The magic Jack

[RSW]

Has anyone tried the Magic Jack Phone offered in PC Mag? I was just wanting to know if it is real.

 

[Couch Potato]

Yes, it is real. For a one-person operation it is great. I don't recommend it as a primary household phone, but for an appraiser when combined with a cell phone it is great. It also makes a great secondary line for personal use or travel. When I'm in my "office" (aka reclining on my red sofa) I use it for all outgoing calls. For simplicity, I forward incoming calls to my cell phone.

 

[RSW]

Why don't you recommend it for a primary household phone, Spud?

I currently use Comcast digital voice for my fax and office numbers and they work great. But, would you advise using two of these for my office and fax lines?

 

[Couch Potato]

It requires the computer to be on for it to work. By forwarding incoming calls to a cell phone dependance on the computer working is avoided. For outgoing calls you can easily deal with any issues that could arise because you are always aware of any problem.

I use MyFax.com for my fax line; $10 a month for a toll free number. I don't trust my business to a traditional fax machine. I don't know how well MagicJack will transmit a fax. Only one MagicJack can run on a computer at a time, so that would be another issue for using it with a fax.

MagicJack works, and works well, but I am not sold on it for 24/7 reliability for my family just yet.

 

[Riick]

Just talked to someone about this.... He heard about it, but is well satisfied using
Skype, which is even cheaper at $20/year - so he tells me.
Anyhow, to add to the discussion, the way to get multiple PHONES to work is by
buying a cordless phone with a base station, and multiple satellite phones
Like this one: LINK

 

[Couch Potato]

Skype is not cheaper when configured with similar features, it costs $60/year if you want people to be able to call you from a regular phone.

MagicJack is $20/year if you sign up for an additional 4 years as a bundle. MagicJack also has the advantage of being usable on any Internet connected computer with an open USB port just by plugging it in. (No download or installation work required.)

A cordless phone pack is the way to go for multiple extensions, but pay attention to the frequency of the phone. If you use WiFi you want to avoid using the same band.

 

[Jerry Lieb]

I have had MagicJack for about 3 months. It works fine. I use it at home for outgoing calls only. We have a "regular" phone for incoming calls. Since getting MagicJack, I have been able to drop my long distance carrier. This saves me roughly $80 each month...! Also travel with MagicJack as it works from my laptop. Your computer must be "ON" in order for it to work, so if you have a computer failure, or if your cable company has a problem, the MagicJack will not work. In all, you can't beat $19.95/Month (plus the cost of the device, the first year). They offer a 30 day free trial - you really have nothing to lose.

 

[RSW]

How does it work or perform with an ISP such as Verizon or AT&T on a notebook computer?

 

[Couch Potato]

I have used in in a variety of places and it works well over any connection. I have TimeWarner cable internet at home and the computer usually used for the MagicJack is connected via a wireless hub. I could not do that with Vonage VOIP service. I have successfully used it over the lowest cost AT&T dsl service (my parents house in Atlanta). I have also used it in a variety of public hotspots such as at Starbucks, Panara Bread, Caribou Coffee, several hotels and the public library. I think it is safe to say it works over just about any high speed connection.

In all, you can't beat $19.95/Month (plus the cost of the device, the first year). They offer a 30 day free trial - you really have nothing to lose.

You mean $19.95 /Year don't you. It is hard to break the monthly thought pattern.

 

[RSW]

I think I will try it for 30 days and see if I like it. I have two computers in my home office and I could use both of them for access through my hub if I needed two lines. I'll try one at first and see how it does.