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What’s New With magicJack?
April 25th, 2008 by Jeffrey L. Wilson 
It’s been a while since we’ve checked up on the magicJack, the $39.99 telecommunications device that slides into a notebook’s USB port and allows chatters to make unlimited local and long-distance calls within the U.S. and Canada using a traditional landline phone or headset. In our magicJack review, we praised the device for its simple setup, very nice call quality, and amenities, but magicJack had promised additional features. Our mission was to find out if the company followed through.
Promise #1: Mac Compatibility Before the End of 2007
At the time of our November 2007 review, magicJack was PC-only; Mac compatibility was set to arrive before the end of the year. Did magicJack live up to its promise? Well, technically, no. OS X compatibility was added in January 2008, but we’re not going to split hairs over a few days; we’re just happy to see the magicJack love spread to more operating systems.
Promise #2: International Calling Before the End of 2007
Much like Mac compatibility, international dialing was slated to arrive before we said bye-bye to 2007. Did magicJack live up to its promise? Again, not quite. International dialing did arrive, but not until 2008. Still, we’re happy that it’s here, and this is how it works: You can call any other magicJack user anywhere in the world free of charge. If you’re traveling abroad, you can place free calls to the U.S. or Canada. In fact, the only time that you have to reach for your wallet is when you’re calling a non-magicJack international number; that requires the purchase of international minutes. Plus, if you’re overseas and plan to call someone in the U.S. or Canada, or want to dial an international magicJack user, there’s no need to use a country code.
Promise #3: Ability to Port Existing Numbers to magicJack Before End of 2007
We’re still waiting.
A magicJack unit just arrived in our offices and we’re eager to put the device through the paces. A question for the magicJack fans out there: What do you think of the new features?
146 Responses to “What’s New With magicJack?”
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April 25th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
One problem that I had with the magic jack is that early on they were really deficient in the number of choice of area codes for some states, especially where I live in Florida and unfortunately on their website they did not make a listing of available area codes for each state that u could see before purchasing the device.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
magicJack will continue to expand it’s inventory of area codes/telephone numbers as they become available – please click on the below (also found on http://www.magicjack.com ), for currently available area codes:
magicJack Area Codes:
http://www.magicjack.com/areacodes/
April 25th, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I don’t know where you live in Florida, but I found a magicjack area codes page, which lists about 30 Florida area codes (four of them say “Pending”) cheers. http://www.magicjack.com/areacodes
April 27th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
In reference to magicFriend; when I first ordered majic jack it was just on roll out and the list of area codes that u refer to was not available at that time. I returned the device because the area code that I live in and wanted was not available at that time(orlando). That was at least 3 months ago. As u can see Orlando, Florida is still not an available area code.
April 27th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
When will it become available in Canada for area code they told me in 2008 but when?
May 11th, 2008 at 1:38 am
I bought 3 magicjacks and I only regiemster 1 of them because I am still waiting for available area code in toronto.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:57 am
Yup, same here. Waiting for Canadian area codes
May 18th, 2008 at 10:50 pm
My brother eagerly bought one of these devices and has since cancelled his phone service throught the local provider. Myself, being a happy Vonage customer and ex-ITprofessional, wanted to put the magicjack through the paces. Here’s what I found using my brothers device.
1. Once the software and fix has been installed reboot your machines. This cleared up the intermittent (breif but frequent) audio drops on the magic jack end. Others, receiving my calls had no quality problems.
2. If you have disconnected your inhome wiring network from the outside telco, you can plug the magic jack into any outlet (phone only) and all existing phones will work properly. There was no quality dropoff when two phones were off the hook.
3. International calls (outside US/Can) are currently unavailable. I am unable to verify if a majicjack user has ever been able to make international calls (i.e. those starting with 011…).
4. The live-chat link is hidden until you submit a question.
5. The on-line chat responses are very bot like. There are no mispellings or grammar errors, however the syntax identifies the (bot/representative) as someone who is ESL educated. I even asked the bot/rep if anyone had ever successfully made calls to 011… #’s. The response was ‘No’. I then asked why they would take money for international calls and how to get reimbursed. The response was ‘engineers are working to resolve the problem. try again tomorrow.’ I have received 2 such responses. After some more less than clever prodding, the bot/rep changed its’ tune and said that in fact that 011 calling was possible.
6. The customer service is very lacking and there is no clear way to get refunds. Buyer beware, but then again the one year contract is less than a petro fillup, so there really isn’t much to lose. Remember, you can always dispute charges on your credit card if the service is null/unsatisfactory. BBB complaints are also powerful tools, unfortunately more research would need to be done to find billing addresses/phone #’s.
———————————
There you have it, my two cents, both the good and the bad.
May 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I was wanting to know if you had a small business how you could use like 4 or 5 of the “MagicJacks” – plug them into your existing old business phone system (KSU unit) and make that work for your business lines ?
The other thing I could not get answered is about how to get the 4 or 5 different telephone lines you get with using 4 or 5 MAGICJACK’s to Rotate or “HUNT” as At&T calls it. This is where you may have like 5 business tlephone lines and only give out the ONE main phone number, – but if you are on a call on that phone number- when someone else calls the incoming call will HUNT or “roll over” to the next available line that is not already in use. (kind of like Call forwarding when the telephone line is busy).
Which brings me to the 3rd question about if I already have 5 business lines with At&T I have been using for 10 years, how to be able to “PORT” them over to MagicJack so I don’t have to change my phone numbers I already have and everyone already knows by memory ?
Thanks for anyone’s imput.
May 23rd, 2008 at 4:39 am
Although I like the magicjack I do hate the huge (and I do mean huge) splash page the continually pops up (often when I’m in the middle of something). I also hate that there is no email address to write to. Talking with the “techs” (and I do use the word loosely) is worthless. they have no power to do anything and are not real helpful in trouble shooting. Their use of English is poor and about the only thing they can say is I’m so sorry……, I apologize…..again I’m sorry….you get the idea. I also don’t have the 20 – 30 minutes it takes to try and resolve issues (15 minutes of which are apologies)
The other thing is that the “free features” (such as caller ID) don’t work with all phones. Only certain ones (but they couldn’t tell me which ones).
I also hate I have to dial all 10 digits (1+ area code plus number) when calling locally on our “local” number.
I’ve never been able to speak to a supervisor. I’m always told I’ll be contacted but never am.
I’m not sure I’d advise anyone getting one until they can improve their customer service.
May 24th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
My magicjack call forwarding is not working. I fllowed all their instuctions , but still call forwarding is not working. I log-in my account and ENABLED call forwarding feature. I entered the number to be forwarded . I saved it and logged out. I have been trying for several days this feature to work.
I chatted with Customer service several times, they tried, it did not work. CS told me that they will inform the MJ engineer to fix it and the MJ engineer will send me an email in this matter. It has been 4/5 days the call forwarding still not working and I have not received any email from magicjack.
Call forwarding is very important for me.
Does anyone knows why call forwarding is not working?
Thanks,
Mark
May 25th, 2008 at 12:03 am
How to make International Calls. Please send me international rates by majicjack (Costa Rica, Chile, Venezuela, Italy, etc.) and additional instalation cost.
International calls (outside US/Can) are currently unavailable. I am unable to verify if a majicjack user has ever been able to make international calls (i.e. those starting with 011…).
May 27th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
My husband bought three MagicJack’s and after a week and a half I can make and receive calls but can not be heard by anyone one the other end.
tried to trouble shoot all options and still nothing. then I gradually tried all of my other (6 total) USB ports like the site suggested to and fried them all.
my computer won’t even recognise my printer any more after I unplugged it and then re-plugged it back into the port it has always been in after I tried to get the MJ to work.
Customer service sucks there should be a live person you can contact 24/7 that can help walk you through you issues and not damage you computer in the process.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Jimmy wanted to know about Hunting or rolling over from one phone line to another, when the first is busy. He also wanted to know about using MagicJack for 5 lines in a business. Here is what I’ve learned….. (a) there is no rollover or hunt feature. I looked into it and was told it is not available. (b) using MagicJack for 5 different telephone lines is difficult because you can only use 1 magicjack on 1 computer. Thus, 5 lines requires 5 magicjacks which requires 5 different computers. Again, 1 magicjack per computer. This is what I was told by MagicJack and I was not able to have 2 magicjacks running on one computer. NOTE: If anyone is able set up more than one MagicJack onto one computer, please advise. Other than that, I love my magicjack. Good luck.
