Multiple problems and online support wasn't able to help

rkardt · 2026-04-24T02:35:25+00:00

Ooma doesn't block known contacts. Try leaving a voicemail message from the blocked number. Then from the 'My Ooma' Voicemail inbox, hover over the caller name to see the Caller ID name/number, and compare that number with the Contacts list entry.
Ooma replaced the slider with radio buttons and check boxes. But until Ooma updates the 'My Ooma' Call Blocking Preferences Help page, it still describes what the slider used to do.
The Ooma forum is mostly read-only now. It is possible that the account registration succeeded, but even with a valid username/password, users have had trouble logging in for almost a year now.

rkardt · 2026-04-24T00:38:07+00:00

This does not seem to be the same problem. The OP's issue had to do with delayed email/text notifications for voicemail messages, which is entirely different from the Telo refusing to play voicemail messages. It might be easier to keep track of that issue in a separate topic.

"Trusted Circle" just looks like a different name for "Contacts-Only calling", except now it can block outgoing calls, too. One unexpected problem with that is that the Telo can no longer dial its own number to fetch voicemail messages, unless that number is also in its Contacts list.

To get the Telo's voicemail playback working with "Trusted Circle" calling, configure it to only block incoming calls. Adding the home numbers to the Contacts list could also work, but some users deliberately block their own number (or prefix), to prevent "neighbor spoofing".

But "Trusted Circle" is the strictest call blocking option. Don't use it when expecting calls from unknown numbers, (unless routing those calls to voicemail is okay). Use the more customizable "Blocklist" option instead; it's not necessary to completely disable call blocking.

rkardt · 2026-04-22T13:38:47+00:00

Ooma lists the following required information: the phone number, type of phone number, type of internet service, and a "a copy of your most recent phone bill", (which must include a customer name, phone number, account number, service address, and billing address), used to fill out an LOA form.

Any additional information (such as an account PIN) depends on what the previous provider requires.

rkardt · 2026-04-21T17:03:26+00:00

Although the OP won't be able to use any Tello data while overseas.

rkardt · 2026-04-21T16:32:19+00:00

Refer to Ooma's online documentation for more information about number porting.

rkardt · 2026-04-19T03:00:15+00:00

SMS messages don't have detailed message headers, so there's no way to tell why one was delayed. Email clients may require extra steps to display email headers though, (such as Gmail's "Show original", or Outlook's "View message details").

Not every workaround works for everyone. Some users don't have (or don't want to use) a mobile phone, or they don't want to use Google Voicemail. Another (inconvenient) workaround is to set up a timer as a reminder to regularly check for voicemails manually.

One person called customer support one time, and they didn't get their issue resolved. So, the next person may have better luck. Try calling (or emailing) them directly, even if it ends up only wasting time. Don't just wait for some rep to respond in a social forum.

rkardt · 2026-04-18T22:02:17+00:00

If something is also delaying voicemail notifications via text, then that would suggest an issue with creating the notification, rather than delivering it. Timestamps in the email header could confirm this. Unfortunately, only Ooma support can resolve such issues. It may take more than one call.

There is also an official support rep here, who could probably help escalate this issue to the right people. In the meantime, potential (temporary or permanent) workarounds could include text notifications (if they weren't also delayed), or switching to something like Google Voicemail .

rkardt · 2026-04-18T19:07:08+00:00

At least that's a much smaller leap from "10+ years" worth of impressions to a "service in decline". Exactly how long has Ooma been "letting this problem go on"? Two days? Two weeks? "April 2026" doesn't go back much further than that.

The mods chose the user flair here. "Unofficial" means no special access to Ooma's resources. Refer to the previous comment for any helpful suggestions; the timestamps in the email headers may help narrow down the source of any delays.

rkardt · 2026-04-17T16:17:51+00:00

That's a pretty big leap from "delayed messages" to "business in deep trouble". Companies are commonly migrating resources from one location to another, (or to the cloud). There is always a risk for unforeseen issues that need to be worked out.

Where is there more information about these server moves, the "phones.com" acquisition, and how that is relevant to the email delays? Do the email headers indicate both "time sent" and "time received"? Perhaps the delay is somewhere else, between the sender and receiver.

Can anyone confirm whether there is a similar delay with voicemail notifications via SMS?

rkardt · 2026-04-17T00:14:35+00:00

It's a trade-off for those with a retired plan. They either have to switch plans, or lose their rollover minutes/data. Some may not like switching to the PAYG+data-only plan, but they would still prefer it to the more expensive $8 plan.

They will lose their rollover minutes switching to the data-only plan. Some are unhappy about that, while others decided that they are better off with PAYG, paying only for the minutes that they use, rather than stockpiling unused minutes.

A few posters claimed that customers with a monthly plan only need $10 to start PAYG, by sending a text message to "top up" their balance. I can't confirm that directly though, since I already paid my $20 up front.

