Very Disappointed with the Telo Handset

[allo]

... Ooma could have produced a better handset and no amount of firmware fixes or lipstick on a pig could address these issues. I think we are past that... My only concern now is can they make the handset work like a phone so I dont have to return three of them to best buy? So far two attempts to correct the phone's software failed. Poor battery life and range issues maybe tied to the choices they made when manufacturing the product. I am not an engineer so I cant say. The screen is disappointing and doesn't reflect the same screen marketed on the packaging and website. ...

One doesn't have to be an expert to tell that the handset was a cheap manufactured product:
Type of battery used is the oldest technology of 15-20 years ago ... though still used by the "value" cordless phones of ATT, GE etc...- doesn't hold the charge more than a few hours at the most as well as a very short range,- today the better manufacturers/producers use rechargeable AA/AAA batteries and the latest technology...
The same goes for the LCD screen...
Probably they tried to cut corners to lower production cost!

[The Picard]

I'm in full agreement about the handset. I'm wondering if even ONE person out there is actually satisfied with it? For $49 I expected a lot more than what I got. Why is it that I can buy a four-handset Dect 6.0 Panasonic phone system for $118 that sounds clear, has long battery life, has a display that is large, bright, and clear, is expandable to 6 handsets out of the box and will NEVER require a firmware update? The Panasonic equates to $29.50 per handset, which is a fat lot cheaper than the Ooma handset. Now, I fully understand that Ooma is a smaller company than Panasonic and, as such, their manufacturing costs will almost certainly be higher. The thing is, I would have paid double the cost of the Ooma Handset's current price to get a product that was elegant and that functioned well. As it is I think the Handset is not salvageable no matter how many firmware updates you throw at it. A firmware update is not going to fix a poorly designed and manufactured product. I had planned to purchase several Handsets but now I'm stopping at one. The ONLY reason I'll keep this one is so I can utilize the Instant Second Line feature. I would have bought a bunch of these instead of the Panasonics if they had been worth it.

I'm a new Ooma user. As of right now I'm waiting to utilize Ooma as my primary phone system until my number port is complete. I can't wait to cancel my AT&T service. For me, this is the time I want to be absolutely floored by Ooma's product. That's only partially happened so far. I'm impressed with the service overall, but the handset is a real "gotcha." I hope this isn't indicative of the future track that Ooma is charting.

[dsinternet]

I had planned to purchase several Handsets but now I'm stopping at one. The ONLY reason I'll keep this one is so I can utilize the Instant Second Line feature. I would have bought a bunch of these instead of the Panasonics if they had been worth it.

I was also going to buy 2 or 3 handsets. Instead I am thinking of returning the one I got and dropping the Premir Service. I wish I would have gotten the Hub-Scout that way I would be willing to pay for the Premier Service. So the only way you can really use the Premier service is if you use the Telo Handset. The Telo Handset does not work which means that there is no reason to pay for the Premir Service. I was really looking forward to the Premier Service, but a bad Telo Handset means a return Handset to Amazon and one less future Premier costomer.

Here is a question for someone. Can I use the Scout on the Telo system?

[Groundhound]

Here is a question for someone. Can I use the Scout on the Telo system?

No, unfortunately.

[dsinternet]

Here is a question for someone. Can I use the Scout on the Telo system?

No, unfortunately.

So is there really any reason to pay $120 for a year if you don't have a Telo Handset?

[StevenJohn]

I am using the handset for a scout. It has worked out fairly well for me so far. I have the Telo connected to my home wiring and a set of Panasonic Dect 6. I mostly use the Panasonics and I can grab the Telo handset if another call comes in.

sj

[Groundhound]

So is there really any reason to pay $120 for a year if you don't have a Telo Handset?

Depends on whether the other Premier features beyond "Instant Second Line" are important to you.

[doug]

So is there really any reason to pay $120 for a year if you don't have a Telo Handset?

Sure; premiere enables more than just the instant second line. You also get:

• Multi-ring capability
• VM notifications as email and/or SMS
• Voice mail adds call screening, do not disturb, send to VM, etc
• Blacklists (aren't they premier only?)
• Second number with distinctive ring (either in your own locale or anywhere in the country)
• Access to international bundle option
• Better integration with Google Voice (once the extensions are ready for release)

There is probably more, but in my view just the multi-ring is worth the price of admission. I also like being able to pick a second number in a city where I used to live. Anyone there can call me with no long distance from their provider. For some, the international bundle is worth more than enough to justify $5 for Intl plus $10 for premier even if they don't use other premier features.

Sure I wish there were scout-like features too, even if only on the other pair of pins on the telo base phone port. But frankly I'm amazed the percentage of premier customers is not much higher than it is. I think it is a no-brainer to justify even without a scout.

YMMV.

[costanzo98031]

Sure; premiere enables more than just the instant second line. You also get:

• Multi-ring capability
• VM notifications as email and/or SMS
• Voice mail adds call screening, do not disturb, send to VM, etc
• Blacklists (aren't they premier only?)
• Second number with distinctive ring (either in your own locale or anywhere in the country)
• Access to international bundle option
• Better integration with Google Voice (once the extensions are ready for release)

I am seriously debating if I want to package up the three telo handsets I bought from Best Buy and return them tomorrow. If I do this I will be emailing Ooma for a full refund of my premier subscription.

Here's my thoughts on why I think the $120 a year is not worth it when not using a telo handset.

1) No second Line feature
2) Some of the features added to voicemail, i.e. do not disturb can be duplicated by a feature of a cordless phone
3) Access to the international bundle option - Currently doesn't provide any use to me since it doesn't cover Vietnam. Also, low calling rates can be duplicated by using Google Voice
4) Distinctive ring is no value to someone not needing a second phone number
5) Better integration with Google Voice - Well this feature currently doesn't exists

Other main reasons to returning the handset is to - one be able to make calls using a cordless phone, second, not having to deal with problematic issues with operating the ooma telo handset.

[Groundhound]

The screen is disappointing and doesn't reflect the same screen marketed on the packaging and website.

IMO, this is the biggest mistake in the handset, and the one that Ooma can't fix in software (I don't think). Expectations of a white-on-black screen instead of the black-on-white screen are bound to be a disappointment for a number of buyers. The fact that they incorporated that "artist conception" into the packaging compounded the error.