May 30th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
I purchased the magicjack about two weeks ago. It is completely loaded onto my computer and it works okay. I can hear everyone I speak to load and clear, but I am told that I sound very low on there line. As we talk for a while, they get use to it and we can hold great conversations. My concern is if my computer goes into the sleep mode or stand by mode of even if I turn the computer off, the phone does not work. I see in the advertisement that the phone will work offline as well. Each time I try to call the number from outside, I get a message that tells me the line is disconnected. Why is that happening, is that right? How can the magicjack work offline and my calls and messages are being received as a disconnected number? Has anyone else had this problem and if you did what was or is the resolution? Thank you
May 31st, 2008 at 6:32 pm
GREAT PRODUCT BUT DO NOT BUY FROM THEIR WEBSITE. THEY HAVE AN F RATING WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. Wish I had checked out the BBB before giving out my cc number to the magicjack website.
This product works for me but watch out if you purchase from their site. They send hacked orders different from what you order and if you cancel the hacked order in time (monitor your cc and email if you gave them any info) you are charged a $1.00 processing fee! For their insecure site where real orders disappear and bogus orders are created you get charged!! Their email and live chat are useless!! My cc company advised me to order a new cc with different numbers after listening to my nightmare. I have spent over 8 hours with emails and live chat and no has done a thing except cancel the hackers order. I caught it immediately and was at least smart enough to look at the hackers invoice! They will not address whether I can pay by paypal. They want those cc niumbers to disperse to hackers I guess.
Do not give them any cc or debit numbers unless you want to spend your free time attempting to deal with these crooks and monitor your eail and cc. I will post again if I have anymore bogus orders or they decide to do the right thing and send me confirmation for the real order. They even wanted me to give them a second cc number! Do they think I am that big of a fool!! They refuse to give me what I ordered and most of their reps will not address any of my questions. And even worse when they do they give different answers.
May 31st, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Call Forward..
at first my forward did not work, I search the internet ( not magicjack.com ) and found instructions
to (1) enable (2) dial youir # (3) press *1234 (4) follow instructions to CREATE your own code
……… then it worked GREAT
I thought I read somewhere that magicjack had a Call Follow feature where I could make my Home & Cel # ring at the same time… or when my Electricity goes on/off and my CPU cant log on my Cel would take over ( elec goes out at my house DAILY … )
– would be GREAT for MagicJack to offer a way to load in Windows before the user logins
Low Volume
I had the same problem at first.
click the MagicJack MENU, and INCREASE both volumes for your handset
now I can hear and the other end can hear GREAT.
** I DO WISH Magic Jack would show on it’s own Menu how many VoiceMsgs I have
Give us an option on what we want to see on the MagicJack Display !!
Maybe all I want is a 1/4 inch high x 1 inch long bar that says ” 3 voice Msgs “
June 1st, 2008 at 2:25 am
MJ does seem to work, as promised with exception of minor inital quality concerns. These may go away with uses of their fix it program. The big RUB I have is that contacting the company and or C/S is very hard to do, and when you do service is poor, and there is liitle or no live tech support to help end usesers get the full potential out of what should be an amazing product.
BP
June 2nd, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Has any one been able to link a fax number with M/J that works?
June 3rd, 2008 at 11:38 am
I’m looking ways to integrate the MJ in companies PBX. Somebody is working on that? The idea is install one MJ to each employee… or connect 5 to 7 MJ in one computer and then to a PBX… The questions are:
1 Can I transfer calls? to cellphones or other numbers?
2 How many calls can receive the MJ at the same time? can I setup rollover between 2 or more MJs?
June 5th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
Is there a list of MJ retailers? I would like to just buy over the counter.
June 6th, 2008 at 9:56 am
International calls/ I make calls to Thailand with MJ with no problems,I am calling cell phones and my calls are 10 cents a minute,more than a calling card but less than 1/2 of what ATT charges.and the quality is better than most calling cards I have used.
June 8th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Could not find an area code in my area (WI) and a second phone in use with MJ had horrible reception so I decided to cancel. The cancel link on MJ website takes you nowhere and could not find a way to speak to a live person to save my life. We also could not link the fax number so it would work.
June 13th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
I have a sprint air card that I use to get on the internet. It is rated at 1.5 mg but in actuality its speed is around 850 kbs. I wonder if that would cause a delay in an voice interchange with someone. Some years ago A friend of mine had a setup that he used to talk over the internet with a microphone plugged into his desptop pc. The delay was maddening and it sounded as if he was talking from the bottom of a well, and that was with a 3mgb cable hookup.
June 18th, 2008 at 4:30 am
This sounds interesting because I’m using long distance and Skype everyday. Our marketing company, Internet Marketing and Management Group (IMMG) http://webimmg.com provides marketing, management, and web design services to small and medium sized businesses, with team members all over the country. We depend on communicating constantly over the phone and internet with team members and clients.
I’m wondering if MagicJack has vanity numbers? Can you choose your numbers or do they just assign them to you?
June 23rd, 2008 at 10:41 pm
to comment najiy: thank you for the info you submitted. I have tried for days and hours to get a phone number for magicjack and was not successful. I purchased 2 under a trial but got charged the $39.99 BEFORE the 30 days were up. In fact less than a week later. On their infomercial they said if you are not happy return the magicjack and we won’t even charge you and they said they would refund the shipping costs to send it back. They lied to me and apparently to many others. I don’t want to do business with a company that is so hard to contact, has sucky customer service, lies to their customers, etc. I would think that in the beginning of a fairly new company….they would put their best foot forward.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I have purchased 2 Magic Jack devices. I’m happy with what they do, but I’m not happy with the quality of sound on the other end. Persons that I have called complaining of static, and low-volume. I hope they have a fix soon. Please, if somebody has a fix for this problem tell us.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Oh yes, I forgot to tell you that I have Vista and did all the patches. And they have not worked. So I called Magic Jack and asked them, what else I can do. And they told me to use a corded phone as opposed to cordless phone. I went to the store and tried a corded phone, and that didn’t fix it either. Everything is clear on my end, but persons I call still complaining of static and low-volume. Please, I still need your help anybody call me with a fix.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I just though something if I could call magic jack then they can hear the sound quality of my phone call but I can get in touch with them. If anybody has their phone number please post it. So we can use our magic jack to call them to better illustrate the sound quality.
June 26th, 2008 at 8:59 pm
I’ve been using this for the last couple of days and all has thus far been good have not received any complaints I called long distance to boston ma talked with folks on both their cells and no real issues they all concluded that the quality was really good, then on called on their landline and it seemed much better, I felt that a true test would be to call their cell phones first because they are more susceptible to interference this would be a good barometer to go by then I called landline they were able to compare and remark that the clarity was better.
June 29th, 2008 at 10:25 am
No cc They have taken 63.80 on 4/18/08 and 133.75 on 5/16/08 out of my account .IT is now 06/29/08 and no product and I’ve found no way of getting this resolved. At this point all I want is my money returned and they can keep their Magicjasks. Very ,VERY dissatisfied.
June 29th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
You can use Grand Central to link 5 majic jacks together.
http://www.grandcentral.com/home/features
Takes a little planning!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:26 am
It’s sad to see all the complaints from people. Do you not realize you spent only $40 for a whole years worth of service. You get what you pay for and with that I love my MJ. I have had it for almost two months now and the only problem is that when my laptop is closed I think it shuts down the usb ports because I can call out, but no one can call in, weird. It goes straight to voicemail when that happens, so I just reboot my laptop and everything is ok again. For all those that are complaining about voice problems on their MJ, it’s probably your ISP not set up properly for voice prioritization. I know mine is and eveything sounds great at both ends, so quit blaming MJ and talk with your ISP. Jeez, it was 40 bucks already!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:25 pm
i should cancel it not pleased but will give it a few more weeks, static and low volume is our prob also cant call my daughter in same town as myself she has mj also. just doesnt work anyone had that prob let me know cant find a contact email for mj anyone know it.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:07 am
To fix the low volume problem, as someone mentioned above, you apparently click on “menu” / “volume/headset control” and then turn up the volume for your microphone.
July 8th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
We got the MJ 3 weeks ago and have had no problems except low sound on the receiving end. Since reading these responses I have turned up the volume under the Menue button on the MJ display so I will see how that does. The responses to excessive charges seem to be isolated so I’m not sure what happened there. My only complaint is customer service and response to email. I was charged $23.90 last week but I had it shipped early for $3.95 and a second year of service so they have been up front with us so far.
