Can I send a fax with Ooma?

Clipart courtesy Clipartheaven.com

YES!
Although Ooma is somewhat discouraging on their website, you can indeed send faxes (people still do that?) with the Ooma service.

Add the prefix *99 to the outgoing Fax number.  I also add a pause after the *99 for good measure.  Many times, the pause is simply a comma (check your fax machine documentation), so that you would use something like this: *99,18881234567 to send to 1-888-123-4567.

If you still have trouble, try disabling “Error Correction Mode” (ECM) on your fax machine and/or lower the baud (transmission) rate.  I did not have to do this with my Lexmark x8350 All-in-One.

Porting your existing home number to Ooma

Phone number porting is an option that allows you to transfer your existing phone number from your old phone company to Ooma.   Ooma says transferring your phone number can take several weeks to complete, but my experience was that it was much quicker.  There is a one-time charge of $39.99, but this is waived if you subscribe to one-year of Ooma Premier.  In my case, I just paid the 40 bucks.
Here are the steps:

1. Log in to your My Ooma account and navigate to the Add-Ons tab. Select the Number Port option.
2. Read the instructions carefully, and fill out the form on the Number Porting page with the following information:

• The phone number you want to port
• The type of phone number (landline, VoIP, mobile)
• The type of broadband Internet service you have (cable, DSL, etc)

You'll also have the option to upload a copy of your most recent phone bill, which is helpful for resolving problems that may arise during the porting process.  To be honest, I can't remember if I did this or not.

• You will then be asked to fill out an online Letter of Authorization (LOA) form. This document authorizes Ooma to begin the process of porting your phone number from your current carrier. The information requested on this form must match the information that is on record with your current phone company. Errors or discrepancies on this form can cause delays in your port, so double-check your input against your phone bill.

• Once you've completed your LOA, the "porting" item will be added to your shopping cart. You'll need to "check out" to complete the process.  Note that this is true even if you are getting a free port because of an Ooma Premier subscription.

Once you've done the steps above, you can track the progress of your port on the website (see step 1).  Below is my actual data:

Note that a lot of times the delay is caused by your current phone provider--I guess they are not too motivated to see you leave.

Using Tivo with Ooma

I've seen a lot of chatter on the web from people having some questions about using their dial-up Tivo with the Ooma service. From my personal experience--which includes an ancient Philips series 1 Tivo, as well as a series 2 Tivo--the solution is fairly simple.

Go into Tivo setup, Phone setup, and add *99, as the dialing prefix. You may want to disable call-waiting also (you get that free with Ooma!), so enter *99*70, as the prefix instead.

I've also found that some dial-in numbers seem to work better than others, so if you are still having trouble, try a different number. Even if it is long-distance (free with Ooma!)

Some folks say adding a DSL line filter helps, but I've had varying degrees of success with this, and right now do not believe it to be necessary.  Shouldn't hurt though.

How do I hook this thing up?

Hooking up the Ooma device is simple, although there are various ways to do it. The basic steps are:

1. Plug the Ooma device into your cable or DSL modem.
2. Plug your home network into the Ooma
3. Plug your telephone into the Ooma
4. Go through a simple registration process
5. Make (essentially) free calls!

I had been using Vonage for a few years, so the switchover was extremely simple. If you are going from the standard landline service to Ooma (or any VOIP service), I recommend disconnecting your house wiring from the phone company wiring at the demarcation point (sounds complicated, but isn't). See info here. 

Now, just plug the Ooma device into any phone jack and ALL phones in your house will go through the Ooma service.

What the heck is Ooma?

Ooma is a telecommunications company based in the U.S. that allows its users to make phone calls anywhere in the United States with no monthly service fees.

After purchasing the equipment, customers only pay applicable government taxes and access fees, which vary by state, but are usually $3-4 per month.
The company released its first unit in 2007, and after some design changes, allowed users to completely eliminate their current landline telephone service. Consumers simply purchase a small device similar to a wireless router.

The service is different from other VoIP services (such as Vonage) in that after the initial purchase, there are no monthly fees besides government taxes. Fortunately, Ooma has thoughtfully provided a tax calculator.