per month to keep Ooma...

Like I said...this triple play packages are looking better and better. I thought Ooma was my escape from the grasps of the triple play, but removing a basic feature like vm notification makes me rethink their value.

Ooma: BRING BACK VM NOTIFICATION FOR BASIC CUSTOMERS! Can you hear me now?

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