July 10th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
The magicjack has some issues, but the price makes it all worth it. First off, setup is NOT a breeze. The software fails to load the first time, the links on magicjack.com for a human being failed until I searched “Live Chat” on the site. Then the billing tries to “force” you into taking the 3.95 charge for rush shipping which is all a scam for a rush service that does not actually exist. I got it in 5 days without rush shipping, and I had to get a human on their chat site to remove this 3.95 charge that I never clicked on the night I ordered it. They are so tricky on everything so be VERY careful. The good news. It does work pretty well on my Windows XP SP2 system. Beware SP1 or earlier Windows XP will not work, you must be running SP2. Not a big deal, we should all be on SP2 now or Vista. I put my computer into a “green” mode and there are no issues, and power consumption is very low. I turn off my monitor, hard drives, etc. Playing with the sound settings allows you to adjust the volume levels. The magicjack will take over your sound card, but you can switch it back and fourth as you want to soundcard or magicjack. I suggest dedicating an older computer to this magicjack if you can. I have 7 computers so that was no issue for me. I run it on a 2.4 GHz 1 GB of RAM slower computer running an AMD chip. Seriously, no issues at all except there are not very many local exchanges, and they are all area code dependent, and makes some people think they have to call long distance to call you, but it is not long distance. Dialing an area code in many major cities is common these days, and people are still not use to it. That is the only real issue I see, you get a local area code and number but have to dial the area code even if you are in that area code. That is the biggest issue with magicjack as I see it. I agree, for 19.95 a year, it’s cheap and so is their customer service. But how loud can you complain? You get what you pay for with this little unit, and I give it a thumbs up!
July 11th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
I have been searching site for info… could not find. In my home on one single line, can one magic jack, on one computer be linked to several phones throughout my house … and will all three phones ring on incoming calls.
For example phone in kitchen, phone in bed room, phone in basement… you get my drift.. I would place a computer in basement near my main phone line in for distribution to the other phones.
July 17th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Terrible customer service. The website tricks you and orders more devices than intended. Beware! No customer service. The website is full of promises with no true representations of the limitations for this product. Buyer beware.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I just connected my magicjack to my HP Pavilion Laptop, with no problems what-so-ever. I have called out of state, in state, and to Canada. I have asked everyone to rate the voice quality on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being the same quality as my home phone(now gone) delivered. My lowest rating was an 8, almost everyone said they could not tell the difference from my old MA-Bell phone. I am delighted, and have recommended this device to my entire family, and friends. The complaints I have read about, don’t exist on the level of firmware/hardware I received. All the advertized features have worked, and I tested them all. If there is a better home phone replacement on the market, I have not seen it.
Pete Dillon EE/CS
July 20th, 2008 at 8:25 am
reply to Victor: I also had a problem with the other end hearing static. I changed the USB port and everything was great. Apparently, some USB ports aren’t as good as others.
July 20th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Reply to Joe: I bought a phone with 2 satellites — the 2 satellites don’t plug into a phone line, just an electrical outlet to keep charged. I have one MJ and all 3 phones work. Fantastic.
July 20th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I just buy the magicjack but after I set up in my computer it does work the first time than after that it keep seeing that I have no internet wich is totaly fals I do have i height speed inernet from verezen and when i go to the custemer service there is no help
July 27th, 2008 at 3:19 am
As an IT professional, I am amazed at the varied responses this site has produced. I’ve viewed literally hundreds of sites about products or software. But this one, about MagicJack amazes me the most. The number of responders that cannot spell or construct a sentence is simply amazing.
As for MagicJack. (1) Do I own one? (2) Do I like it? (3) Would I buy one? (4) What problems have I had?
The answers are…
(1) No. (2) Can’t say. (3) Not sure. (4) None, since I don’t have one.
By the way, everyone…. some of you may be interested in this site:
How To Learn to Spell
http://www.eHow.com
How to Learn to Spell. Learning how to spell correlates with doing well in school and in life. Being an excellent speller enables a child and an adult …
you get the idea…
July 30th, 2008 at 3:24 am
Thx David luv u 2 brother that is why wii buy this phone so we don’t have 2 spell we are not all IT professional so u should not b so amazed. But 4 u I will try.
July 31st, 2008 at 6:38 am
Thank you bettyd for your help I’ve tried those things but they have not worked as well for me. I’m still a magicjack fan.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:16 pm
David on July 27th, 2008 at 3:19 am
That’s the stupidest post I’ve ever seen dude.
As an IT pro I wouldn’t let ya near any equipment that I own.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:13 pm
Joe, above, left the following explanation about how to get the call forwarding to work:
Call Forward:
“at first my forward did not work, I search the internet ( not magicjack.com ) and found instructions
to (1) enable (2) dial youir # (3) press *1234 (4) follow instructions to CREATE your own code
……… then it worked GREAT”
Only these instructions are not clear. I tried dialing my own number, then pressing *1234, but there were
no instructions, just prompts, one of which was to advanced options. another for messages, another which took one back to the main menu. I figured though that these instructions are close to right. Someone write me at mike872@centurytel.net to give me the real instructions for getting magicjack call-forwarding to work.
Mike Rice
August 4th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
David, sounds like you should have been an English teacher dude. Have a nice correct-spelling-full life.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I have had MJ for over a year now. I knew all about the lack of support and that most everything was web based from the start. People who are trying to compare this service to a full fledge broadband service are not seeing the point. For what you are paying for…this is a fantastic phone! Get grand central…it does help if you don’t get to get an area code for where you live. And then, (for me) don’t rely on it. I use another cheap full fledge broadband service like (now gone) sunrocket. I do use MJ constantly I just don’t rely on it to be the phone of choice. For what it is I am very happy with it.
August 14th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I have a magic jack and found out that if I unplug the magic jack from my PC the call forwarding seems to work just fine. This method actually works well for me since I can simply plug the device in only when I need to make outgoing long distance calls.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
I have nbeen using SKYPE for 2 years. I love it and it works great, especially SKYPE video. Please tell me why MagicJack would be a better solution.
August 25th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
I purchased mine through an Internet retailer. They have a toll free phone number and superb customer service. The address is http://www.go-fast-parts.com/5745158.html
August 27th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Magic jack is plagued with problems……sound quailty, voice “skipping”. this devise does not work as advertised.
Appears just another gimmic released before proper testing
September 2nd, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Jimmy Says:
May 21st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I was wanting to know if you had a small business how you could use like 4 or 5 of the “MagicJacks” – plug them into your existing old business phone system (KSU unit) and make that work for your business lines ?
The other thing I could not get answered is about how to get the 4 or 5 different telephone lines you get with using 4 or 5 MAGICJACK’s to Rotate or “HUNT” as At&T calls it. This is where you may have like 5 business tlephone lines and only give out the ONE main phone number, – but if you are on a call on that phone number- when someone else calls the incoming call will HUNT or “roll over” to the next available line that is not already in use. (kind of like Call forwarding when the telephone line is busy).
Which brings me to the 3rd question about if I already have 5 business lines with At&T I have been using for 10 years, how to be able to “PORT” them over to MagicJack so I don’t have to change my phone numbers I already have and everyone already knows by memory ?
Thanks for anyone’s imput.
Hi Jimmy,
I have just installed 2 MagicJacks into my business phone system, on lines 7 & 8. Unfortunately, magicJack, at this time does not offer Rollover Service, or I would replace all of my Phones with MagicJacks, and I doubt that they had Business Services in mind when they developed magicJack.
September 3rd, 2008 at 10:50 am
I have been using the MJ for over 6 months now and I really had no complaints up until now.
I set up call forwarding (months ago) to go to my cell and it worked flawlessly up until this past weekend. Now it doesn’t work unless I send it to a landline. The techs at MJ say they are working on the problem and said it was Verizon based. I also tried it on an AT&T based cell phone and that doesn’t work either.
I wonder how much the competition is trying to thwart MJ’s business since it is such a cheap alternative to other providers.
Is anyone else having the same recent problems with call forwarding?
-Jim-
September 11th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I love my MJ. price is right, service great, quality. Some people don’t appreciate a good thing.
Your ISP is the cause of 99% of the problems. Don’t blame MJ
I would like to use my existing # for my MJ, am patiently waiting for the ability to bring in #.
When this happens, MJ will explode with new orders.
September 14th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I too am a Telecom Professional and have used MagicJack for about 8 months and find no major problems with the device. It is a cheap functional alternative to land line phone service. I hate the lack of customer service but see this as a trend in the industry. I also hate AT&T and Verizon’s customer service.
The device has simple installation and it works. My company has recently installed VOIP service and the sound quality is about the same as it is with Magic Jack.The only real problem (and I’m not 100% sure that my computer may be somewhat at fault) is the sound quality sometimes degrades when I am talking and working on a memory intense program. The other problem I have is that number portability is still not here. I want to keep my home number but cannot transfer it to Magic Jack. I can have number portability with Vonage but I will pay more.
