What is Ooma?
Ooma is one of the top choices when it comes to VoIP phone systems for businesses that don't have an in-house IT department.
Solopreneurs or small businesses that don't have an IT budget can still use Ooma easily, thanks to its auto-configuration technology. It makes installation easy and is light years away from other systems. We reviewed dozens of other VoIP phone services to determine the best ones.
Ooma Office is a VoIP business phone provider specially designed for small businesses and remote or mixed teams.
Ooma Office's competitive pricing allows its more than 2 million users to save up to 60% on their current business communication costs without requiring them to compromise on features and call quality.
In fact, PCMag readers voted Ooma Office the number one VoIP phone for small businesses for eight years in a row - largely thanks to the savings it offers.
Features
While there's no denying that Ooma Office offers significant savings on VoIP service, what features and functionality do users get for this price?
All Ooma Office plans include 35 standard VoIP features for business communications - check out some of the best features below.
1. Virtual receptionist
The Ooma Virtual Receptionist is an automatic receiving tool that automatically directs incoming calls to the right department or agent through a pre-recorded menu option, eliminating the need for callers to speak with a live agent.
Callers can either respond orally to greetings and IVR menu prompts at multiple levels, so that their calls are directed using natural language processing (NLP), or respond using the keyboard.
The Ooma virtual receptionist helps callers with areas such as:
- Direct calls to the appropriate agent, department, call group, voicemail, or extension.
- Find an agent through a dialing directory by name
- Get information about business hours, locations, vacation schedules, etc. through personalized pre-recorded messages.
- Select the language of their choice (English, Spanish, French available)
- After-hours support
2. Meetings
Ooma Meetings is Ooma's video conferencing tool, available only on the Ooma Office Pro and Enterprise plans.
Users can invite up to 25 participants per meeting and take advantage of features such as screen sharing, instant messaging, meeting password protection, and the ability to mute one or all participants. Users can meet for up to two hours per meeting.
Additional features include:
- Ad-hoc and pre-scheduled meetings
- Meeting recording
- Ooma meeting dashboard with information on past and upcoming meetings
- The possibility of setting up one-off or recurring meetings
- Possibility to meet via a web browser, an iOS/Android phone app, or an Ooma desktop app.
- Active speaker grill and view
- Basic meeting logs (view participants, recordings of meetings from the last 30 days, meeting dates, etc.)
- Invitation by sharing URL links or by calendar invitation for Google, Outlook, and iCalendar.
- Possibility to remove participants from the meeting
3. Call recording
Call recording, available only on the Ooma Office Pro and Enterprise plans, gives you the option to record calls to review or share them later.
Recording helps improve employee training, assess the quality of customer service, and ensure that the information in call notes is accurate.
Ooma automatically records all calls, but there is also an option to record calls manually. Recordings are kept for up to 30 days but can be deleted sooner if required.
4. SMS and chat messaging
SMS messaging allows all Ooma Office users to send and receive text messages through the mobile app (Office Pro users can also send text messages with the desktop app). Setting up appointments, confirming customer information, and answering questions is a much easier process with text messages.
At the time of writing, Ooma Office text messages are limited to 2,048 characters for outgoing messages, but users can send and receive as many messages as they want. Additionally, Ooma Office does not offer SMS shortcodes, and users cannot send text messages to/from Ooma Office toll-free phone numbers.
Ooma Office Pro and Enterprise users can take advantage of the team chat feature for public and private messaging, improving team collaboration and internal communication.
The chat feature also allows users to set a presence to let colleagues know if they are available to chat. A group directory allows users to send the same information to the entire team without sending it multiple times.
5. Enhanced call blocking
While all Ooma Office plans allow users to block specific phone numbers, the Pro and Enterprise plans offer improved call blocking.
All users can block up to 100 numbers, and anyone on the blocked list will hear a busy signal when they try to reach the company. Users can add and remove blocked numbers at any time, and calls from those numbers won't appear in the call log.
Pro and Enterprise users can automatically block calls from anonymous phone numbers, enable calling from contacts only, or automatically block numbers on the community blacklist (known spam numbers).
6. Correspondence of caller information
Caller information matching is a feature of the Ooma Office Pro and Enterprise plans that is described as a combination between caller ID and Call Pops CRM.
In addition to displaying the caller name, users can choose to integrate their customer relationship management (CRM) system with their business phone system so that customer information is automatically displayed when they communicate with them.
It's interesting to note that the Ooma Caller Info Match feature also allows users to automatically set up pre-configured, personalized websites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google that can show information about likely or possibly the caller.
7. Support for international VoIP calls
Making international calls with Ooma is easy. Unlike other VoIP providers, there are no unlimited international calling plans, but calls to other Ooma users in foreign countries are completely free and included in your plan.
The plans also include unlimited calls to the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. International calls are charged at fairly competitive rates, which are subject to change. If you check with your Ooma representative, they can provide you with the most current international rates for the countries in which you do business.
