DRENO
Well-Known Member
Anyone out there using Magic Jack for there phone? I'm trying to get away from these $200/month cell phone bills.I'm a little skeptical about this,wouldn't mind an unbiased opinion,please.8)
who's using Magic Jack
- Thread starter DRENO
- Start date
-
I have one and I love it. I will say that it works as advertised. Plug the jack into a USB Port, plug the phone into the jack, register for 911 and you're talking.
Drawbacks, you have to leave your computer on all day every day. A lot of people do that anyways, you have to dial the area code regardless of where you call whethet it be local or whatever. A small price to pay for a $2000.00 savings if you ask me.
Other than that it works as a regular phone. I was skeptical at first but now that I took the risk I'll never go back to the old way.
Drawbacks, you have to leave your computer on all day every day. A lot of people do that anyways, you have to dial the area code regardless of where you call whethet it be local or whatever. A small price to pay for a $2000.00 savings if you ask me.
Other than that it works as a regular phone. I was skeptical at first but now that I took the risk I'll never go back to the old way.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
real stupid question, what if where the computer is does not get service? i live out in the sticks, but i have cell service, sometimes. problem is my house is metal and no signal is picked up in the house.
1968FormulaS340
Well-Known Member
Family member has it. It is great and works and costs as advertised.
The problem with Magic jack is that it comes off as "If it is too good to be true it probably is"…….
If you can leave your computer on it is as close to free phone service as you can get.
The problem with Magic jack is that it comes off as "If it is too good to be true it probably is"…….
If you can leave your computer on it is as close to free phone service as you can get.
SassyGrassScamp
My Addiction Has Begun
Can you fax with it?
1968FormulaS340
Well-Known Member
'64 Cuda
Well-Known Member
Does it have to be a high speed connection? There are some of us cheap bast**ds who still have dial-up (PITA!).
not unless you want to talk slow........
cannucky
The Guy With No Birthday
What is the cost and how is the service compared to Skype which works on any wireless including a PSP , SKYPE is free for any web based call ie Skype to Skype and charges a monthly fee for access to conventional " land line "phone numbers . I've heard really good things but my cell bill is only 30 bucks a month with Koodo , and I don't have or need a land line so it's not worth the hassle for.
I have Vonage which works off the internet service and it works great but it costs alot more $30 a month but thats unlimited talk time and just about worlwide coverage. Before Vonage my Wife would run up $100 bill a month talking to her family plus I use the same line for business and have coutomers in the US, Canada and South America.
inkjunkie
Well-Known Member
i have hughes net, until the contract expires. i think they said voice over ip (or whatever it is called) is not suggested with there service, will have to check....
DRENO
Well-Known Member
I think Magic Jack might be ok for land lines but I need to cut down on my cell phone bills.$200/month.
ramcharger
Dismember
I have MJ and the service is fair IMHO. The sound quality deteriorates over long calls, but it's very, very good at first. At times I can't through to very rural phone numbers too. Like others have said, you get what you pay for. When the sound quality starts to drop, I just call back and it's fine for a period of time.
Another problem I've run into is trying to call a business with a call center (think motor vehicle department) and by the time they pick up the phone, they can't hear me. It's a one way call issue and I could do a packet trace and nail it down but why should I do their work for them? :read2:
It's not really a good mobile solution as you must have internet access. Generally on the road that means wireless and some hotels have their firewall set up to block Session Initiation Protocol which in essence will block voip, which is what MJ is, a cheap voip solution.
DRENO
Well-Known Member
8)
Thanks Joe,that's what I was looking for. I saw the infomercial on TV and that's what got me to thinking. For a land line I don't feel too sure about relying on an internet connection to insure that my phone works.
Thanks Joe,that's what I was looking for. I saw the infomercial on TV and that's what got me to thinking. For a land line I don't feel too sure about relying on an internet connection to insure that my phone works.
ramcharger
Dismember
Glad I could help Dave.
