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.