8. Automatic reception service
It's one of those little things that can make a small business seem a lot bigger. When you dial a number, you are connected to an automated voice assistant that asks you what department you want to talk to or if you know the extension number of the person you are calling.
The Ooma automatic standard will also allow you to save on operational costs. Instead of paying a receptionist to handle incoming calls, or overburdening your support staff by handling all incoming calls, let the automated system take care of it. It allows your customers to get where they need to go without labor overheads and can reduce support response times.
Simply log into the system with your Ooma Business Login and you can easily set up options from your Ooma Portal. For your greeting message, you can manually record your message or use the “text-to-speech” option. With text-to-speech, the Ooma system takes up to 400 of your words and produces a greeting message using your choice of male or female voices, and American or British accents.
While not as robust, it offers enough features to cover most small businesses. This includes scheduling business hours and holidays, as well as alternative greetings for periods of absence. It is also possible to program direct transfers to a virtual station, a physical station, a ring group or a voicemail.
9. Call Management
Ooma's easy online user management system allows you to change how your business handles incoming calls. Since Ooma is primarily aimed at small businesses, the functionalities are significantly less numerous than those offered by other providers. But that's understandable. A small business of 10 people does not need the same telephone system as a business with 500 or 5,000 employees.
On the bright side, the user interface is intuitive and managing calls is a breeze. The Ooma Portal comfortably handles three-way calls with options that allow you to include and exclude callers at various times. For more complex interactions, you can use the “Conference Room” function. It can accommodate several participants and is easy to set up. Each caller only needs an extension number and a PIN to participate.
Call forwarding is fairly basic on the Ooma system, with no real equivalent to the “Find Me Anywhere” option offered by other VoIP companies. However, transferring calls is easy - you can forward directly, transfer with assistance (if you need to explain the call to the person you are transferring it to), or transfer directly to voicemail.
10. Fax
While features are limited for small businesses, even small businesses sometimes need to send or receive a fax. If that's the case for you, Ooma offers a “virtual fax” service as part of its standard features, which means there are no additional fees associated with this service.
To send a fax, download a PDF and send it through your Ooma portal. When someone sends a fax on your business line, it is automatically converted to PDF and sent to you via an email address that you have designated.
11. Mobile phone application
The Ooma app for iOS and Android devices integrates your phone into your business VoIP network. You can make calls, transfer calls, and listen to voice messages with the custom app.
Unfortunately, there is no way to access your administrative dashboard from mobile applications. If you need to make changes, you'll need to access your Ooma portal through a browser. The inconvenience is minimal, since all mobile devices and smartphones today are equipped with Chrome or Safari.
For such an affordable service for small businesses, it's great to see this type of mobility. Especially since small business owners and entrepreneurs are often in the field to develop their business and can benefit greatly from these applications.
12. Options
Ooma residential and business phone numbers
Getting a phone number with Ooma is easy, whether you are an individual or a professional. Residential customers can register a number when they register their Ooma Telo device. Ooma makes numbers available in almost every area code, so you can choose a non-local number if you want to. Business customers can register either a local number or a toll-free number for their business.
Ooma also allows you to transfer your current number to your Ooma installation through porting. This is convenient for businesses that already have an established customer base using the current phone number. You won't need to change your marketing or update your number if you move from another company to Ooma.
Each Ooma customer owns their phone number, which allows them to transfer their number to another provider if they change service. Just make sure your Ooma account is up to date and in good standing before attempting to transfer the number to a new service.
Virtual Receptionist Ooma
No automated function can fully replace a real receptionist for your business, but the Ooma Virtual Receiver is the closest thing to it. If you're a business owner and don't mind depending on an automated system that directs calls to the right department or person, then the Virtual Receiver can save you from having to pay for an additional person.
The benefit of being a virtual receptionist is that you can set a schedule for when you want them to take over. For example, if your receptionist is available from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., you can schedule the virtual receptionist to start working at 5:00 p.m. to direct calls even if your business is closed for the day.
Depending on the size of your business and the number of departments, you can also configure the Virtual Receptionist as a multi-level system, answering calls from different departments. The end result is a more efficient call system for you and your customers.
Call recording
Available for business customers, Ooma's call recording feature allows you to record and replay phone calls as needed to ensure you don't miss any important details. This feature is essential for capturing important information from a phone call that you wish you could review later, especially if you're on the go and don't have the ability to take notes.
Choose between on-demand call recording and continuous call recording. The latter automatically records any incoming or outgoing calls. You can use this feature if your business prefers to review calls to monitor customer service. Call recording is also available for audio conferences, allowing each participant to have a recording of the meeting available for later use.
All recordings remain in your call logs in Ooma Office. From there, you can read, download, or delete them as needed.
Enhanced call blocking
Ooma allows individuals and businesses to block unwanted calls through call blocking. This feature is only available on the top tiers of each plan type - Premier and Ooma Office Pro - but it's definitely worth it if you don't like your phone line to be cluttered with unwanted calls.
