Ooma Mobile HD FAQ

Tags: Setup and Installiation
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When you're on the go, your home phone can't come with you. For people who want to remain connected, the only option has been to subscribe to a cell phone whose plans often come with hefty monthly bills. If you're looking for a way to reduce those phone bills without reducing your talk time, look no further than the Ooma Mobile app. The Ooma Mobile app will let you make phone calls -- even international calls -- with your 3G or wireless connection from supported mobile devices. Your calls will be of the superb quality you've come to expect from Ooma, even connecting in HD Voice whenever possible! Even better, you won't use your mobile minutes when you call, and Ooma's low rates can save you a bundle each month!

Table of Contents

  1. What is Ooma Mobile?
  2. What devices can use Ooma Mobile?
  3. How do I get started with Ooma Mobile?
  4. How do I make a call with my Ooma Mobile app?
  5. I downloaded the Ooma Mobile app but I can't log in. Why?
  6. I forgot the password to my Ooma Mobile app! How can I log in?
  7. Who can download the Ooma Mobile app?
  8. How much does the Ooma Mobile app cost?
  9. How much do calls made from Ooma Mobile cost? How can Ooma Mobile save me money?
  10. What is the Ooma Mobile calling plan? How does it work?
  11. Can I make international phone calls with Ooma Mobile to save money?
  12. What is the voice quality of calls made with Ooma Mobile?
  13. How much bandwidth does Ooma Mobile use?
  14. Will calls with Ooma Mobile use HD voice technology?
  15. Can I use Ooma Mobile to access my My Ooma account?
  16. What caller-ID shows up when I make phone calls using Ooma Mobile?
  17. Does Ooma Mobile support Bluetooth headsets?
  18. Can I make emergency 911 calls using Ooma Mobile?
  19. I don't own an Ooma device. Can I stil use Ooma Mobile?
  20. I would like the application to show one of my virtual numbers or Google Voice number as the caller-ID. Is that possible?
  21. Can I receive phone calls on Ooma Mobile?

What is Ooma Mobile?

Ooma Mobile allows you to bypass your cellular carrier when you make phone calls without sacrificing call quality or using a lot of bandwidth, and to easily manage your Ooma account on the go. This means you can reduce cellular minute usage, avoid overage charges, and make low-cost international phone calls using Ooma on your cell phone. Since Ooma Mobile uses Wi-Fi or 3G Internet connection to connect calls, you can use it in locations where you have poor cell reception (or none at all, such as when you are traveling overseas). It also means that you can use devices which are not a phone (e.g. iPad and iPod touch) to make phone calls.


What devices can use Ooma Mobile?

Ooma Mobile is currently available for Apple iOS devices such as the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and for Android devices.

Note: Some Apple devices such as the iPod touch may require accessories, such as a microphone, in order to make phone calls.


How do I get started with Ooma Mobile?

Once you've made sure your device is compatible, you can get started by downloading the Ooma Mobile application from the Apple iTunes store or the Android Market.
 
The first time you start the Ooma Mobile application, you will be asked to enter your Ooma Mobile username and password, which you can retrieve by following these directions:
 
  • Log into your My Ooma account and navigate to Ooma Mobile under the Preferences tab
  • Click on "Enable Ooma Mobile"
  • Make a note of your automatically generated Ooma Mobile username and password and type it into the device running Ooma Mobile. Note: Don't forget the "1" at the beginning of your Ooma Mobile username
  • Save your preferences
Important: Your Ooma Mobile username and password are NOT the same as your My Ooma login, so you must retrieve the information by following the directions above.
 
Once you have input your Ooma Mobile username and password and logged in, wait for the Ooma logo to turn blue as shown below, indicating that the Ooma Mobile app is connected:
 
 
When your app is connected, you'll be able to make calls, manage your My Ooma account online, and more.

How do I make a call with my Ooma Mobile app?

You can make calls with your Ooma Mobile app in several different ways:
 
  • Press the Phone or Dialer button to bring up a basic dialer screen and enter a phone number
  • Press the Contacts button to access your phone's contacts list. Select a contact and phone number to place the call
  • Press the Recents button to see and redial your recently dialed numbers
Notes about calling from an iPod Touch: None of the current models of the iPod Touch has a built-in microphone, so you must use a headset with a microphone to make and receive phone calls. The 2nd-generation iPod Touch supports headsets with a built-in microphone plugged into the iPod. If you have a 1st-generation iPod Touch, you will need to use a microphone accessory that plugs-in through the dock connector.
 
Notes about calling from an iPad: The iPad does have a built-in microphone, so it can be used as a speakerphone. You can also choose to plug in a headset with a built-in microphone for private conversations.

I downloaded the Ooma Mobile app but I can't log in. Why?

To use the app, you will need a new username and password specific to Ooma Mobile. This information is NOT the same as your login information for My Ooma, so if you're trying to log in using that information you will not be able to connect to our servers. You can find instructions for locating your Ooma Mobile username and password in the getting started section of this article.


I forgot the password to my Ooma Mobile app! How can I log in?

You can regenerate the password to your Ooma Mobile app by doing the following:

  1. Log into your My Ooma account
  2. Navigate to Ooma Mobile under the Preferences tab
  3. Click on the "Re-generate password" button
  4. Your new password will be automatically generated for you to input into the device running Ooma Mobile
  5. Save your preferences

Who can download the Ooma Mobile app?

