Using The Ooma Telo Handset For Home Phone Calls
Ooma is a leading voice over IP solution that claims a nearly-free telephone system. The Ooma Telo is the newest model, with the Ooma Telo handset being the accompanying mobile device for the system. Users don’t have to purchase this model, but it does have its benefits for buyers.
The handset retails for about $50 in most areas. It is about par with other handsets considering the price, but also has unique features you won’t find with other handsets. It’s these features that offset some of the shortcomings of the device. Some, like the one-touch voice mail button, can save a lot of time in using the phone system.
The Ooma panel has a lot of good reviews for being so easy to use. One way to sync the contacts in your phone with the online contacts list is to simply press the sync button on the headset. This feature is only available on the Ooma headset, and not others. You will save time where you would otherwise have to manually type in names and numbers on the number pad- a tedious chore!
Ooma users get much more than just a phone. The Ooma headset also doubles over as an intercom system. So long as you have enough headsets and the required base station, you can contact other phones in the house much like you would a two-way system. It can also act as a baby monitor, which can go for $50 by itself. The Ooma headset is quite versatile in what it can do, and for the price, it’s astounding.
The speed of the device is likely the worst thing about the headset. It just doesn’t feel so responsive like a phone should. When cycling through contacts or features in the phone, you will notice that the lag period between pushing a button and seeing the phone react can be easily noticed. It doesn’t kill the phone entirely, but it’s definitely something the Ooma team should have seen and fixed before releasing the headset to the public.
Last but not least, we have the design of the phone. There are no complaints in the design department. It’s a futuristic looking phone with large numbers, buttons, and easy to read symbols. It doesn’t take much time at all to learn what the different buttons do, and the menu system can easily be figured out without having to look at the manual. The only bad thing to say is that the phone has an LED that is always on when its charging- and a bright one at that.
Closing Comments
You won’t have many complaints about the Ooma Telo headset. The excitement will come from seeing what Ooma puts out next- hopefully something to take advantage of picture messaging, video messaging, and better response times.