Has anyone on clutchfans ever used the Magic Jack? In case anyone doesn't know, its a VoIP USB plug. Plug it into your computer (with a high speed internet connection) and then your phone into the Magic Jack. Reviews online are mixed...I figured clutchfans would be brutally honest...as always. I'm wondering because the apartment complex I'm living in is giving me horrible signals lately. Does anyone else have a problem with this as well? I'm on Sprint, and all I've heard is that they have horrible service/networks. But I've been on that ever since I got my phone from my parents 4 years ago, so I just haven't looked into switching. So, is the Magic Jack worth getting, or should I just try to change services?
I tried it. It works Ill have to admit. Cheap too... running a special for like 5 years of service for $60 or something. But I ended up returning it for the simple fact if I can stay under my measly 200 minutes a month on my cell phone plan, then I wouldn't need that device at all! To sum it all up, its a good product for a good price if you NEED it. I guess I just didn't need it bad enough.
My friend that's moving back to Taiwan from Houston next month just bought one to bring back so people here can call him in Taiwan for free with his local (713) area code from Magic Jack.
Isn't it only free for other people who have skype? Since I don't know anyone with skype, I don't think it would be of use. I basically just want something cheap to use while I'm inside my apartment. I may just get some friends with different cell phone providers to come over and try their phones at my place. I dont know how much good that will do tho, my girlfriend has sprint, and she gets service inside. Maybe its just my phone and I need to upgrade...I had been getting service inside my apartment fine until like...last Sunday...its pretty weird...but I need a phone at night so I have to do something. Magic Jack is $40 for the USB thing and the first year...definitely less than a home phoneline.
How hard is it to get people to also get Skype? I use it to talk to friends all over the world for free, even video conference with them...for free.. When I am on the road I video conference with my family for free. Skype ROCKS !! DD
I guess your family is computer literate then. My dad doesn't even know how to turn a computer on, and I have to install all the software anyone in my family ever gets, and my girlfriends. So, its not THAT easy. Plus I don't want to say "Hey, I want to call you tonight. Go download this thing for me real quick though."
You can purchase skype out minutes to call houses. Or purchase a physical skype number that people can call like a phone. my beef with those types of programs and the magic jack hardware is that you have to have a pc running. My parents used Skype for a few years, because calls to KSA is pretty damn expensive. But now they just use Vonage, I love it. I call a 713 number on my cellphone and they pick up their cordless phone in Saudi Arabia.
That was another thing I had to think about. But, I'm really only going to be using it while I'm at my apartment, and normally while I'm at my apartment, my computer is on anyway. Only problem I guess would be if there was an emergency or something like that. "Quick, call 911!" "OK, let me boot up my computer first."
its good, my dad got it, and we have it as a second line here in the house they brought it to the Philippines last Feb and worked perfectly there also, could call the 713 number and it would be local call for us here. has everything with it including Voice Mail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, and don't see a lag in my DSL connection when its in use.
My brother has some TekShield thing in his house that protects against UV so his cell phones don't work. He bought this jack thing and he says it works great.
I've used Magic Jack and have been quite pleased with it. The sound quality is very good. I used it everyday when I was in Korea to call back to the states. While the basic SKYPE service is free, you cannot call folks on their phones. If my wife was out of the house when I called using Magic Jack, I could simply call her cell. Also, if you are not sitting in front of your computer, it is not easy to receive a SKYPE call. Hard to beat for $1.75/month.
I picked it up today. Talking to my girl right now, and its not disrupting my internet use. I thought I had a phone, but I don't, so right now I'm using my headset I got from work. It sounds just as good as my cell phone though, as long as my computer is on. I'm happy so far.
I'll have to ask my son how his Vonage is set up. In addition, I had limited success with setting up my Magic Jack to use multiple phone jacks. Instead of plugging the output into a phone, I plugged it into a wall jack. At that point, all the phones in the house could "kind of" use it, but not to any useable degree. If I remember correctly, I had found some stuff on the Interent describing how it could be done better.
Thanks for your info, if you find out any more details please let me know. I remember I had VoIP service through Lingo a few years back but we only used it on one phone line and never looked into using it on multiple lines. Also, I can't remember what the thing was about dialing 911 on these types of services. Is it that the call does not go directly to a 911 operator but instead to a person that routes call to a 911 center for you so it may take a little longer?
