Ooma Telo, the company known for their landline telephone service boxes, is now in the home security market. Like so many other DIY home security systems, Ooma is offering an inexpensive non-monitored system. With so many other systems already offered, is Ooma Home Security System worth the money?
For $130, the Ooma Home Security Start kit offers the standard Ooma Telo with a motion sensor. A headset for the phone is required but any headset will work. After you have purchased the basics you can add to your home security system with the three sensors Ooma has in their lineup. The door/window sensor is $25, the motion sensor is $35 and the water-leak sensor is $30. The system can support up to 100 sensors for $6 a month unless you have a Premium subscription for $10 a month.
Like every other home security system today, the Ooma Telo is controlled by an app. If you are a first time Ooma users you will need to connect the hub to your router with an ethernet cable and select a new phone number. You must register your system through the app using your Ooma phone number and password that you create. Once the system is up and running you can connect the sensors that you want to the system. For a DIY home security system, the setup is much more complicated than usual.
During a time of such technological advancements in home security, it is disappointing to see the Ooma sensors lacking so much.
The Ooma sensors are rather bulking and extremely sensitive. To make matters worse, the door and water sensors are both AAA battery powered. The batteries die rather quickly and removing the battery cover panel is trickier than it should be.
The Ooma Home Security System is possibly the truest DIY security systems currently on the market. There is no professional monitoring offered at all or even sirens to scare away intruders. Ooma’s claim at a monitored system is their highly promoted feature of remotely dialing 911. Since it is connected to a home phone number, your address can be directly transmitted to the police during an emergency even if you are not home. Although this is a helpful tool, a professionally monitored system can do that and so much more.
While so many companies are trying to enter the ever expanding field of home security, it is not surprising to find a company like Ooma tagging along. Entering so late in the game, it is a bit disappointing to see their limited features offered and dated equipment. If you are interested in a fairly cheap home security system that is completely self-reliant, there are probably better options. I recommend considering a professionally monitored system instead to ensure true security in your home.
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