September 23rd, 2008 at 10:56 pm
buy mj from qvc.com–cheaper—and will refund w/in 30 days if needed
September 25th, 2008 at 10:14 am
I am having the same call forwarding issue with no help from MJ.
October 12th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
DO NOT HAVE A MAGICJACK. QUESTION IS WITH ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE COMPANY LISTED ABOVE ARE PEOPLE POUNDING THE BBB TO GO AFTER THEM. MY EXPERIENCE WITH BBB SHOWS THEY GET RESULTS. COMPANYS DO NOT LIKE BBB PUTTING THEM ON THEIR”BAD” LIST.
October 16th, 2008 at 6:15 am
How many of you are still having issues with your MJ? I am thinking of trying it. I know you have to return it within 30 days of ORDERING it, not receiving it, and I am wondering how long it took to get it. Will I have time to try it out before the 30 days is up? Also, they have to RECEIVE it within the 30 days, not just mail it back….
I agree that it is probably not a good idea to give my cc number on the website so I will wait for another option for ordering.
Also, with the E911 service issue, I expect to keep my land line, just in case. Also, I can use that for local only. I moved from out of state a few years ago and there is no service for my current area code, but there is for my previous one, so I could use that one, for now. I have experienced days of outage with my internet during an ice storm two years in a row, so that would mean no service. Also, they do not recommend using it with satellite internet service, so I probably can’t use it at my fiance’s house in the country.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:32 pm
TO BUSINESS USERS…
One thing to try for multiple lines on 1 box is to run a flavour of linux with the appropriate number of Wine Windows open for each magicjack, Still doesn’t fix the rolling issue, but you could have a dedicated single line using the same linux box with a voice mail forwarding center. ie call your landline main number (only need 1) then each employee would have a MagicJack. The software would forward when someone selects 3 to talk to BOB, it would call Bob. To save your landline could be a no frills line as cheap as possible.
QUESTION..
has anyone successfully used one on a EVDO network via a PDA connecting to the internet?
October 23rd, 2008 at 10:44 am
I have learned so much from this forum. One thing not mentioned is the caller id, mine does’t work, is there something special I am supose to do to make it work? ( Caller id comes up on the computer but not the phone) Also someone mentioned that other phones could be plugged into existing outlets and work, I was wondering how to make mine work. Thanks
October 24th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I WAS TOLD BY MAGIC JACK THAT I CAN NO LONGER MAKE OUTGOING CALLS BECAUSE I USED IT TOO MUCH I CAN ONLY RECEIVE INCOMING CALLS. I TOLD THEM THE WHOLE RESON I BOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE U SAID UNLIMITED LOCAL AND LONG DISTANCE CALLS. WHAT A RIPP OFF
October 27th, 2008 at 2:03 am
I am totally sold on the magicjack. As stated by other posters, you get what you pay for. I’ve been in the telecom arena for 12 years and see all kinds of set ups. For 20 dollars a year, I can make and receive free calls……I’m happy. My father got the T-Mobile at home set up and they call me every two weeks to reset their router because their phones dont work. I also have another VOIP line (InTalk.com) which gives me a so lot of features that mj don’t. In my opinion, this is the way telecom is going so you’d better get used to it. Trust me, when VOIP first came out, the sound quality was very crappy and calls never connected. To see this little device does what it does, MagicJack gets a thumbs up from me (again, $20 a year).
Norm
November 9th, 2008 at 1:02 am
Well, after reading all of these comments, I will wait for better news about this device. Oddly, I saw it advertised on MSNBC during the Suzie Orman show. Both I respect for honesty straight talk. I wonder if they know about this inferior product being advertised. Any communications devise with this many problems does not deserve to be sold. Obviously, as one user said it is a scam and somebody put it on the market long before it’s time, without good testing and unable to do what a normal telephone does.
One thing that is particularly worrisome is that they say it works to connect you to 911. Has that been verified lately? A 911 call is often a matter of life or death and it must go through. I know I pay extra on my cell phone and landline phone for 911 and expect that the phone companies will do their part to connect me and be using modern and reliable equipment.
Look Before you Leap at supposed savings.
November 14th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Magic jack was working fine till i did a disc clean up on my computer. Evidently it erased something that’s giving Magic Jack the ability to call out. Have tried everything even uninstalling the product and reinstalling it. Magic Jack LIVE SUPPORT IS NON EXISTENT!!!!! How can you expect to handle customer service with a bunch of generic questions? Very frustrated trying to find some support.?
Mark
November 17th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
1.) are you people professional bloggers paid to give varied opions? 2.) Is Magicjack FCC compliant? 3.) Is Magicjack FTC (Federal trade Commission) compliant? 4.) for those of you who have issues about contacting Magicjack their number is 516-594-2140.
November 20th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
i followed the link from an earlier post ( http://www.go-fast-parts.com/5745158.html )
and bought one . got it fast and love it .
They are running a special right now …. FREE SHIPPING !!!
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
JOHN…If you have their number why don’t you call them with your two questions??
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:03 pm
I did and they hung up on me as soon as I asked if they were FTC compliant.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:53 am
The MagicJack voicemail is horrific compared to services like YouMail. I tried to forward the MagicJack to my cell phone voicemail (which is YouMail) but it appears to fail to pass the OCN (originally called number), which is what services like YouMail use to figure out which voicemail box to use.
There would be nothing cooler than having YouMail voicemail for the MagicJack – too bad MagicJack’s technology seems to be broken when it comes to call forwarding.
November 24th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Where is my order I was look for it last week.you told me that it with be here in three day,i had not got it.Can you tell me where is my order now.Can you help me,My phone with be off today because i was look for my magicJack.
November 27th, 2008 at 9:43 am
why am i receiving an echo of my own voice when i call certain phone #’s and not others. i also get a time delay on some calls. finally, i only got a dial tone even within my own state at ski maine, even when i used 2 different phone numbers which were available. i called my girl friend and asked her to make the call for me, which she did, and the ski maine representative called me back on my phone. why was i not able to call him but he was able to call me. he was within my own area code, only 30 miles away.
November 28th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
I waiting for the calls from friends, family to be a local call with in (541) 860 or 863 prefix
November 28th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Also when will I be able to keep my home phone # it would be great to not have to change my # with all my contacts Can anybody answer that????????????!!!!!!!!
December 1st, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Hi all, as I stated in a previous post, I contacted Magicjack and each time I posed a question I was hung up on. First time i attributed it to a dropped call but when it continued to happen I grew concerned with the company’s integrity. From what I have read on this site and through their shoddy telephone etiquitte I think I am going to bypass purchasing this product.
December 3rd, 2008 at 7:02 pm
hi to all! i am using a magicjack but i have a problem of outgoing calls though my unit is able to receive the incoming calls. i did exploring the magicjack official website but i can’t find an answer to my concerns. i hope anybody can help me on this. thanks a lot…
December 4th, 2008 at 10:45 am
If you plug the home land line into the magicjack you will activate all the phone plugs in your house but make sure you disconn the landline coming into the house, if not you will get a humming in all the phones and if you call magicjack they don’t know how to fit it. Also the normal phone land line use’s a-c current up to 90 volts for ringing., If you leave it hooked up you could fry your CPU. But if you disconn as above and plug it in to you home phone line it will run all your phones and works great., Good clean conns. Wayne
December 4th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Rap I have a canon MP830 All in one and the fax works perfect w/magicjack.
December 4th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Joie You might want to try a diff phone. Incoming calls and out going calls work off the same conns. Wayne
December 5th, 2008 at 4:48 am
I bought MagicJack in March 2008, tried it a few times, and out of sheer laziness (not wanting to mess with computer cables and spaghetti under the desk), I just put it aside and continued to use my original VoIP service. About a month ago, my VoIP adapter bit the dust and I had no phone service for 24 hours. I’m a disabled widowed senior, living alone in the rural Catskill Mountains in NYS, and I need quick phone access for medical reasons. Light bulb moment (compact fluorescent, naturally)….I suddenly remembered my MagicJack sitting alone, unused, ignored. Now I take every opportunity to tell others about this nifty little gizmo. I cancelled my original VoIP service ($30 per month back in MY pocket) and all I have now is MagicJack.
I LOVE MagicJack and will never go back to the legalized highway robbery. I tell friends, neighbors, businesses, strangers, anyone who has never heard of it. There’s one slight inconvenience: I forget to
turn on my computer some days……this week, a NYS Trooper showed up at my door at 11 PM to tell me that a friend in California had been trying to reach me for 2 days, and because of my medical problems, she was worried and asked the Trooper to check on me. I told the Trooper about MagicJack and he was going to check it out when he got off shift. LOL
Minor annoyances which I hope they can resolve:
1.) Without hardwired landline, you can’t have LifeLine or any of the other “alerting” services (”I’ve fallen and can’t get up”). I hope that GPS or an alternate high-tech idea will be created, but so far, none of the alerting services use anything but landline for communications.