All Ooma users can download Ooma Mobile if it is compatible with their mobile device. For now, Ooma Mobile is available for Apple iOS devices such as the Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and for Android devices.


How much does the Ooma Mobile app cost?

The Ooma Mobile application costs $9.99 and is available for download in either the Apple App Store or the Android Market.


How much do calls made from Ooma Mobile cost? How can Ooma Mobile save me money?

Calls to any Ooma number are free when you use the Ooma Mobile app. Calls to other U.S. or Canada phone numbers are 1.6ยข per minute, with charges coming out of your pay-as-you-go account to ensure that you never go over your budget. By switching your phone calls to Ooma Mobile when you have a Wi-Fi or 3G data connection, you can dramatically reduce the number of cellular minutes you need, allowing you to switch to a cheaper cell phone plan with fewer minutes.

Premier: Ooma Premier subscribers get 250 free minutes of domestic calling every month with Ooma Mobile.

Important: When you enable Ooma Mobile in My Ooma, your prepaid account with automatically be credited with a small balance to get you started.


What is the Ooma Mobile calling plan? How does it work?

The Ooma Mobile calling plan can save you even more money by allowing you to purchase bundled Ooma Mobile minutes at a discounted rate. To learn more about the Ooma Mobile calling plan, you can see our FAQ. To learn more about all of the Ooma calling plans, our comparison chart can help you figure out the setup that's best for you.


Can I make international phone calls with Ooma Mobile to save money?

You can save even more if you make international phone calls since Ooma's rates can be up to 95% lower than they would be on your cell phone. International phone calls made using Ooma Mobile are treated just like international calls made from home using your Ooma device. This gives you the benefits of calling from home even when you're on the road. If you normally make international calls using your pay-as-you-go account, the same rates apply for calls made using Ooma Mobile. It also means that if you've subscribed to an international bundle, calls to covered countries will come out of the pool of minutes for that plan. And if you've subscribed to our bulk rate pricing plan, your international calls will all be billed at the lower price.

Reference: You can learn more about our international calling plans in our FAQ.


What is the voice quality of calls made with Ooma Mobile?

The Ooma Mobile application has PureVoice HD technology built in to deliver the best quality using the lowest amount of bandwidth. When calling over Wi-Fi on a good Internet connection, the call quality will be about the same as calls made from your Ooma device. Calls that would connect in HD from your Ooma device will connect in HD via the Ooma Mobile App. When calling over 3G, call quality will vary with the quality of your 3G connection. As long as you have about 40k of upload and download bandwidth, calls should sound very good. You can check the quality of you 3G connection using a bandwidth testing application such as speedtest.net.


How much bandwidth does Ooma Mobile use?

Ooma PureVoice technology reduces bandwidth usage on phone calls by more than 60% compared to other phone applications. If you have a limited 3G data plan, the lower bandwidth usage means you can talk for a longer period of time without exceeding your monthly usage cap. On average, Ooma Mobile uses around 200KB of bandwidth per minute in each direction (1MB every 5 minutes).


Will calls with Ooma Mobile use HD voice technology?

Yes! Whenever possible, your calls will be connected in HD voice. You'll be amazed at the sound quality your cellular phone is capable of delivering! If you'd like to see the difference that HD voice technology can make, you can try any of the following test phone numbers:

  • 1-900-265-1001 (Voicemail lady)
  • 1-900-265-1005 (The Talker)
  • 1-900-265-1007(Ooma radio commercial)
  • 1-900-265-1008 (Piano)
  • 1-900-265-1009 (Bird song)

For more information about HD Voice technology, please see our HD Voice FAQ.


Can I use Ooma Mobile to access my My Ooma account?

Yes! The Ooma Mobile app allows you to access your My Ooma account via an interface that has been modified to work better for your phone's smaller screen. You'll be able to do all of the things you would do with your My Ooma account on a regular computer, including listening to voicemail, checking your call logs, configuring Ooma features, and finding information about your account. To learn more about My Ooma, you may wish to see our My Ooma FAQ.


What caller-ID shows up when I make phone calls using Ooma Mobile?

The other party will see the main phone number of your Ooma account. It is not possible to connect using any alternate phone numbers you may have subscribed to.


Does Ooma Mobile support Bluetooth headsets?

Yes, Ooma Mobile supports Bluetooth headsets on the iPhone. Although the iPod touch and iPad support Bluetooth, Apple does not currently support the headset profile on these devices, which means that Bluetooth headsets will not work.


Can I make emergency 911 calls using Ooma Mobile?

Ooma Mobile does not support calling 911. To call 911, you'll need to use your home phone or your cell phone (using your standard mobile carrier).

Reference: For more information about 911 calling with Ooma, please see this FAQ.


I don't own an Ooma device. Can I stil use Ooma Mobile?

We are working on expanding access to the application, but currently you must be an owner of an Ooma Hub or Ooma Telo device to use the Ooma Mobile application.


I would like the application to show one of my virtual numbers or Google Voice number as the caller-ID. Is that possible?

This is not currently supported, but it is on our radar for future development.


Can I receive phone calls on Ooma Mobile?

This is not currently supported, but it is on our radar for future development.


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