OnlineDomain.com reports that Ooma has entered a definitive agreement to acquire the Phone.com brand and UCaaS business for approximately USD $23.2 million, marking one of the most notable keyword-.com corporate moves of 2025.
The deal underscores how pure-play keyword domains—especially in communications, identity, and SMB-utility categories—continue to command strategic value far beyond their aftermarket comparables. Phone.com, founded by legendary domain investor Mike Mann, has spent more than a decade building itself into a recognizable VoIP/UCaaS provider for small businesses across the U.S. and Europe.
Why this acquisition matters
• Strong keyword .com as an anchor asset
Phone.com is one of the most intuitive service-category domains available in the VoIP/telecom space. For Ooma, the acquisition isn’t just about customer revenue—it’s the absorption of a category-defining brand that younger SaaS players would struggle to replicate today.
• Consolidation momentum in UCaaS
Unified communications has been undergoing consolidation for years, with RingCentral, Vonage, Zoom Phone, and 8×8 tightening their SMB funnels. Ooma’s move positions the company to expand into a wider small-business customer base under a flagship keyword brand.
• High strategic value compared to domain-market valuation
While Phone.com as a domain alone would trade for a mid-six to low-seven figure valuation in the modern aftermarket, pairing the domain with an operating business and multi-year subscriber relationships produces a significantly larger acquisition multiple.
Mike Mann’s legacy play
Industry observers have long noted that Phone.com was one of Mann’s smartest bets: a rare example of a domain investor building a standalone SaaS business on top of a perfect-match keyword. The acquisition strengthens the broader argument that top-tier generic .com names retain outsize influence in competitive sectors—especially those reliant on credibility and direct navigation.
Mann has already confirmed the deal publicly, and the transfer of operational control is expected to complete after regulatory and closing conditions are met. Phone.com leadership is expected to transition under Ooma’s product and operations umbrella.
What it means for the domain industry
The acquisition reinforces three broader signals TIGM has been tracking:
- Keyword .coms remain acquisition accelerators, especially in markets where trust is a key buying factor.
- Legacy investor-built brands still carry weight, outperforming synthetic brandables in roll-up environments.
- Corporate domain moves are outpacing pure aftermarket sales, particularly in telecom, fintech, and identity-focused verticals.
As 2025’s final quarter unfolds, Ooma’s Phone.com purchase stands as one of the clearest examples of domain-centric M&A strategy—where the name itself is core to the value story.
