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Ooma Promises 'Free' Voice
Assuming you think $399 +landline is free, and assuming it works...

SunRocket customers stumbling about in shock with Gizmo in hand may not be quite ready for another upstart just yet, but the talk of the industry this morning is the launch of Ooma Inc. Ooma is a new startup founded by Andrew Frame and Ashton Kutcher (yeah, the actor) that promises free domestic calls to any VoIP customer in the United States.

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Broadband users shell out $399 for the base hardware, into which you plug a normal phone. You can buy additional units for $39, dubbed "Scouts," that extend the range of the system throughout the home at each phone jack. The service then uses a peer-to-peer architecture to dodge termination fees and offer free voice calls.

Or least that's the startup sales pitch being regurgitated by startup promoting blogs this morning. The system working well depends on enough people buying these Ooma devices so there's significant national coverage. It does appear to integrate POTS functionality, should you (shudder) retain a bare bones landline as a backup and to make 911 calls.

The Wall Street Journal's Walter Mossberg says he's been toying with the system for a week or so and, at least in the isolated trial womb with full company support at his beck and call, it works as promised:

quote:
"Of course, there is no guarantee that Ooma can handle a large number of customers as well as it did my test unit. But Ooma may be a good option for people who want to cut their phone bills, and either aren’t worried about 911 and Internet outages, or are willing to keep a basic, low-price standard phone service to cover those contingencies."
The company says they're going to be seeding the country with 1,500 free devices this summer to get the core network up and running, with the product set to launch at retail in September.

We do believe that voice service will eventually be free (it's just data, after all), but for some reason we have a hard time believing that it's Ashton Kutcher who's going to make it happen.

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ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

1 edit

ptrowski

Premium Member

Seriously Ashton Kutcher?

I just can't take the company seriosly knowing that idiot is at the helm.
Good luck whoever tries it!

Dear lord it's true...

Ashton Kutcher, Creative Director

Ashton Kutcher started his career in entertainment as a model, and then transitioned into acting on "That 70's Show", which had a very successful nine year run. During his time on the show, he founded a film and TV production company, Katalyst, with partner Jason Goldberg. Together they produced the hit television show "Punk'd" on MTV, as well as the features "The Butterfly Effect" and "Guess Who". Today, Ashton produces several television shows including "Beauty and the Geek" for the CW, "Miss/Guided" for ABC, "Adventures in Hollyhood" and "Room 401" for MTV. He has many features in development and also runs a viral video internet campaign. He was named one of Details magazine's "Mavericks" of 2006.

Jeff
Connoisseur of leisurely things
Premium Member
join:2002-12-24
GMT -5

Jeff

Premium Member

Re: Seriously Ashton Kutcher?

said by ptrowski:

I just can't take the company seriosly knowing that idiot is at the helm.
Good luck whoever tries it!

Dear lord it's true...

Ashton Kutcher, Creative Director

Ashton Kutcher started his career in entertainment as a model, and then transitioned into acting on "That 70's Show", which had a very successful nine year run. During his time on the show, he founded a film and TV production company, Katalyst, with partner Jason Goldberg. Together they produced the hit television show "Punk'd" on MTV, as well as the features "The Butterfly Effect" and "Guess Who". Today, Ashton produces several television shows including "Beauty and the Geek" for the CW, "Miss/Guided" for ABC, "Adventures in Hollyhood" and "Room 401" for MTV. He has many features in development and also runs a viral video internet campaign. He was named one of Details magazine's "Mavericks" of 2006.
With that list of all of those accomplishments, I don't think I'd go as far as calling him an idiot. I agree he doesn't publically portray himself to be the sharpest tool in the shed, but that resume of achievements you listed makes him, in my book, at least a tad smarter than your average idiot.

That being said, I'm not sure I understand the concept of this phone yet. I have some more reading to do on it.

N3OGH
Yo Soy Col. "Bat" Guano
Premium Member
join:2003-11-11
Philly burbs

N3OGH

Premium Member

Re: Seriously Ashton Kutcher?

I don't know if I would call those things "accomplishments". Plenty of not so bright people can memorize and regurgitate lines with emotion. In many instances people are given a producer credit for having the cash to fund the company.

Now, I realize this is just MHO. When I think of accomplishment I think of things like obtaining an advanced degree, earning a pilot's license, or hiking the Appalachian trail.

But that's just me...

Jeff
Connoisseur of leisurely things
Premium Member
join:2002-12-24
GMT -5

Jeff

Premium Member

Re: Seriously Ashton Kutcher?

said by N3OGH:

I don't know if I would call those things "accomplishments". Plenty of not so bright people can memorize and regurgitate lines with emotion. In many instances people are given a producer credit for having the cash to fund the company.