2.) Living in rural area with frequent power outages means no communications, sometimes for 7-10 days. (And naturally, my cell phone doesn’t work in my area…..the closest transmission area is 3 or 4 miles down the road.)
3.) Really anxious to port my previous phone number (30 years) to MagicJack. Call it VANITY numbers or whatever, to eliminate hassles/confusion having to notify everybody in your life that there’s been a change.
If I could afford it, I’d buy MagicJacks for all my friends. Now, all we need is cellular MagicJack….LOL
I’m considering the “special offer” of 5 years of service for $60.00, but with the economy circling the drain, I’m a bit hesitant. Too many companies are folding…..any opinions on long-term prepaid service
at this time?
Sugarbunny49 (Donna, Saugerties, NY)
December 13th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I really want to have a Canadian area code. I can phone all over, but no one can phone me. I got Magic Jack with the hope that I could get rid of my land line…but unfortunately, I cant do that till i Have a Canadian Area Code hopefully Toronto – 416
Anyone know anything yet…I was told 2008 also, and were almost done !
December 16th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I bought the magicjack a month ago. I am in no way a computer wonk. I plugged it in, followed the prompts, and three minutes later was making calls. The sound and clarity were great! Caller id and call forwarding were easy to setup. I have an old compaq presario with windows xp and a broadband internet connection. I use this computer only for the magic jack. All the complaints I hear about customer service, and features not working right did not happen to me. My take on all of these really terse blogs about magicjack might stem from years of “mollycotteling” from big communications companies. Well all of you who are sniveling about this and that not being to your liking, please go back to paying a thousand bucks a year to your phone company. I am sure they will be glad to hold your hand for as long as you want, or until your late with their money.
December 16th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Prepare to be frustrated. I have very high speed at my office, tried calling toll free numbers and all I get is a fast-busy. No where to go on Magic Jack website for assistance, more frustration. What good is this if it does not work properly? We also use Vonage and they have a much higher quality than Maic Jack. THat old…You Get What You Pay For… is true, especially if it’s a (works sometimes) Magic Jack.
December 17th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
I agree that you get what you pay for… so its a fair deal, but what really made me mad a week ago is that the number I selected for myself initially had a (703) area code… then a week ago the thing rebooted itself and it came back with a (240) area code! I contacted support through the website and through their broken English (texting) they didn’t have a clue what to do. My number changing all by itself is inexcuseable…
December 21st, 2008 at 8:06 pm
“Most users that are having “trouble” with their magicJack® dongel are usually having connection problems with their computer’s USB ports and its power supply to those ports!”
This is the best telephone service that I have EVER used!
This service ONLY costs $19.95 per year!
Don’t believe any of the BAD PRESS you may hear about the service. I discovered what the “technical” problem was, because it actually happened to me. I was having audio and connection problems until I solved the technical problem of my computer’s USB bus drawing over 500 mA, actually 580 mA, with everything plugged into the bus.
My eMachine computer, Model T2882, only has a 250 Watt power supply and that was working at its limits with all the USB devices that I had plugged into the machine were demanding current. The attached article is how I solved the problem for less than $20.00!
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg4hrs67_457n5689dj
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 am
i bought one. pluged it in. followed the simple directions. it worked. i came in a few days after i oreder it no problems like all these people say. i got a choice of several san diego area codes and at the end all is free anyway.
i really cannot imagine i almost didn’t buy one by listening to all these poeple who wrote negative info. i came back to write just because i don’t want other people to be fooled by all this negative publicity. it works just fine. my son is calling canada on it without any problems. i’m planing to try it overseas and i’ll be back to wirte about how it works there. . . i asked some friends who used it in the middle east and they have had no problems. that alone will save me more than a hundred a months. so i’m glad i went with it. i spend that much on lunch so it was worth the risk vs. the hundred a month i spend on overseas calls from there to here. so my laptop worked with it in wireless mode. i recomend to buy and don’t listen to all these people who either don’t have an internet with high enough speed or a computer too outdated to work with a digital camera. mike
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Im confused because my parents live across the street and to call me they have to dial 1-then the area code….then the phone number. so they are waiting to get their phone bill but i think it will charge them long distance to call me even though we have the same area codes.
December 24th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
I just installed my majic jack. I love it but I need to port my existing number how do I do that . I know you promised to have that feature by the end of 2007. My current majic number assigned is 7324165301 and the number I would like to port is 7324481233. I use this line for home business. I would also like to know how to set up my fax service.
December 27th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Has anyony had aproblem with someone using my mj to bounce of? Rerouting their calls through their calls through your #, adding locations, or other malisous activities? Am have these types of problems, need help with this
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:25 pm
It’s nice to see some common sense users of this product for a change. The only issue with this device is IGNORANCE. After reading hundreds of “I love it”, “I hate it” posts, I’ve come to a few conclusions.
1: Never buy ANY free 30day trial on ANYTHING!!! Get MJ from QVC, Circuit City, Amazon etc… Then you have a hassle free return. ALL 30 DAY FREE TRIAL AND GIVE US YOU’RE CREDIT CARD NUMBER Company’s will set on your money and give you the runaround, duh. Your and every other sucker’s money is letting them make interest off it. They ALL will bite you in the azz with the fine print. DON’T DO IT!
2: For the people that think the thing that comes out after you press the button on the front of the computer is an automated cup holder, you’re too stupid to use this product. You probably have trouble operating a light switch or flushing the toilet. If you are a 1 on the (1 – 10) Tech Savvy Scale, save us the drudge of reading your negative post and don’t even think about getting this product. It’s way, way, way over your head. Go play with the light switch or something. MJ is a startup company running on a shoestring. It’s $40 dollars! It’s $40 dollars! It’s $40 dollars! It’s $40 dollars! It’s $40 dollars! What do you expect them to do, send a tech to your house? Come on people get real. If you can’t make it work then return it to Circuit City or QVC etc… Oh, you did the 30day free trial thing? DUH… you deserve the hassle. Just don’t bore us with your post.
3: Paranoid people get up in the morning; check the weather etc… on Internet. Hello! Your ISP tracked what you did and the Weather web cookie and all the other cookies did they’re thing. Picked up your Cell phone and made a call, Hello! Your phone service tracked and logged your call, they also knew you were home because of the built in tracking system. Got in your car and stopped at intersection, got your picture taken by traffic cam. Somebody knows where you were at the time of day. Stopped to get gas, restaurant, shopping swiped your credit card, God only knows how many people got this information on what you bought. Went to work and your employer tracked every keystroke, oh and don’t forget to smile for the candid camera. I looked your name up in the White pages and Goggled Earth your address, WOW! You got a really nice house dude. Maybe I’ll pay you a visit and spy on you. You think MJ gives a rip about the above information? They just want to know local information so they can push you the latest add special from the local pizza place. Unless you live in a cave, get a life because this is your life, you’re just too ignorant to recognize it and all the bitching in the world is not going to change it. Install this on an old PC, stick in the closet, plug in a wireless phone and forget about it. Now it’s out of site and out of mind. Just like all the above listed things we ignore every day.
4: It’s amazing! Carp computer + slow line + Magic Jack = Magic Jacks fault. You got to love it.
This is a COMPUTER \ INTERNET device. If you have a slow piece of crap computer loaded with God knows what (because you don’t patch, virus protect and properly maintain your PC.) your going to have PROBLEMS! If your Internet speed is slooooooow, guess what? It’s NOT GOING TO WORK WELL! So the folks that post, “I can’t hear”, “it’s full of static”, “it echoes”, “it sucks”, don’t buy it” and on and on and on. It’s your fault, not Magic Jack. If it wasn’t YOUR fault, we’d ALL be experiencing the same problems you are. So if you’re not willing to deal with YOUR problem, or simply ask people that have it working a few questions to help resolve your problem, then stop posting your ignorance.
5: This DOSE NOT and SHOULD NOT replace you’re your phone system. Analyze what it can and cannot do for you. If it makes business sense then get it. If not, DON’T slam this product because it doesn’t meet your needs. This device saves me and millions of people like me lots of money.