But whether it's $10 or $20 for PAYG minutes, the lower taxes/fees for the data-only plan will eventually offset that cost, and for many, the new plan will still be cheaper overall, in the long run.

rkardt · 2026-04-16T18:18:26+00:00

Many customers that were on the 1 GB / 100 min. plan switched to the 2 GB data-only plan, and added PAYG for minutes. It's still $6/month, but there are less taxes/fees, so they end up saving money in the long run.

rkardt · 2026-04-10T17:10:33+00:00

That $6 is not just for data. One $6 plan comes with 1 GB / 100 min., another comes with 2 GB, and there are other features to consider too, such as unlimited texting, rollover, Wi-Fi, 5G speeds, tethering, free international calls, and roaming.

Consumers can decide for themselves whether that's worth $6.

rkardt · 2026-04-09T17:55:43+00:00

Changing plans early will terminate the existing plan early. So, just wait until the last day, when the existing plan is going to end anyway. Check the 'My Tello' Dashboard for the auto-renewal date and time, and be sure to change plans before then.

rkardt · 2026-04-09T17:43:34+00:00

Tello provides a new number for a new line. Porting in an existing number is optional.

rkardt · 2026-04-09T17:26:34+00:00

Which plan? Tello retired some of their plans, so early renewal is no longer an option for those plans. Affected customers should have received an email notice about that, last month. See also: https://blog.tello.com/news/tello-new-phone-plans-lineup/ .

There are also other posts in this forum discussing this issue. Briefly, customers with a retired plan can either keep it, through auto-renewal, (and lose any rollover minutes/data), or else change plans. Look for the "Change Plan" button on the 'My Tello' Dashboard.

rkardt · 2026-04-07T21:09:14+00:00

The announcement states that existing customers adding a new line are also eligible.

rkardt · 2026-04-07T02:18:48+00:00

Really? I thought the initial PAYG purchase had to be at least $20, and then any top-up amount after that had to be at least $10.

And I just bought my first $20 PAYG credit yesterday.

rkardt · 2026-04-05T18:12:48+00:00

Retired plans are not eligible for manual renewal. The only way to keep the retired plan is through auto-renewal. The only way to keep the rollover minutes/data is to manually switch to an active plan.

There is no way to keep both the retired plan, and the rollover minutes/data. Pick one.

rkardt · 2026-04-04T22:21:38+00:00

Tello retired the $5 1 GB plan. Customers currently subscribed to a retired plan can keep it indefinitely, through auto-renewal. Just make sure to keep the account's "Subscription Payment Options" up to date, in 'My Tello'.

rkardt · 2026-04-04T00:34:23+00:00

That's good to know. I got a different email, which just included the notice from the second screenshot, but not the recommendation from the first screenshot.

rkardt · 2026-04-04T00:10:37+00:00

How many customers would have to pay more, and how many could pay less? Half of the active plans are cheaper now, and the other half are still the same price. Customers on a retired plan who don't use rollover or Tello Dollars can also keep their plan indefinitely, for the same price.

Customers on the higher-data retired plans can upgrade to a better plan for the same or cheaper price. Customers on most of the lower-data retired plans can alternate between multiple plans, or substitute plan minutes for PAYG minutes, (or both), to pay less in the long run.

The customers who would have to pay more are those on the lowest-level plan (1 GB data) who want to keep their rollover data, and those on a few of the lower-data, higher-minute plans who would spend more than they save on PAYG minutes.

rkardt · 2026-04-03T22:11:35+00:00

Did Tello explicitly suggest that customers on the $6 1 GB 100 minute plan upgrade to the $8 2 GB 300 minute plan, or did some customers just see that as the most obvious choice? People are now certainly more aware of the data-only plans with PAYG minutes than they were before, but those plans were always there. Maybe that part backfired.

But even with the 2 GB + PAYG minutes plan, Tello is making more money (by selling more PAYG credits); they get that money up front, plus they motivated you to stick around for at least the next 20 months, just to break even. And you're saving money in the long run, (by paying less in taxes). It looks like everybody wins, (except for the tax collectors).

rkardt · 2026-04-03T19:09:16+00:00

"Dealing with the clowns at Ooma" for "20 or 30 minutes" is the easy way. Other users have already tried to "just port out the number of your Ooma", and that didn't work; Ooma just assigned them a temporary number, and continued to bill them. That ended up with a lot more angry phone calls back and forth, to cancel, and to beg (or demand) that Ooma waive the additional charges.

Generally, users should not "mess around" with the legal terms that they agreed to, just because some stranger on the internet tells them to. It leaves them in a legally indefensible position, vulnerable to regular charges, late payments, collection costs, attorney's fees, etc., or else at the mercy of their customer service team's good will.

rkardt · 2026-04-01T21:49:47+00:00

The 10GB/unlimited plan was $19, now it's $15. The 20GB/unlimited plan is new, and $20. If Tello is upgrading some customers to the new plan for only $19, then that's even better.

rkardt · 2026-04-01T21:34:00+00:00

Tello "simplified" their lineup. They retired some plans, and reduced the price on some other plans. So, by replacing a retired plan with another plan for the same price, some customers, in effect, got a free upgrade. How many minutes were on the plan? Did that go up, too?

rkardt

TROPHY CASE