Now, I realize this is just MHO. When I think of accomplishment I think of things like obtaining an advanced degree, earning a pilot's license, or hiking the Appalachian trail.

But that's just me...
He seems to have a good amount of talent, a good amount money, good health, and a very pretty wife and family. I'd call all of those accomplishments.

Your examples are too accomplishments, just other types. But, I'm not here today to get lost in semantics.
dentman42
Premium Member
join:2001-10-02
Columbus, OH

dentman42 to ptrowski

Premium Member

to ptrowski
Yeah, I can't shake the image of Kelso..."VOIwhat?!!!"

Maybe he thinks if enough chicks buy in he can get some of them to DO IT...

ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

ptrowski

Premium Member

Re: Seriously Ashton Kutcher?

said by dentman42:

Yeah, I can't shake the image of Kelso..."VOIwhat?!!!"

Maybe he thinks if enough chicks buy in he can get some of them to DO IT...
I can see it now....
They have to close down, and the only thing they say is "You've been punked".

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

1 recommendation

RadioDoc

Better than a disposable cell phone!

"Ooma customers who maintain their landlines help enlarge the network by contributing their connections to a local calling area, allowing another ooma customer to use it to complete a call. Thanks to call-routing software, phone calls should not be affected if someone's line is being used by someone else."

Can't you imagine the possibilities when someone uses this for nefarious deeds? The poor sucker whose landline was the PSTN connection point is going to be squashed like a grape.

And then there are the fun Homeland Security aspects...

Pass.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: Better than a disposable cell phone!

My first thought too.
quote:
Each Ooma box is part of Ooma’s network. The box in your home, for instance, might carry someone else’s phone call, though you can’t hear that call, and this doesn’t interfere with your own ability to make and receive calls whenever you want.
I'm sure nobody will hack that....

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: Better than a disposable cell phone!

Yep. And...while you're using Ooma to place your call using someone else's landline, someone else is terminating their call with your landline.

This makes total sense.
bogey7806
join:2004-03-19
Here

bogey7806

Member

Re: Better than a disposable cell phone!

Mextel and other international telecoms that charge high connection fees would be hurt by this if it went international. But with the inherit (apparent) insecurity I don't see how telecoms or gov'ts would allow this.
vick04
join:2006-08-06
South Richmond Hill, NY

vick04

Member

WTF?

I dont get the concept. If you still have to use your land line, whats the point of this? How can your calls be free if your still paying for the land line?
bogey7806
join:2004-03-19
Here

1 edit

bogey7806

Member

How does it work exactly?

Does it use the subs landline as the point of termination on the PSTN? If so...

1) How can you guarantee privacy?
2) How can you guarantee the subs POTS provider doesn't alter the TOS to prhibit this tech?

jgkolt
Premium Member
join:2004-02-21
Avon, OH

jgkolt

Premium Member

long distance

how do they make sure the caller doesn't make the terminating call a long distance on on your bill
bogey7806
join:2004-03-19
Here

bogey7806

Member

Re: long distance

I imagine the initial calling sequence routes you to a local phone.

StanfordEE
@rcn.com

StanfordEE to jgkolt

Anon

to jgkolt
Saw a grad from Stanford Electrical Engineering on the team. Device looks GREAT, and I hope to be one of those who can get one of the initial units without cost if possible. With 802.11n Spectrum at 700mhz likely to be FREE soon for broadband, it looks like we are going to be seeing a mass transformation away from the OLD HAT business models and on to the new. Alot of Stanford grads seem to be leading the charge in the right direction.

The young energetic graduates from the good schools make me as a human feel so great inside.

jester121
Premium Member
join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL

jester121

Premium Member

Re: long distance

said by StanfordEE :

Saw a grad from Stanford Electrical Engineering on the team. Device looks GREAT, and I hope to be one of those who can get one of the initial units without cost if possible.
That would be the one way getting your money's worth from this hare-brained scheme.

digitaldivide
@sbcglobal.net

digitaldivide

Anon

Cell phones

Haven't they ever heard of a cell phone with unlimited calling plan? Who talks on a home phone connected to wire anymore?

CylonRed
MVM
join:2000-07-06
Bloom County

CylonRed

MVM

Re: Cell phones

Me for various reasons....

Spectrum2007
@swbell.net

Spectrum2007 to digitaldivide

Anon

to digitaldivide
This will be great for using outside USA if it works.. Relatives of immigrants can make cheap/free calls to USA and talk 24 hours a day...LOL
john262
join:2003-09-26
Elko, NV

john262

Member

Too much negativity

Why is it that on almost any topic in this forum regarding any type of new technology, the vast majority of comments always turn out to be negative? You can put it in the bank. If there's a topic about it at BBR, the response if going to be negative.

