Ooma reaches Canada with free national phone calls
updated 09:05 am EDT, Wed November 2, 2011
Ooma Telo VoIP calling leaves US for first time
Ooma expanded outside of the US for the first time with a Canadian launch for its phone service. Like its American sibling, it uses VoIP to provide all of the services of a landline, such as caller ID, voicemail, and 911, for free inside of the country. All of the cost is folded into the up-front cost of the Telo phone itself, which it estimates could save a Canadian $200 in the first year if they quit a $40 monthly conventional phone service.
Premiere subscriptions in Canada provide unlimited calls to the US as well, although international calls can be as inexpensive as a cent per minute. As a networked device and service, the Telo can get online through a Wi-Fi adapter ($50), while users can make calls through Ooma from an Android ($10, Android Market) or iOS (App Store) device. A Bluetooth adapter ($30) lets the Telo box work in reverse and take cellphone calls through traditional home phones.
The Telo itself is available through Amazon for $230. Choosing a Premier subscription costs $10 per month. Ooma doesn't include the handset, which won't reach Canada until 2012, but can take existing phones.
