VoIP….for free….sort of
So everyone has been harping over VoIP (that’s Voice over Internet Protocol for the uninitiated) as one of the next big innovations in telecommunications. You might have heard of Skype, which is just one of many VoIP service providers but probably the de facto one if you ask most people. The pay model for most VoIP services is no different than other telecommunication technologies (cell phone, landline, etc.) - monthly billing or pay as you go (prepay). But what if you could make calls for life after making one single payment? That’s an interesting concept and one that a new service called ooma is touting (NOTE: We don’t endorse here we just inform).
Straight from ooma’s FAQ:
How much do ooma products cost? Do you charge a monthly fee?
As an ooma White Rabbit, you get the hardware (MSRP for ooma Hub is $599!) for just one penny. This includes Free Domestic Long-Distance Calling, the Instant Second Line™ feature, and the Broadband Answering Machine™, all for the life of your ooma device with no monthly fees! You will need a credit card to sign up as we charge a nominal $.01 to get started.
Beginning in September, ooma will offer a special introductory rate of $399. ooma Scouts are priced at $39 per unit. But as a White Rabbit invitee, you’ll get the Hub and Scout for only one penny.
Btw, White Rabbit refers to you as an initial user as part of their nationwide, invitation-only White Rabbit BETA program.
August 19th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
There was initial major “buzz” about ooma, which has now died down. Hopefully, everyone figured out that it couldn’t work. In case not, I have put together a site with everything I have been able to figure out about it, with a description of the problems that will keep it from being successful.
ooma-revealed.info