Magic jack phone service
- Thread starter whip
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All you need is a cell. Landlines are pretty outdated. I got rid of mine a long time ago. My free long distance starts at 7pm. Everyone I know is just getting off from work,as is I around that time,so having a landline when there`s no one home to ever use it is pretty silly. If I didn`t have a cell,I`d go with Magic Jack over a regulat landline phone though.
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Magic Jack is great for folks that have a dedicated PC that has broadband or DSL. Those 2 services are always on unless you turn off your modem (which now a days isn't a bad idear).
Basically what it does, it uses your PC as the telephone service. Your using your Internet connection as your feed. Its a very good idear and I am sure the inventor is a mulit millonare.
If you have DSL or Broadband I would give it a shot. Not sure if you can keep your current number though. I believe you get a new one. If you are running dial up service, that means you have a current phone line service and then whats the point?
True DSL is a phone line service but it acts independently from standard telephone service.
For $20 I think its worth a try. I am been on the fence on it for quite some time.
Jeff
Basically what it does, it uses your PC as the telephone service. Your using your Internet connection as your feed. Its a very good idear and I am sure the inventor is a mulit millonare.
If you have DSL or Broadband I would give it a shot. Not sure if you can keep your current number though. I believe you get a new one. If you are running dial up service, that means you have a current phone line service and then whats the point?
True DSL is a phone line service but it acts independently from standard telephone service.
For $20 I think its worth a try. I am been on the fence on it for quite some time.
Jeff
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I have it. Yes you can port your cell or home phone number. You can pay a few bucks for a vanity number or a new one.
I have roadrunner lite, 128k up, 756 down. Sounds very good provided the network isn't congested downstream. If sound is compromised it's for the home phone (echos, delays, people talking over each other) and it's less than 10% of the time and IMO tolerable. The caller doesn't know, so long as you bite your tongue and don't always jump in over them.
I crunched the electrical numbers and my laptop running all the time costs a couple bucks a month. If it had a capable BIOS I'd shut it down each night to have it boot up next day.
Cell phones here barely come in and MJ compliments a cell perfectly. MJ has a website where you can forward your MJ number anywhere... like your cell. Makes a good "business" line selling stuff on Craigslist or whatever when you don't want weirdos knowing your "good" number.
Also the voice mails show up in your email as wav files, how cool is that?
I just set up a VTech cordless phone with two lines to appease the wife who demands an old school landline for emergencies; made the land line "Line 2" to try and wean her.
I have roadrunner lite, 128k up, 756 down. Sounds very good provided the network isn't congested downstream. If sound is compromised it's for the home phone (echos, delays, people talking over each other) and it's less than 10% of the time and IMO tolerable. The caller doesn't know, so long as you bite your tongue and don't always jump in over them.
I crunched the electrical numbers and my laptop running all the time costs a couple bucks a month. If it had a capable BIOS I'd shut it down each night to have it boot up next day.
Cell phones here barely come in and MJ compliments a cell perfectly. MJ has a website where you can forward your MJ number anywhere... like your cell. Makes a good "business" line selling stuff on Craigslist or whatever when you don't want weirdos knowing your "good" number.
Also the voice mails show up in your email as wav files, how cool is that?
I just set up a VTech cordless phone with two lines to appease the wife who demands an old school landline for emergencies; made the land line "Line 2" to try and wean her.
I have been using magicJack on a dry DSL line since October 2008. Besides magicJack blocking some exchanges (due to cost), the service works great.
If you don't want to leave a computer on, the nettalk DUO has the benefit of not needing a computer turned on. You simply plug into your router, wait for a ring back and start making calls. But, it is $69.95 for the first year, then $29.95 per year after that.
If you don't want to leave a computer on, the nettalk DUO has the benefit of not needing a computer turned on. You simply plug into your router, wait for a ring back and start making calls. But, it is $69.95 for the first year, then $29.95 per year after that.
Been discussed before many times:
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/magic-jack-phone-service.138016/
https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/magic-jack-phone-service.138016/
I've had it for several years and overall I've been pleased with it.
Both my wife and me have cell phones so the MagicJack compliments the cell phone rather than replaces a regular phone. We have a Colorado number so family can make local calls when they call us-not such a big deal for cell phone users but a couple of my wife's relatives still have landlines and get charged for long distance calls.
I also use it for conference calls-I can use the MagicJack and a speakerphone for the call, mute it, and just listen while I work. It also keeps my cell phone free for "real" calls during conference calls when I don't have to actively participate.
I have an older Windows XP machine that is dedicated to the MagicJack-it sits in the furnace room in the basement without even a monitor and only does the MagicJack.
Originally Posted By: bkbenjy
It is free.
No, it's not. It's cheap at around $15-$20/year, but it's not free.
Both my wife and me have cell phones so the MagicJack compliments the cell phone rather than replaces a regular phone. We have a Colorado number so family can make local calls when they call us-not such a big deal for cell phone users but a couple of my wife's relatives still have landlines and get charged for long distance calls.
I also use it for conference calls-I can use the MagicJack and a speakerphone for the call, mute it, and just listen while I work. It also keeps my cell phone free for "real" calls during conference calls when I don't have to actively participate.
I have an older Windows XP machine that is dedicated to the MagicJack-it sits in the furnace room in the basement without even a monitor and only does the MagicJack.
Originally Posted By: bkbenjy
It is free.
No, it's not. It's cheap at around $15-$20/year, but it's not free.
Originally Posted By: Cutehumor
i'm waiting for the magic jack femtocell to come out and use my cell phone for free.
I hope it isn't like magicJack's Linux offering .... by the way, despite the company continually saying it was coming, it never did.
Here is an article on femtocell: "Borislow said plans for the device are now on hold. The device had to use low signal power levels to get around legal restrictions on the use of licensed spectrum, but that also shortened the range and reduced sound quality. He's now looking for a carrier partner that would allow him to turn the power up."
i'm waiting for the magic jack femtocell to come out and use my cell phone for free.
I hope it isn't like magicJack's Linux offering .... by the way, despite the company continually saying it was coming, it never did.
Here is an article on femtocell: "Borislow said plans for the device are now on hold. The device had to use low signal power levels to get around legal restrictions on the use of licensed spectrum, but that also shortened the range and reduced sound quality. He's now looking for a carrier partner that would allow him to turn the power up."
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