Ooma 11-Sensor Home Security Starter Kit with Ooma Siren 2 $180.79/ Ooma 7-Sensor Starter Kit $150.79

Already got the base set but want more sensors. Anyone know what I can do with the extra base station?

Kode47 wrote: ↑ Already got the base set but want more sensors. Anyone know what I can do with the extra base station?

How do you like it? Thinking of getting one to lower my home insurance fee

Need reviews
are these all battery operated.
how long does the battery last. Cost of replacement batteries.

i got burned by a system like this from ismartalarm a couple years ago, there was not much support after, then they went under and the devices were useless, not using an open system to be used by other apps.

mkazim wrote: ↑ Need reviews
are these all battery operated.
how long does the battery last. Cost of replacement batteries.

I'm happy with mine. The sensors are all battery operated, but they pop open for easy replacement and are pretty flexible in installation method. They nearly all use AA or AAA batteries. One piece (the motion detector, I think) uses a CR2.

They've been up for a few months and still all show "good" battery in the app. Ooma advertises they should last about two years before needing new batteries.

It's not an active monitoring system or anything, but it's great for what we need. Biggest complaint is that one of my door sensors isn't sticking well with it's adhesive pad and has fallen off; might need to figure out a different solution for that one, but the rest have been fine.

Banana4Scale wrote: ↑ How do you like it? Thinking of getting one to lower my home insurance fee

It's very easy to set up and operate, learning it is intuitive. And the battery seems to be a non issue, it's been a couple of months and haven't had to change a single one. The one thing I'm not sure about is that there exists a premium subscription service that you get to try out for a few months then is $6 afterwords, and I'm not exactly sure what you lose if you don't have it. Currently I don't have the siren since I only got the basic set when it was on sale for $50, I would like to try the siren with this and see how it works without the premium. As long it still notifies my phone if someone opens a window and I can activate the alarm remotely that's all I need. I don't need cops breaking into my home or automatic 911 or anything.

Most of the thefts in my area are daylight robberies commited as crimes of opportunity, guys trying to open random windows and seeing what works. Something like this would be pretty adequate for that.

gc99 wrote: ↑ i got burned by a system like this from ismartalarm a couple years ago, there was not much support after, then they went under and the devices were useless, not using an open system to be used by other apps.

Ooma had been around for a while though and are pretty established. I think it’s a safe purchase. Never had any issues with Ooma. Had the telo station for just a phone line from 2013 to 2020 and then upgraded to the security system in 2020.

Kode47 wrote: ↑ The one thing I'm not sure about is that there exists a premium subscription service that you get to try out for a few months then is $6 afterwords, and I'm not exactly sure what you lose if you don't have it. Currently I don't have the siren since I only got the basic set when it was on sale for $50, I would like to try the siren with this and see how it works without the premium. As long it still notifies my phone if someone opens a window and I can activate the alarm remotely that's all I need. I don't need cops breaking into my home or automatic 911 or anything.

Plan comparison here:
https://www.ooma.ca/home-security/subscription-plans/

The best buy description states "View live-streaming HD video of your home from anywhere and take action in an emergency with the Remote 911 feature".. Being as there is no camera included I don't know how that would work. I've had an Ooma base for years and they did offer a camera for a while but that seems to have disappeared from their website.. Anyone know?

Beneful1 wrote: ↑The best buy description states "View live-streaming HD video of your home from anywhere and take action in an emergency with the Remote 911 feature".. Being as there is no camera included I don't know how that would work. I've had an Ooma base for years and they did offer a camera for a while but that seems to have disappeared from their website.. Anyone know?

I think they removed it after those Amazon Cloud cameras got hacked and people's homes were exposed all over the web. This is cloud based too so I'm actually happy that even if someone does get access to your feed all they can see are what windows are open and which rooms have motion in them.

The system works and is useful. The issues are that it's dependent on the Internet and the Ooma Telo service. When you first hook it up, you are required to enter your credit card info and you're activated on a free trial of the Secure Plan, ($6.99). I had issues getting them to switch me to their free plan, when the trial was over. I got the impression they don't want people to use the free plan.

Also, there is a feature on the sensor that detects tampering. I've received several false alarms for tampering so I had to turn that feature off.

If you do plan on getting it, I recommend buying the full package that contains the keypad. The app is good for arming and disarming, but having a physical keypad makes things easier.

soupmaster666 wrote: ↑ I have no love for Amazon but there were far more Ring accounts accessed than Amazon accounts. In both cases the weakness was bad passwords or security questions and no 2FA, not a product vulnerability.

One advantage to the Ring alarm is the sensors are all Zwave. If an owner wants to change to a different system, the standards-based sensors can easily be moved.

Sorry, I didn't know if it was before or after Amazon acquired Ring.

Kode47 wrote: ↑ It's very easy to set up and operate, learning it is intuitive. And the battery seems to be a non issue, it's been a couple of months and haven't had to change a single one.

Are they like smoke alarms in the sense that they chirp when the battery is low? Just wondering if there is an indicator of battery life. Cheers.

daydreamer7 wrote: ↑ Are they like smoke alarms in the sense that they chirp when the battery is low? Just wondering if there is an indicator of battery life. Cheers.

The instructions say there's a low battery notification on your phone. I haven't seen it myself yet though.

eliteballer wrote: ↑ The system works and is useful. The issues are that it's dependent on the Internet and the Ooma Telo service. When you first hook it up, you are required to enter your credit card info and you're activated on a free trial of the Secure Plan, ($6.99). I had issues getting them to switch me to their free plan, when the trial was over. I got the impression they don't want people to use the free plan.

Also, there is a feature on the sensor that detects tampering. I've received several false alarms for tampering so I had to turn that feature off.

If you do plan on getting it, I recommend buying the full package that contains the keypad. The app is good for arming and disarming, but having a physical keypad makes things easier.

Thanks! Do you know if you can use this without paying the Ooma phone line? (Taxes and fees). I had Ooma in the past, had to pay approx $5 for 911 service and fee. I just want the security tools to notify me on my phone and nothing more.

Kode47 wrote: ↑ The one thing I'm not sure about is that there exists a premium subscription service that you get to try out for a few months then is $6 afterwords, and I'm not exactly sure what you lose if you don't have it.

Yes would like to know what you lose with the free plan.

Banana4Scale wrote: ↑ Thanks! Do you know if you can use this without paying the Ooma phone line? (Taxes and fees). I had Ooma in the past, had to pay approx $5 for 911 service and fee. I just want the security tools to notify me on my phone and nothing more.

There are zero ($0) taxes or fees on the free plan because and you don't need the Ooma phone line for the security system to work. Push notifications work well on the app. However, because they force you to enter your credit card details, make sure you cancel the free trial way before it expires. They don't make it easy for you to switch to the free plan.

ratzy24 wrote: ↑ Yes would like to know what you lose with the free plan.

This is what you lose with the free plan:
Remote siren
Remote 911
Phone call, text message, and email notifications
Auto arm/disarm

Thanks! I just pulled the trigger

Same here, I jumped on the ismartalarm and built on this system only to be frustrated. Now it is uselessly sitting there.
Need to find an established and open system. . I have a nest cams now but waiting for the nest alarms system maybe but yet to be convinced