RadioDoc

join:2000-05-11
La Grange, IL

RadioDoc

Re: Too much negativity

And your post is positive how, exactly?

ptrowski
Got Helix?
Premium Member
join:2005-03-14
Woodstock, CT

ptrowski to john262

Premium Member

to john262
Isn't your post a negative post? You should be more positive.
emptywig
Huh? What?
Premium Member
join:2002-08-05
Pasadena, TX

emptywig to john262

Premium Member

to john262
You gotta call 'em like you see 'em. A bad idea is a bad idea even if the gizmo looks cool. I have seen plenty of perfectly good reasons expressed here as to why this is a bad idea and/or won't work.

Why so many negative comments about new technology? Because the fact is that most new technology is not all that good. This has always been the way of the world. Way more bad ideas out there than good ones.

wig

justin
..needs sleep
Mod
join:1999-05-28
2031
Billion BiPAC 7800N
Apple AirPort Extreme (2011)

justin

Mod

Some antidote to the hype machine

»www.uncov.com/2007/7/19/ ··· -and-tug
quote:
Mike Arrington has really gone balls out for a new VOIP startup Ooma. The baby named startup has been bathed in a rare and special kind of CrunchJuice** for its "soft" (just the tip) launch. How much does he want you to know about Ooma?

kyler13
Is your fiber grounded?
join:2006-12-12
Annapolis, MD

kyler13

Member

Wow

Let's see, I use about $5/month long distance, so how many months would it take for this $399 device to pay me back since I'd need a POTS line? 80 months is nearly 7 years, and I doubt this idea lasts that long. On another note, if you're terminating your call at someone else's POTS line to route the call locally on the PSTN, who's caller ID info shows up? Doh.
rileyjam514
There You Go Again...
join:2005-06-26
Kearny, NJ

1 recommendation

rileyjam514

Member

Dude..

I can't help but think of a certain term related to Ferengi foreplay when I look at the name of this company.

On another note, I think that while the technology is the same as everything else that's out there (I'm looking at you, Skype), the fact that Ashton Kutcher's involved might just be the glam factor they need to get it off the ground. On the other hand, this may wind up killing his career, if it fails and everyone associates it with him. Mighty big risk for a business without a solid model behind it. Good luck, Ashton.

n2jtx
join:2001-01-13
Glen Head, NY

n2jtx

Member

Why?

Why do I get the feeling that a lot of people are going to buy these things and then one day...

B U R N E D ! ! ! ! ! !


ctceo
Premium Member
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN

ctceo

Premium Member

Free?

I thought we already got free voice?

Yahoo, AIM, Teamspeak, Roger Wilco, AdCalls, Ventrillo, XFire, blah, blah, blah.

dvd536
as Mr. Pink as they come
Premium Member
join:2001-04-27
Phoenix, AZ

dvd536

Premium Member

Why why why

Do i need this if i already have POTS?

Scatcatpdx
Fur It Up
join:2007-06-22
Portland, OR

Scatcatpdx

Member

Questions

There are many questions, first being how and what infrastructure is use to make call outside the VOIP network. Nobody including Mossberg as gave a satisfactory answer. Do they have their own phone banks or will they use the customer POTS line a la FON. Another problem is the business model. It relies only on getting new people to sign up to produce revenue. The business falls apart when there not enough subscribers to generate income.

MikePea
@gci.net

MikePea

Anon

OOMA probably destroys DSL

OOMA says that you can use DSL for your BB access, but it uses a transmission between its hub and scout units that is similar to DSL, and it does it over what is most often the same pair of wires that is supposed to carry the DSL (unless you rewire your house). Don't see how this can work.

rosco35
Premium Member
join:2003-11-10
USA

rosco35

Premium Member

What about when

your call is connected through someone elses POTS line, and someone in their house picks up the phone and tries to dial?

epearce
join:2001-01-24
Temecula, CA

epearce

Member

3 year plan?

Step 1- Put together your management team
Step 2- Attract investment funds
Step 3- Hype and sell product
Step 4- Pay your management team over-inflated salaries
Step 5- Managment team enjoys the short term gig
Step 6- Company dies after 3 yrs.
Step 7- Users sell their devices on ebay for $10 each

From their website:

*Your one-time purchase of the ooma Hub™ device means you won’t owe monthly charges to ooma for unlimited calls in the United States for at least three years.

NY Tel
Premium Member
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY

NY Tel

Premium Member

Re: 3 year plan?

I smell the vestiges of a Rocket Burnout here if you catch my drift....