6: Read 1 – 5.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:48 pm
I ordered MJ from the online site. I had no problem with the order. I received an email explaining that they would have to charge right away because I used a debit card. If I had used a credit card, they would have waited for the end of the 30 day trial. That is a Visa rule, not Magic Jack but they gave me an opportunity to change my order if I wanted. They stated that even though I was charged right away, the 30 day trial still applied. I ordered it on 12-24, received shipment confirmation email on 12-26 and it was in my mailbox on 12-29. I installed that evening, ran the fix to correct the audio issue I was having and have been using it with no voice quality issues since. I love it! The only issue I have experienced is a PC issue with audio. I would appreciate any help to correct it. I read somewhere a suggestion to install under a different user to avoid the pop-ups so I did that. When I switch users, the magic jack still works fine. I play a lot of video and video games and occasionally the sound stops working on the pc. I can still make & receive calls. The only way I have found to get the pc audio working again it to reboot. It is more an annoyance that a problem. I still love Magic Jack and if this is the only price I pay for saving hundreds in phone bills, I can definitely live with it!
January 5th, 2009 at 10:51 am
The post from ‘Read This’ is soooooooooo right-on with that one. It’s nice to know there’s someone out there that actually knows how to think for themselves. Yee-freakin-ha!
January 5th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
I have a small technical problem that MJ support has not been able to resolve and maybe someone knows the solution.
This works perfect at all the hotels etc. But at my home office, I can receive calls, but can not make calls. After intense troubleshooting it appears that my router / hub or switch may be restricting the port. Does anyone know how to troublesoot and recorrect? Thanks for any help.
I have bought as gifts and recommended this product to all my friends and family overseas and friends that travel internationaly. What a great product.
January 13th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
International calls – This is what I did: By a MagicJack. Register it for YOUR local area code. SEND it to whomever you will be calling Internationally (In my case, Spain). They plug it in to THEIR computer, and now both parties can call each other from MagicJack to MagicJack. IT WORKED FOR US!
My neighbor tipped me off on how to do this. Curious to see if anyone else has tried it?
January 14th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
My boyfriend lives in Australia, I in the US. We purchased these MagicJacks and they work fine. Sometimes, depending on the connection speed where he is with his laptop, there is interference, but that is usually solved by my calling him back or vice verse. He installed it in Australia, but gave his residence as my state so we have the same area code. I can call him on my cell, and it’s a United States telephone number…He has used his MagicJack to call my cell as well…The only complaint that I have is that the program seems to go idle or something, the device takes time to realize it is being used. Also, when my computer is idle and I call home, it doesn’t go to voicemail, but rather I receive a busy signal. Seriously, you can’t beat this device, especially when calling someone overseas. It is true…MagicJack to MagicJack is free.
January 19th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
A better solution for some would be Gizmo5 (download) with the grandstream handytone 286 device (plugs into router or switch…not the computer). Yearly cost zero. Allows you to call 11 percent of US numbers (SIP protocol) free. $35 yearly for a local number with unlimited incoming calls. 1.9 cents per minute to outgoing US. Sound quality…excellent. Reliability…excellent. Portability…as good a magic jack (you can take it on trips). PLUS…you can port a phone number from previous provider. The big thing is that you DON’T plug it into a computer…you plug it into the router or switch. That’s why I personally would not get a magic jack.
January 30th, 2009 at 11:33 am
I ordered a magic jack based on the website stating area code 360 IS available. When i registered, the area code was not offered. I contacted Magicjack via live chat and was informed that they did not have any 360 available and that their engineers where working on it. They could not give me a timeframe. I consdier this false advertising if their website states the 360 area code is available and it’s not.
February 2nd, 2009 at 6:52 pm
well I went and bought one of these mj today from radio shack got it home dint yake long to set up made some calls and wow it sound it great I have time warner now and when I speak tru the speaker phone my mom said I sound like am far away but with the mj she said it dint sound like I was far away and I think once I have a problem my mom not hearing me I meant for $20.00 a year can complaint I will update in the next week or two
February 12th, 2009 at 5:51 am
I’ve just read this entire thread…and laughed my butt off. It just kills me to hear all these people complain about a $20 per year phone line. We’ve had our MJ for 6 months and haven’t had ONE problem yet. Call forwarding works to my cellular phone as well as any landline based phone I’ve tried. The guy who claims “false advertising” had me rolling on the floor. He’s the kind of guy who wants to sue the weather man on TV because the temp outside was actually 45 but the weather man said it would be 47. Get a life!!! Listen up…If you buy a $200 car off of Craigs List do you actually complain because it doesn’t ride like a Rolls Royce? I’m sure some of you would based on your constant complaining here. I have a simple fix for all the people who are complaining about their Magic Jack…Unplug your Magic Jack from your computer. Next, put it on a sturdy, flat surface (kitchen floor works fine for this stage). The final step…hit it dead center with the biggest hammer you can find. Your problem is solved! Once that is done, your frustration will be over…that is until you call your local telephone provider and get your first telephone bill.
February 19th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
I have been receiving “All circiuts are busy” for a few weeks. Very annoying.
MagicJack live support does not help.
Ihatemagicjack.com
February 26th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
Hi Folks!
I don’t have one of these units but I’m interested. . . who would’nt at that price!
To me it seems like the ideal way to talk with friends and family back home if you are traveling in a RV and are using a Laptop with WiFi at RV parks. Anybody tried this? comments?
Does anyone know if it matters what version of USB is required by Magic Jack?
I’ve had problems with some accessories not working till I upgraded to a 2.o USB
Hey. . . Have a nice day!
February 27th, 2009 at 9:11 am
I’m using an 8 year old UP computer (1.6 gig processor), pre-2.0 USB days and it works perfectly!
Kent
March 5th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Just bought one — haven’t tried it yet. Anyone know if you can port over your old number? I have Comcast service now through the cable. Can I plug MJ into my computer and get calls on both services?
Thanks,
March 8th, 2009 at 10:20 am
I am using MagicJack without problems on my MacPro Dual + on a new MacBook. The only compatibility issue I have is that it will NOT work while Little Snitch is running. It does not matter how you tinker with LS and tell it that MagicJack is OK. So long as Little snitch is running, MagicJack will not.
March 13th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Just installed the MJ on my Mac with Little snitch and I have NO problems.. I think this is the one of the best deals around. (If you have Little Snitch you have to adjust your settings) This post is really funny to read. LOL
March 15th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
I am very interested in the magicjack. I have not bought one yet because I would like to know if it is possible to make it work with the whole house phone wiring so any phone in the house can use it. Has anyone done this successfuly, and if so how was it done?
March 16th, 2009 at 12:45 am
I bought a Magicjack on a whim thinking, if nothing else, that it could be used as a travel phone. I have Comcast IP telephone setup at home, so I simply disconnected the RJ11 from the back of the Comcast IP phone modem and plugged it into the magicjack. Guess what? All the phones had a dialtone just like with Comcast. Sometimes the Comcast phone has trouble while their Internet service works fine, so it really can be a backup when needed . . . OR . . . maybe I’ll ditch the Comcast IP phone if and when number porting becomes available.
March 16th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
I have read this and many other blogs on this product. There are three releases of the USB plug in phone adaptor; the third release, coming in orange packaging solved many of the audio complaints on many blogs. Mine works fine, and so does international calling, at the rates posted on the magicjack site, so I am a believer. Knowing my own computers and how I have had to adjust this or that, or get this patch or that over the years to get certain software, built in hardware, and OS system responses to function correctly, one must approach this unit with a similar mindset. I think the site Q & A pull downs answer most difficulties, and, that the rest are certainly addressable–with user saavy to work on computer, broadband router, and IP service interface issues. With this in mind as a reality for some, and the fact that some users are very angry, MagicJack will likely experience some lawsuits on the behalf of some, which are most likely about the other links in the in and out voice phone delivery use infrastructure. Tiger Jet, the manufacturer of the USB interface device magicjack uses, also offers some solutions on their own website, and some new and upcoming products. What MagicJack offers, that they cannot, is a nationwide interlinked over the net phone system. Not with all area codes, but so what? Choose another that is a local dial within your area code, or, if doing a business over the net, or another phone network idea, choose a completely different area code. I know of many users who have been able to get their own old number readdressed through MagicJack. Others have hassles in this regard. The MJ website is the easiest way to interactively discover detailed info on how to make it work as advertised. Although very complex and problematic to answer all users technical questions, it is clear that the ownership wants to make it work. If all else fails take advantage of the one year warranty to get a replacement on the USB to phone adapter, again, as authorized for return on line alone. No reason to phone or e-mail to the state of frustration.
One majicjack number and connection per computer, keep this in mind, for those who wish to use rollover; and, keep in mind that “excessive users”, those who are always on the phone can receive a notice of discontinuance of the service. Read the O & As on the site, have Vista, Mac OS X with an intel based machine, or XP with service pack 2. Note, as windows will move away from Vista in the fall, with Windows 7 be prepared for that shift, as well.