Especially important for businesses, enhanced call blocking automatically searches a robocall database to determine if calls coming to your line are legitimate. Unwanted calls that are detected are automatically blocked instead of ringing on your phone. This gives you more time for productive phone calls.
You can also manually block numbers that aren't automatically detected by Ooma but still create a problem for your home or business. And choose if you want your phone to ring when an anonymous caller tries to reach you.
In other words, your blocking profile is completely customizable, but you can also fall back to preconfigured blocking levels if you want. Control all call blocking settings via Ooma Office or the mobile app.
Video conference
Use Ooma for more than audio calls, thanks to its video conferencing capabilities. The simple interface allows a host to create a meeting in seconds using Ooma Office. Other participants can then join the meeting by entering an ID or clicking on a shared link. Meetings can take place on virtually any device using the Ooma mobile app.
Up to 25 people can join a meeting at the same time. Like other leading video conferencing programs, Ooma allows participants and hosts to share a screen, even simultaneously, creating a collaborative space to share project information. There's also a chat function, mute capabilities, and password protection for meetings.
A downside to the system?
There is currently no function for recording video conferences, as is the case with other services, such as GrasShopper and RingCentral.
Voice mail transfer and transcription
Having an intuitive and reliable voicemail system is crucial for home and business phone users. Ooma home phone users get all the basic features of voicemail, including a customizable greeting and the ability to check voicemail remotely via the mobile app.
There is also a voicemail transfer function for private or business users. The system sends your voice messages to your email inbox with a simple click. Wherever you are, you can check your voicemail via an audio recording in your email, even if you don't have your Ooma phone available. For people who like to check their voicemail at work from home, this is a definite advantage.
Enjoy even more modern convenience with voice message transcription, also available for home and business plans. This feature creates a text version of your voice message and sends it to your email.
Basic home phone plans use automated technology for transcription. Premier users benefit from human-assisted transcription for greater accuracy. Unfortunately, there is no assisted transcription option for professional plans, and only Ooma Office Pro users have this feature.
Pricing
Ooma offers various packages for its individual and professional customers. Home phone customers can start with a 100% free plan; the only cost is for the phone system itself, including any additional equipment you may need to get up and running.
The free plan, called Basic, offers mobile app connectivity, HD audio, call forwarding, and other essential services. Upgrade to the Premier plan for a free second number, call blocking, home connectivity, and unlimited calling with the mobile app. The Premier plan costs $9.99 per month.
Businesses can choose between Ooma Office for $19.95 per month per user and Ooma Office Pro for $24.95 per month per user. Ooma Office plans include everything you need to set up and operate your corporate office, such as an intercom feature, call blocking, call log, voicemail, and virtual receptionist.
It's great for small businesses. But larger businesses may want to consider upgrading to Pro. The latter includes the desktop application in addition to the mobile application, as well as video conferencing, call recording, voice message transcription, and enhanced call blocking.
Considering everything you get with Pro, it's relatively low priced compared to similar services, including some of our favorites. For example, Nextiva starts at $32.95 per month per user to get call recording and voice message transcription, which are available with Ooma Pro for $8 less per user per month.
Customer Support
Ooma offers 24/7 live coverage on its free hotline.
Ooma sales support also includes live and online chat that is available 24 hours a day. With this level of support, you should be able to reach someone if you have VoIP connectivity issues, quality issues, or questions outside of regular business hours.
Ooma support also includes online content, covering everything from how to administer system features to setting up your account. It also includes a detailed section on how to get started with the Ooma Office product.
The company made it easy to set up with a simple three-step process. In most cases, you should be able to get your service up and running without having to contact technical support by phone.
Using your Ooma login, you can control virtually every aspect of your experience with the business, from system changes to accounts. The Ooma Portal is entirely cloud-based, so you can access, set up, and manage your account from anywhere you have an internet connection.
Imagine going on a last-minute business trip with your team and realizing at the airport that some members of your team won't have access to their phones while they're away. With just a few clicks, you can change call routing so customers can always reach someone directly in the office.
Alternatives to Ooma
Ooma may or may not be the right fit for your home or office, but our in-depth reviews of best VoIP phone providers should lead you to the right solution.
- Nextiva - The best VoIP phone service for most businesses
- RingCentral - The most affordable all-in-one solution for under 20 users
- Grasshopper - Best mobile app for solopreneurs and small teams
- Phone.com - Best if you need less than 300 minutes/user
- FreshDesh - The best for customer support teams
Ooma has a lot to offer home and business phone customers, from its customizable setup to convenient features like call blocking and call forwarding. Ooma Office is one of the best VoIP phone services for small businesses that don't have an IT department to do the setup. Its simple configuration allows your team to get up and running and understand the system with minimal issues along the way.
Final Verdict
Ooma is a reliable VoIP service for most businesses. With nearly 20 years of experience in the industry, its plans go beyond simple necessity to ensure that customers get the most out of its VoIP solutions. The free resources on its website allow potential customers to do thorough research and feel confident with the Ooma service before they even talk to a sales representative.
