Got Magic Jack?

If you've tried it what do you think of it?

Any other input about Magic Jack?

My wife tried it 47 years ago - still using ;););)

My brother has been using it for a year or two now, seems to work fine. He has the kind that plugs into the computer so he has to make sure the computer is turned on for it to function. I think they also make one that doesn't need to be plugged into a PC.

When calling, I can't tell the difference.

I tried it, and it kind of messed things up for me. I forget exactly what the problem was, but I know it only lasted about 2 days before I sent it back. Maybe because I have more than one computer in the house, sometimes 3 or 4 running at the same time.

One thing I did do when my wife died was get rid of the cable TV and house phone. It saved me $100/month. I can watch anything I want online, and use Metro PCS for my phone, because you don't need a contract.

I have Magic Jack Plus. So, I can port my old phone number and keep it. Plus, it plugs into the router so you dont have to leave your computer all night. When it works it works.......However, they have almost no customer service. You can not speak to anyone. You go in a chat room to speak with Tech support. If your problem is too tough they just unplug you. This happened to me three times.

If you have DSL like I do and you plan to "port your phone number be sure to contact your DSL/current phone company so they don't disconnect the phone and the DSL. This happened to me. I lost my email address of 14 years because of this and it took a week to get service reinstalled because AT&T is just incompetent.

If you have a wireless router in the house make sure it is a newer one. My old G wireless router could not handle the phone traffic. The new 300N is working great.

I've had one for about a year and a half. It's plugged into a computer that is on 24/7, since I got it before the non-PC option was available. It works just fine, although I rarely use it....we always use our cell phones instead!

I got it mainly because the cell phone coverage in our house was horrible. I could get a good signal anywhere in the city but my own house! I wanted a backup in case one of my kids, my sister or my mom needed to reach me and couldn't on the cell. Now our cell phone service is great (I guess AT&T put up a new tower) so we haven't used the "house" phone much at all. I'll mainly use it if I'm making a call where I know I'll probably be put on hold for forever...

On advantage of the IP phone over a traditional home phone is that you could take it with you if you wanted...as long as you also took your laptop...so you could have your "home" phone with you on the road. Since pretty much everyone has cell phones anyway that "advantage" is probably worthless....

Never had one, so not first hand- but a friend talks about not being able to talk to her dad because of the %$#& Magic Jack.Sometimes it works, other times not so much.

What the heck is a Magic Jack?

What everyone seems to be forgetting, is that magic jack itself is a small number of $$, you still need to have internet, and if that goes down, well hope you have a cell as well. Mind the latter issue is the same no matter what styel of phone service you have (yes even the cell system can fail - just ask Newcastle Australia how good the cell service was during the Earthquake and during the East Coast Bushfires).

John, a Magic Jack is a device you plug into a computer. It has a phone jack on it that, along with a subscription to the service, gives you a VOIP (Voice Over IP) phone line. Note, it requires a high-speed (cable, DSL, etc) Internet connection to work. The ads I've seen for it on TV say it's $20 per year.

Not a plug as I have no use for it, but here's a link to their web site.

http://www.magicjack.com

Thanks guys. I believe I'll leave that where it is.

I've used this for over a year now with no problems. I also fax with it.

http://www.nettalk.com/en/howduoworks

I think it cost about 60 bucks with the first year free. Just re-upped for another year, $30. I have AT&T internet for $20 a month.

I live overseas and use it as my stateside number ... works great! Family and friends can call and if they remember the time difference I'll even answer the phone. Initial outlay was $39, that included first years use. Just paid $30 for the second year. We're moving back to the states and will probably keep it there too.

YMMV

Geoff