Please tell us a bit about Ooma, who are you and what do you do?
Ooma is an Internet-based home phone service that changes the landscape of home phone services. The company took into account everything that was wrong with home phone service today (too pricey, limited features, inflexible) and set out to reinvent that service. At the center of Ooma’s efforts is the Ooma Telo, a highly sophisticated hub that when connected to Ooma’s cloud-based smart platform delivers free calling with extremely high quality, advanced features, and connected services that turn an ordinary phone into a smart phone for your home.
Can you give us a bit of background on the Ooma home security service, what it does and how it works?
Ooma just released its Home Security. This is the first and only smart home phone service to integrate four security features and customizable sensors, giving consumers more controls over their home.
Ooma Home Security’s special features include:
REMOTE 911 CAPABILITIES
When the sensors are triggered, Ooma Home Security will notify you and give you the option to press 1 on your phone to dial 911 if the situation is an emergency (you can decline to trigger the call in a non-emergency).
MOTION SENSOR
Ooma’s motion sensor is estimated to have up to three times the area coverage and four times the battery life compared to leading competitors. The sensor can be mounted in any 90-degree corner in the house.
DOOR/WINDOW SENSOR
Worried about burglars? Ooma Home Security can automatically notify you any time a door or window opens while you’re away.
WATER SENSOR
If a defective washing machine or water heater floods the room, Ooma users will immediately be alerted via text message or a phone call so necessary actions can take place and avoid further damage.
How does the Ooma home monitoring service make Americans safer?
Ooma Home Security provides Americans with more peace of mind. Whether you’re inside your home or away for the weekend, Ooma technology allows you to monitor you home more closely (and easily). Homeowners don’t have to worry about arriving to a ransacked home because Ooma notifies them via their mobile phone any time a sensor goes off, allowing them to make the necessary call to police if necessary.
Why should Americans have landline phone coverage at home?
Landline phone coverage is of the utmost importance and a service we take for granted. You may be shocked to learn that in many cases, cell phones aren’t able to accurately transmit your location to 911 dispatchers. 911 was designed for landline phones, which transmit your location over a hard-wired connection. With a significant share of cell phone-to-911 calls being placed from within residences—but 45% of Americans opting out of landline coverage at home—countless people are left vulnerable in emergencies at home. But the landline phone of the 21st century goes much further than that by serving as a smart hub for all kinds of communication tools, from Internet to home security.
What is unique about Ooma’s home monitoring service?
Ooma Home Security can support up to 100 sensors using the latest version of the Ooma Telo. The sensors work wirelessly using the same DECT (Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications) technology used by hundreds of millions of cordless handsets worldwide and are easily installed. This eliminates the need for professional installers, and gives home owners and renters a simple and affordable home monitoring system.
Is this a good home monitoring option for renters?
Yes, Ooma’s Home Security is for everyone—homeowners and renters alike. This is an inexpensive way to monitor your home or apartment without the yearly commitment of a contract, which is extremely beneficial to city dwellers who are less likely to be living in a permanent home.
Many home security systems can be expensive, how is this more cost effective for homeowners/renters?
Ooma Home Security is cost effective option for all consumers. Premier service customers can use the service at no additional cost to their Premier service, and all customers get the service to the first sensor waived. Basic service members can subscribe to the Home Security for $5.99 per month, which is dramatically less than the leading security companies. There are three different types of sensors: the water sensor ($29.99 MSRP), the motion sensor ($34.99 MSRP), and the door/window sensor ($24.99 MSRP). It is a DIY home security system that allows you to pick and choose the appropriate number of sensors for your home, thus allowing you to cut costs without jeopardizing security.
What other smart home systems and equipment does Ooma offer?
Ooma provides solutions to various communication needs. Its smart platform serves as a communications hub, which offers cloud-based telephony, Internet security, home monitoring, and other connected services to consumers and businesses (from startups to large corporations). Ooma recently announced its partnership with WeWork, helping startups in the United Staes and Canada run their businesses from a co-working space.
About Eric Stang
Eric Stang is CEO of Ooma and joined the company in 2009 to lead its overall business activities including product strategy, brand and partnership development, and expansion of the company’s presence in retail and consumer channels. He joined Ooma from Reliant Technologies, a medical technology company, where he served as President and CEO and member of the Board of Directors. Prior to Reliant Technologies, Stang acted as Chief Executive Officer, President, and Chairman of the Board of Directors at Lexar, now a subsidiary of Micron. During his seven years at Lexar, Stang played a leadership role in taking the company public, effectively enacted a turnaround strategy, led its growth and entry into new markets, oversaw the development of a consumer brand, and established Lexar products in more than 70,000 storefronts worldwide with revenues in excess of $850 million. Under his leadership, Lexar also became one of the 50 largest public technology companies in Silicon Valley, before its acquisition by Micron.