Vonage has something new to worry about: free. Since everybody hates paying for anything internet, Ooma’s jumping on the free-subscription bandwagon with reverse razor / blade model: shell out crazy cash ($400) for a sexy little Ooma Hub with lifetime free local and long distance service. The Hub plugs into your network or internet connection and, if you’ve got it, landline; it can route calls over the net where possible, but still reserves the ability to use your home number, and direct 911 calls over your hard, analog phone line (unlike Vonage, for example). You can also extend Ooma to other parts of the house via $40 Ooma Scouts (shown above), but there’s a caveat: Ooma goes Skype on you, using spare bandwidth to route other Ooma users’ calls and cut costs for the company providing you free service. Is it all worth it? Hopefully we’ll get our hands on one soon to give it a try, but most of us will have to wait until September to snag one.

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