Magic Jack

Beeman · #1 11/15/08, 09:59 AM

My wife saw an ad for this. Wondering if anyone has had any experience with it. It plugs in the USB port of your computer with cable internet and you plug a phone in it and you can make phone calls thru your internet connection.

wolfwalkerpa · #2 11/15/08, 10:08 AM

I had magic jack for 3 days and returned it. No local numbers, nearest one was 80 miles away. local calls are toll calls for any local friends.For m j to work the computer needs to be on 24/7. Every time the computer was rebooted m j had to be reinstalled. This is my experience but folks in other parts of the U.S have great luck with m j .The only support m j has is by INTERNET.

Siryet · #3 11/15/08, 10:54 AM

I have had MJ for three months now and I like it. No local number but I don't use it for my main phone so no bother.

I didn't give out the number to anyone so I don't have anyone call here on that line.

It does reload every time I turn on my computer but that i no problems for us.

For the money it's worth it but it is not a replacement for a regular phone just a replacement for long distance service without worrying about using up Min's all the time.

Plus, unlike my cell phone I can call CAN without extra charges.

Beeman · #4 11/15/08, 01:36 PM

How much does it cost beyond the initial cost? Only want to use it for long distance and most likely wouldn't receive calls on it.

uyk7 · #5 11/15/08, 07:38 PM

Remember, MJ (and Vonage) is digital communication and does not have the same protections as a regular phone line.

netandtim · #6 11/15/08, 08:59 PM

My folks got magic jack a few months back. Pop loves it. So much so that he disconnected the long distance service to the landline. We have them as part of our family plan for cell phones, so they make very few long distance calls. And they did keep the landline for local use (and to have non-digital phone service during hurricanes/power outages). I've not heard him say anything about having to reload each time the computer reboots.

Mel- · #7 11/19/08, 05:20 AM

I've been using it for several months and like it. I use my phone line for business and wanted a second number to give out as personal.

yes, it only works when the computer is on but it has voice mail so if your computer is off the caller is directed immediately to voice mail just as if your phone was busy.

costs$50 the first year (to pay for the cost of the gadget) and $19 a year every year after that.

I use a pay as you go cell phone and this was the cheapest route for me to for both additional local calls and long distance calls. at $19 a year it's practically free!

pourfolkes · #8 11/22/08, 04:59 AM

I have had mine for a week and so far, I like it. I have not had to use my regular phone at all. I am keeping the regular long distance for now just to make sure that magic jack continues to work right, but in a month, if it still performs like it should, I am discontinuing my "unlimited long distance" on my regular phone. I still will have a basic phone, just in case of a dsl outage, and my dsl charges, but without the unlimited long distance my phone bill will go down by $30 a month... that is $360 per year, so for me, it will be well worth the $50 I paid. Then after the first year, it is only $20 per year after that.