There can be static or other noises in some instances of use interconnections between links. Try calling back, as a minor inconvenience considering the cost of the service. This has worked 99% of the time in those rare instances of a bad connection. Take advantage of buying a unit at Bestbuy or another chain store, so you can return it if you cannot master its use. Take advantage of buying one for an overseas user for your connection to them, register it locally, with a local then send it on–we are blessed to so connect at only the cost of the annual service. This means that your missionary friend, relative, traveling associate, or military stationed connection can call anywhere in the USA, so, that supports their being abroad. Realize that on Saturday middays, when the net itself is at highest useage, connections can be affected or displaced as undoable. This represents the potential and the limits of the technology.
Right now we are linked via cable broadband, through a wireless access point, through a fixed and/or laptop computer. The WAP was set up to achieve ongoing connection, IO with the least interference, as encripted, and as set-up to change with the IP provider’s dynamic IP address being changed often. We installed it, ran the website upgrade so-called fix, and simply used it as prescribed. The first month’s use paid for it, as the landline companies in town’s monthly rates, with added local, connection, state, and federal taxes usually doubled the landline company’s $24.95 a month fees, and this also gave the capacity to call out of state, out of area code.
Don’t expect that someone calling you has the same benefits and capacities as you when using the device and network, unless they too are a subscriber. Realize too that if you have not the patience and mind to work through glitches, you may need to use a monthly service charge based VOIP provider for your phone service. MJ has made needed changes as these proved needed, e.g. adding automatic 911 service and registry over time (now on all installations of their service). But, if you are a persistent inquirer of what is possible, then use this wonderful tool, and glean use advantages from the pull down menu, advanced user features, and the MJ website (where the upgrade/so-called fix program is resident for downloading). Be patient with yourself as well as the learning curve involved to tweak the results for your best use.
March 28th, 2009 at 12:10 am
I bought myself 2 Magic Jacks in December. I have been patiently waiting for the Toronto area codes to be available before I activate any of them. I know people that are using these devices and love them. I can hardly wait to use mine. That said, I have only one complaint (and I hope Magic Jack people are reading this) I saw the Magic Jack ad on the Canadian TV. It was made so anyone watching it would think the Canadian numbers are available. I ordered the 2 units and only at the time of activation did I noticed the Canadian area codes are not available. Wouldn’t it be apropriate to advertise a product in a country where it works as a local device? Further, when I contacted the tech on-line, they offered me a refund. But they did sound like the Canadian area codes were to be available withinn days! That is why I did not return my 2 units and have been waiting 4 months to activate them! I hounestly think Canada is not in the priority list of Magic Jack. What really bothers me is they take advantage of our profit thirsty phone providers and sell their product here in the same fashion: to make a quick buck without even trying to make it work with our local numbers. I really like the concept, but every day I loose faith in this company. I am aleady telling people (and I get questioned a lot about this as I repair networks, computer and telecomm devices on-site) not to invest in this product as it is not ready for full function in Canada. I hope the Magic Jack boys improve their view of Canadians and start treating them with the same respect as they do their own.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:44 am
I would say that the concept is great when it works properly. While we are talking on the phone ,we get
disconnected, It sense that your server is drops the call.
April 14th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
I can only speak for myself.
I have mine in Mexico with an area code in Texas.
I personally don’t do much calling to either Canada o USA, but the times I have use it, it have paid for itself!, specially calling 800 numbers (Mexico’s rate is about 25 cents a minute).
My wife has spent hours calling her friends in the States with minor problems, and she loves it.
Problems are:
- Sometimes the connection has echo, or noise. Solution: Call again, is free!
- All lines are busy. Solution: Call again, is free!
- Caller ID sometimes doesn’t report a number. No solution.
Pros:
- I can dial 800s, and any number in USA and Canada free. Better more, people in USA can call me really cheap!
- I gave my daugther one MJ, she’s studying in Edinburgh, Scotland and we use it almost daily. (We also use Skype video)
- I connect it to my home PBX, so USA calls are automatically routed to MJ (I strip the long distance prefixes before calling).
Other issues:
- Quality varies from excellent to acceptable, seems to depend on the called number carrier (maybe they’re also doing IP routing)
- Buying procees was smooth, about four days delivery to the Texas border.
- It pays to have a clean PC, no viruses, defragmented hard disk, enough RAM, not only for MJ but for all software.
- I’ve tested MJ with three local providers (1 cable, 2 DSLs, no problem at all)
- Incoming call problemas are related to firewall configuration, be sure to open ports 5060 to 5070 (UDP) and all the range from 10000 to 30000 also UDP on your firewall.
- Voice mail is sent to my email account, so I can hear messages wherever I have access to it.
- Don’t expect good quality if you (or someone at home) is Torrenting, Facebooking or YouTubing (Kids know what I mean).
So far, so good.
P.D. Latest offer from MJ: five years of service for 60 bucks!
April 30th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
The least you could do mj is to tell the Canadians the truth about the area codes and phone numbers. Liar liar mjs on fire.
May 14th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
Love my mj. It didn’t want to install at first, but I downloaded the upgrade and then it connected in a flash. Rec’d some complaints that people said my voice was very soft and low. I made all the changes to the mj and in my control panel. There wasn’t much improvement until I switched to using softphone and it was much better.
The next day I tried it from a different computer and a different phone and quality was much better. I think much of the volume problem may be assoicated with the quality fo the phone you are using.
May 18th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
I have had 2 MJ for about a year now. I had such trouble with echoing on cordless phones that I was about ready to give up. I switched to standard cord phones and it works much better. I still get some echo on some calls, but it is intermittent and calling back takes care of it. I just renewed on the five year plans they have been advertizing on both MJ units. (2 different area codes).
My wish list:
Ability to use two magic jacks on the same computer. (so I could have calls from 2 area codes come in to same computer)
Since there is a MAC unit, how about Linux? Maybe Ubuntu distro?
I have never tried setting up with a fax unit, but it would be handy. I have heard mixed results about faxes on MJ.
May 18th, 2009 at 4:58 pm
Question about the physical MJ device.
How can you tell what version your device is and what are the changes from 1st generation to 2nd to XX what ever is current generation, and is an upgrade possible? If I have a 1st generation MJ device, can I upgrade to the current and what benefits would I experience? The reason I ask is I have seen some comments referencing different versions or releases of the device and how call quality is better with a more recent device.
May 20th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
I got majicjack about 1 week and still dont work please any help i got hp computer with windows vista and I got wireles internet from alltel everytime i connect majicjack this come up
(((magicjack was unable to contact our registration server ,please check your internet connection)))
June 9th, 2009 at 10:11 am
got a MagicJack and was very pleased with the results, so i got the 60 bucks 5 year service plan. Now, it doesn’t work at the same time i can’t even get in touch with any of the live chat technician
June 14th, 2009 at 11:36 pm
I have SERIOUS issues with voicemail. I cannot call my phone within my own area code and get through. I get either a fast busy, a generic recording versus my personalized greetings or I’ve even gotten a message stating that “You have the Wimax communication test number. This call was successful.” Even though the website states “Voicemail WILL work if your computer is off or your magicJack is unplugged. If the computer is off OR if you do not have an active Internet connection OR if the magicJack is unplugged from your computer…your magicJack voicemail will receive the call. ”
I’ve contacted “customer service” (ha ha) numerous times regarding my voicemail issues (fast busy signal) and they insist it is because the magicjack is not plugged in (duh – that is so contradictory to the information on the website) AND I’ve been told that I cannot retrieve my voicemail from my cellphone!! At this point I cannot even dial into my own number and get through to my voicemail. There definitely seems to be an issue with the voicemail servers in the Tampa area.
I would say this is definitely a Buyer Beware situation. If you try it out, don’t purchase any long term committment. Use the trial period to determine if MagicJack is the right product for you. Right now Mr. Borislow is only getting phat on our hard earned dollars. There isn’t even a live person to talk to option…it is all impersonal via live internet chat. That really sucks when you’re on the road & can’t drive and internet at the same time.
June 16th, 2009 at 12:15 am
I had the same issues Michelle. I said to hell with it, ate the money and put the MaicJack where it belonged, in the trash. Then I went out and signed up for Boost Mobile and got the unlimited for $50 a month. A heck of alot better than letting MagicJack rip me off for $20 a month. Oh try getting your money back from them, it will take a good lawyer and an act of Congress. Thank God i decided to use a pre paid debit card to make the purchase that way they wont keep withdrawing the money every month.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Got one too but doesn’t work, now I’ve been turned in to colletion and am getting all thes calls for the bill i only owe 176.54 i donno why they kkep calling me
July 1st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I have been using MJ for about 1 month. I have no issues with the device, service, number availability (at least in Washington, DC, or the service. I will buy a couple of more of these devices and give them to my friends in Greece and France.
