uncle and RingCentral provide convenient voice-over-IP services that can replace your plain old phone service with a modern voice system that you can manage from your browser. Not only do these VoIP systems allow you to make and receive calls from different devices, but Ooma and RingCentral also provide messaging and video conferencing capabilities with the ability to support call center operations.
What is Uncle?
Ooma offers phone, video, and messaging solutions aimed at small businesses and enterprises, as well as options for home phone and security needs.
Ooma divides its business solutions into four core offerings:
- Ooma Office Essentialswhat cloud-based VoIP is for small and medium businesses.
- Ooma Office Prowhich adds video conferencing, call recording, voicemail transcription, and Google and Microsoft integrations, among other things.
- Ooma Office Pro Plusthat adds hot desking, queuing, and Salesforce integration.
- Uncle Enterprisethat is highly customizable and can serve as a call center solution.
Ooma also offers communication and security solutions for home customers. Among which:
- Uncle Telowith three different ways to connect: Ooma Telo, Ooma Telo Air or Ooma Telo LTE.
- Uncle Securitywith three subscription options – Monitor, Secure or Pro Secure – that support a wide variety of sensors including motion, door/window and water.
In addition, Ooma AirDial is intended to allow you to replace lines that traditionally required a dedicated POTS line, such as a dedicated elevator, fax, or security system line. The company states that AirDial provides a wireless connection (in collaboration with T-Mobile) that ensures that data does not go over the public internet.
What is RingCentral?
RingCentral provides phone, video and messaging solutions targeting small businesses, enterprises and startups across a variety of sectors and industries.
RingCentral’s three core products include:
- RingCentral MVPwhich includes messaging, video and phone services, with an optional RingCentral Webinar add-on.
- RingCentral Contact Centerwith solutions for inbound, outbound and digital engagement.
- RingCentral Video for video conferencing and team messaging.
The RingCentral MVP plans offered include:
- Necessitieswhich is limited to a maximum of 20 users.
- Standardfor an unlimited number of users, with support for Internet fax, video conferencing, and Google and Microsoft integrations, among other things.
- Premiumthat adds call recording, single single-on, hot desking, and Salesforce integration, among other things.
- ultimatewhich adds device health reports and alerts along with unlimited storage.
Ooma and RingCentral: Feature Comparison
uncle and RingCentral provide the core capabilities you would expect from a VoIP phone system. Multi-ring rings incoming calls simultaneously to a desk phone and mobile app, or other designated phone, to support your ability to receive calls anywhere. Caller groups allow calls to be transferred to multiple people so that whoever is available can quickly pick up. Routing features help callers reach the right person, with voice mailbox features that allow people to leave a message when no one is immediately available.
Ooma and RingCentral are much easier to manage than most traditional on-site phone systems. Add an employee? Assign a new number and quickly configure their calling, messaging, and meeting options. They can start making and receive calls from their laptop, or if you prefer, you can configure an IP phone to work over a wired or wireless network.
Desk and meeting devices
Ooma and RingCentral offer desk and conference phones. Ooma offers a range of Ooma phones and systems from Yealink. RingCentral offers phones from many vendors, including Avaya, Cisco, Mitel, Polycom, Unify, and Yealink, along with third-party devices that can be manually configured.
Mobile apps
Ooma and RingCentral offer mobile apps that work on Android and iPhone. The app allows customers to make and receive calls using the service phone number, rather than the phone number associated with the device’s SIM (or eSIM) phone number. Both vendors’ mobile apps seem to be relatively well maintained and reviewed. However, if you plan on using Ooma on Android, the 3.0 star rating suggests that you might want to test the app to make sure it fits your needs.
Team messages
Ooma and RingCentral offer team messaging, audio conferencing, and video conferencing capabilities. Ooma supports texting from your work number and also includes presence indicators so you know if people are available or not. RingCentral messaging allows file sharing along with chat. RingCentral offers a free edition of their video conferencing, with a paid upgrade option that supports more participants, telephone participants, and long-term recording storage.
App Integrations
The systems differ significantly in the number of integrations available, but both systems integrate with Microsoft Teams. Ooma offers Ooma Direct Routing for Microsoft Teams, while RingCentral offers at least two options: RingCentral Cloud PBX for Microsoft Teams and RingCentral for Microsoft Teams.
In addition, the RingCentral App Gallery offers a huge list of partners, add-ons, and app integrations that work with RingCentral. For example, the RingCentral App Gallery shows how RingCentral integrates with various Google apps. Ooma Enterprise offers more than 50 application integrations.
Enterprise and Call Center Capabilities
Ooma and RingCentral offer capabilities designed for call center operations. The Ooma Enterprise Call Center Platform provides intelligent routing, tools to help design call flows, automatic call distribution, interactive voice response, along with reporting and analytics capabilities. RingCentral Contact Center handles both inbound and outbound calling capabilities, capacity, availability, and skill-based routing, as well as customizable rules, chatbots, and virtual assistants, along with reporting and analytics capabilities.
HIPAA Compliant
Ooma and RingCentral differ in their eligibility for US-based healthcare providers. Ooma stated in their terms of service that “Ooma specifically makes no representation, warranty, or guarantee that your services, the account(s), or the equipment (or any party’s use of any of the foregoing) complies or will comply with HIPAA or any other law or will bring any party into compliance with HIPAA or any other law.”
RingCentral, on the other hand, offers a Vendor Business Associate Agreement for HIPAA-compliant organizations. This makes RingCentral a potential solution for healthcare providers or any organization that needs to comply with HIPAA regulations.
TO SEE: Feature Comparison: Time Attendance Software and Systems (Tech Republic Premium)
Choosing between Ooma and RingCentral
Small businesses that are also looking for a security solution may prefer uncle, thanks to the company’s suite of sensors and security monitoring plans. Ooma AirDial offers an intriguing innovation that could be an attractive alternative in some locations previously served by a standard POTS line.
Companies that prioritize security or software integrations may prefer: RingCentral† Healthcare providers looking to be HIPAA compliant should definitely consider RingCentral, and RingCentral’s significant number of software integrations available makes it likely that the communications suite can work with tools you already use. The diversity of supported devices and robust video conferencing capabilities may also tip your decision toward RingCentral.
Both Ooma and RingCentral offer the capable, browser-based management of modern VoIP phone systems you’d expect, and both products are a welcome option over conventional legacy business phone systems.