Yeah, no internet or computer and you'll have no phone. BTW, I'm still trying to find time to put that lock together..... :read2:
I saw MJ has a new product coming out where they capture your cell.phone, utilize the bandwidth without using your minutes. dont know all the technical attributes...but I heard the big cell phone companies are not happy...they paid big dollars for those frequencies....
aloha
aloha
ramcharger
Dismember
Vonage is doing it too. It an iphone app that looks for an open wireless internet connection and just transmits and recieves via voip. It shouldn't usurp any bandwidth from the cell phone companies, although I gaurantee you the cell phone companies will lose business.
demon tracks
Member
I had majic jack worked great for a month or so then the light went out and nothing,the customer no service is non existant they won't send another unit to me unless I fork over another 40 bucks I canceled my service so I won't get popped for the yearly charge but I know they will charge me any way If I were you I would google magic jack problems then make your decision after you see the tens of thousands of complaints
jysnflem
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 29, 2008
- Messages
- 499
- Reaction score
- 36
We bought a similiar service called Ooma from CostCo. It cost $225. one time fee. It still works with the computer off. You can always return items to CostCo if not happy. It has a good sound quality. We've had it for 2 months now and no problems. Jayson
fstfish66
Well-Known Member
ill be following this topic,,,,between home and cell way tyo much money and i dont use half my time,,and its the smallest plan,,,,,
thinking switching home phone,dsl,and cable all over to cable,,only a 30 dollar savings,,,but maybe this skype could save some bucks???
thinking switching home phone,dsl,and cable all over to cable,,only a 30 dollar savings,,,but maybe this skype could save some bucks???
dgc333
Well-Known Member
If you are looking to reduce your cell bill why not switch to one of the unlimited calling plans? Verizon has been hawking a $69 unlimited plan and I think T-Mobiles is a little less. I would assume everyone else has something similar.
I just dropped my conventional Verizon telephone line (with DSL) and switched to Comcasts triple play plan. For $99/month I get internet, digital cable tv and telephone with no long distance in the US (goes to $119 after a year). I was paying $91 for just the cable tv and $85 for the phone and DSL from Verizon. So it's a decent savings
I use Skype to video conference with my daughter that lives in TX. The voice is fine but the video is quite choppy but it does let me see her. She's been working in India the past few weeks and the video is real bad, the image updates about once every for or five seconds.
I just dropped my conventional Verizon telephone line (with DSL) and switched to Comcasts triple play plan. For $99/month I get internet, digital cable tv and telephone with no long distance in the US (goes to $119 after a year). I was paying $91 for just the cable tv and $85 for the phone and DSL from Verizon. So it's a decent savings
I use Skype to video conference with my daughter that lives in TX. The voice is fine but the video is quite choppy but it does let me see her. She's been working in India the past few weeks and the video is real bad, the image updates about once every for or five seconds.
fstfish66
Well-Known Member
me and my wife have a 2 cell plan,,verizion,smallest plan they offer, 69 a month,\ plus tax 83 a month,,700 minutes between the two,,,,we dont use 400 minutes, but no smaller plan is offered,,,and the pre pay plan would cost more, a dollar a day if you make one call.
home phone with DSL cant remember exactly, but the DSL is starting to stink,,,,called both verizion,to check on fios, and comcast for there package,,,,comcast would be the better for me as far as all the hoopla involving installlation,,
dont ask,,,5 tv in this house, i work nites and record NHRA when i work,,so for all 3 internet,phone,tvs i think comcast was 141 a m onth on the special,,a 30 dollar savings over alll and maybe a better internet connection,,so far there is no way to beat the system,,after the special goes away your right back where you started,,they have us by the,,,,,,you know what
home phone with DSL cant remember exactly, but the DSL is starting to stink,,,,called both verizion,to check on fios, and comcast for there package,,,,comcast would be the better for me as far as all the hoopla involving installlation,,
dont ask,,,5 tv in this house, i work nites and record NHRA when i work,,so for all 3 internet,phone,tvs i think comcast was 141 a m onth on the special,,a 30 dollar savings over alll and maybe a better internet connection,,so far there is no way to beat the system,,after the special goes away your right back where you started,,they have us by the,,,,,,you know what
DRENO
Well-Known Member
I don't know if they have Verizon up here,never checked.You say this is unlimited calling? I use about 1000 mins./month,$69 would be great.I guess I will look into it,thanks.8)
I have had magic jack for 2 years and just renewed for 5 more, I love it, why pay $30.00 a month when you can get the same service for $30 a year, I renewed at $59.00 for 5 years now that is cheap, the only thing I found out is you need a P4 or faster to have good connection, so I build me one and put it in the back room with a wireless connection and run nothing but the phone off it.
-
