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View Full Version : Magic Jack?

herbalwriter
10-12-2009, 03:37 PM
Has anyone used this for your phone? What do you think?
domesticzookeeper
10-12-2009, 03:55 PM
No experience, but I found this:

http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2009/03/12/magicjack_far_from_enchanting/

I had heard something about their 911 service being less-than-stellar :shrug3
herbalwriter
10-12-2009, 04:01 PM
Interesting...I don't currently have a landline; I use my cell right now. I would also use my cell for 911. But my cell plan is 25 cents a minute, which sounds high but it's $25 for 100 minutes - I couldn't find a plan that beat that, and it works fine for my small amount of phone usage. But I would like to be able to call and actually talk to someone now and then!

I wonder if I could buy a MagicJack at Target or something. :think
brandi
10-12-2009, 04:12 PM
DH has been thinking about getting one.
Lantern Light Mama
10-12-2009, 04:22 PM
My sister has one. The connection is always bad. I have to usually ask her to call me back on her cell phone.
ReedleBeetle
10-12-2009, 04:52 PM
I have 2 friend's with it. One friend's works ok some of the time and not at all others. The other friend's doesn't really work ever. My dad's business has it for an extra line. He said it works fine for that, but not for a main phone.
BeckaBlue
10-12-2009, 05:03 PM
my dad has it and it works fine for them :shrug they have a cell as well but mostly use the magic jack as their landline
I'm planning to get it when i have the $, mainly so i have a # that's local to where i live
brandi
10-12-2009, 05:09 PM
my dad has it and it works fine for them :shrug they have a cell as well but mostly use the magic jack as their landline
I'm planning to get it when i have the $, mainly so i have a # that's local to where i live

Does it give you a local number? I was wondering about that :think
BeckaBlue
10-12-2009, 05:11 PM
my dad's is local so i assume so :shifty
herbalwriter
10-12-2009, 06:42 PM
It sounds like it might fit my needs - I really only want something that I can use to make the occasional, long-distance or long-lasting call. If it doesn't work at that moment, no big deal; it would be for optional calls only.

After my experiences, though, I am hesitant to trust any company that offers phone service. I just *know* there will be hidden fees somewhere...anyone have experience with the billing process?
Lantern Light Mama
10-12-2009, 06:44 PM
can you google reviews of it?
BeckaBlue
10-12-2009, 06:45 PM
it's $50 the firest yr, since u hafta get the equipment. after the first yr once u plug it in/try to make a call it will ask you to pay. you truly do not hafta pay, you just won't be able to use it anymore.
herbalwriter
10-13-2009, 07:52 PM
can you google reviews of it?

The reviews are really mixed. :-/

I did read that sometimes incoming calls can get blocked by your computer's firewall, but that such a thing is fixable...for people who know how to do that kind of thing, which I don't. :sigh

Magic Jack seems too cheap to be true - they say $40 for the first year (the usb jack itself), then $20 a year thereafter. Mama2madj, what do you mean they ask you to pay after the first year? You mean they ask you to renew or whatever? It's good to know there is an option of just not paying and therefore not using the service anymore. :yes I have read that it can be hard to uninstall, though. :-/

I swear I am just going to start using smoke signals to communicate.
BeckaBlue
10-13-2009, 08:17 PM
my dad got his in 2/08, in 7/09 her hadn't used it for at least the last 6mts, he wasnt automatically charged or anything, when he plugged it back in it said he needed tyo pay to have service. so just that it doesnt automatically charge you, kwim?
i have no idea about uninstalling, it seems it just needs to be unplugged :scratch but im not a techie person :giggle
herbalwriter
10-14-2009, 04:14 PM
See, that's what I would think - just unplug it. :shrug

I found out I can get one at WalMart for $40. That's what 1 month of land line service costs. :think