July 4th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
I just got my Magicjack and to tell you the truth, it arrived in 5 days. No problems setting it up. I was not happy to find that it did not have my area code (Toronto, Ontario). Yes, I chatted with the online help and it didn’t reassure me much as ‘the engineers are working on it’. HOWEVER, I found a way to get around this when I want my friends to call me at this number which would incurr long distance charges to them. I give them my number, tell them to call and let it ring 2-3 times and hang up. The call display shows me who called and I CALL THEM BACK. Its a bit of an inconvenience but heck, now I can get a hold of my friends/family who are trying to reach me.
The other thing is: I am going to Vegas during the ‘30 day trial’. I will use this MJ extensively. If I opt to, I will return it and will have saved a few bucks despite the return shipping fee. Sock it to them people, get one, use one, return it. Just a thought.
July 10th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Great plan Joe except that the calls you made will be on your regular phone bill.
I tried MJ last year and there was so much echo I couldn’t use it. Their support team tried their best but we couldn’t lose the echo. Money was refunded,but I’m pretty sure the calls I made (only a handfull,none long distance) where transferred to my ATT bill somehow.
July 13th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
I recently purchased a MagicJack, trying to cut back on expenses. For the price, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. I had DSL lite, but was told by the Radio Shack salesperson that the only complaints he had heard was that DSL lite wasn’t strong enough to get really good reception. Since I’m still trying to give the MJ MY trial run, I haven’t made any rash decisions about having my landline shut down for good just yet. AT&T suggested that I read the reviews from users online before making my final decision on reducing/turning off my current home phone. I have read all of these reviews and found most of them to be “enlightening” – but have to agree with the “it’s $40.00 for the first year, then $20.00 for every YEAR after that” input. In my opinion, this little devise has been well worth the money, but plan to continue to “test” it for a few more weeks before I give up my landline. Don’t know about most of you, but my phone bill with the “bundled package” runs around $100.00 a MONTH. There are a lot of valid suggestions/worries on this site – like the phone not working if the PC is shut off . . . still, I’d be saving a LOT more than the power useage from having my computer up 24/7 (with the screen turned off) than I would paying for the phone “bundle” service I have now – even with the DSL charge.
As for an office application with roll-over lines – Man!! There’s always someone looking for the deal of the century. I’m with those of you who have come to the conclusion that this is an excellent bargain for replacing your home phone – or, as in my case for the time being, it’s an excellent second line. With young adults still living at home in this crappy economy, two phone lines is working out really well for us all – and the cost of adding a second line with its monthly bill isn’t a viable option.
As for the 911 question: ANY PHONE WILL CALL 911, EVEN IF THE PHONE DOES NOT HAVE SERVICE! I keep a cell phone around that isn’t activated, but is charged – and I can always use the phone I have plugged into the MJ to call 911 simply by unplugging it from the MJ and plugging it into the wall jack even AFTER I have my home phone disconnected. I’m surprised at how many people are unaware of this.
I was having an issue with the MJ at first – when I called someone, they asked me if I was pushing a button on the phone. I chatted with support and that issue was resolved in a matter of minutes. I am having my DSL upgraded to 3.0, which should improve the call quality. Even with the DSL lite, I must say that we are really impressed with this product and I have already started telling my friends and family about it. As long as we look at this product as a “new” product (with improvements still to come), and consider the price ($20.00/year instead of close to $100.00/month), we can all admit that it’s well worth the investment.
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Hi, I have Alltel wireless card that I connect to the internet with via broad band. Can anyone tell me why I can only get “cannot connect to the communications server” when I try to use magic jack. Cannot register or use it in anyway.
Thank you for your help
July 31st, 2009 at 6:50 pm
Question – I have Comcast internet service as well as there digital+ internet phone service. Can I hook up a Magic Jack to my HP Vista computer to use as a second line? If yes – will I have any problems to over come because of the Comcast phone service?
Thanks for any help.
August 6th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Jeffery Wilson.
I think you should contact Magicjack and send them all these +&- remarks from users from across the country.
Maybe the big boss at Magicjack will take the time to read them and do something to address all these issues.
Heres hopeing.
August 15th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I love the majicjack. BUT…..
1. I would NEVER rely on it for emergencies because it it completely reliant on a very unreliable machine >>>DESKTOP PC. (cell phone is for emergencies or home phone)
2. It is a supplement to a my cellphone for making long distance calls. I eliminated expensive home phone and lowered anytime minutes on cell phone. Saves a ton of money.
3. I would NEVER give correct personal information to a unknown internet company for them to pass around to make extra money
4. I bought majicjack for cash at a reliable retailer (BESTBUY) I could return it with no hassles and no one at MAJICJACK has my personal information and then filled in the personal information with made up stuff when signing up for the service
5. These couple of items cover the complaints that I feel are the only drawbacks
********** IF YOU USE MAJICJACK WITHIN ITS DESIGN LIMITS YOU WILL SAVE A TON OF MONEY AND WILL BE VERY, VERY, VERY VERY, HAPPY I LOVE THE MAJICJACK **********
August 25th, 2009 at 10:59 am
I bought a magic jack and it worked fine as long as I was not working on the computer at the same time I was speaking on the phone. But after approx. 1 month I have not been able to use it. I tried to dial out and it continues to give a solid dial tone. As if it is not picking up the dial at all. The not I get is that no input devices are found and advises me to check my drivers. Like I said there was no problem before.
September 4th, 2009 at 5:44 pm
I am currently in Litigation with MagicJack. They refused to refund my money and claim that I was told, before I made my ghastly purchase, that Magic Jack did not have coverage for my area; Indiana. Seems odd, my neighbor uses this God awful device with no problems. I agree with John, toss your magic Jack in the garbage… and go out and get a Boost Phone. For $50 a month you get unlimited local, long distance and texting.
September 24th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Good for you Stevie. I had to get a refund by going through the Federal Trade Commission. Took a year worth of letters, emails and calls before I went to the Feds. These people need to be SHUT DOWN.
September 26th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
For those users that LIKE MagicJack (count me as a satisfied one year user), I just purchased and downloaded ($12.95) a great utility called MagicBeans (MagicJackBeans.com) that enhances the functionality of the frankly, limited, MagicJack service.
I now have call blocking and have increased my number of rings from the standard 4 to 6 (can go up to infinity – but OMG, how annoying). You can set it to Do Not Disturb and can forward your calls in 3 variables: All; Busy or No Answer.
One really great feature is it will allow you to hard or soft START or REBOOT. Some of the problems that the MJ can encounter are resolved by unplugging and replugging in the unit. This is important for those of us concerned with eventual problems of USB dongle / port failures due to overuse.
There are also some other nifty features that make the MJ pop-up transparent, and it can even block the little advertisements window (woot!).
So far, I am LOVING it and highly recommend it to anyone that is comfortable with a bit of computer maintenance!!!!!!!!
October 1st, 2009 at 9:31 pm
MagicJackBeans sounds like a great app however, it appears to be a third party app. This means that if MagicJack has an upgrade, that incompatibility features with Magicjackbeans may be a problem unless they fix it fast. Given the size of the market for the Magicjack and considering the very shady job of the webite and its lack in marketing, there is high possibility that support may also be lacking.
Speaking of which, that website is the shadiest website I have ever seen since hopping on AOL pre web-millenium. It’s hosting should also be put into question. When DL’ing my Eset NOD32 popped up a warning of a URL security potential.
I’d proceed with extreme caution and if you must buy, use a credit card that has a disposable number (VAN – virtual account number; Citicards have this feature and Paypal).
October 9th, 2009 at 8:52 am
Bought one from Radio Shack and have it installed using dedicated computer that does nothing else with a 6mb/s fast DSL line. I upgraded my router to the latest firmware version. Yes it “works” but with many problems as compared to our former AT&T service:
1. Wife constantly complains about having to dial 10 numbers for local calls and other problems listed below.
2. For *many* local calls nothing happens when you dial. Yet calling that same number using a cell phone works fine. You end up wasting a lot of time trying calls that won’t work with Magic Jack.
3. For some calls, the other party hears nothing yet you hear them fine. When you call them back the audio is usually fixed both ways.
4. There is often a very annoying echo heard.
5. Phone calls get dropped randomly for no apparent reason.
6. FAX is hit or miss (mostly miss). For a multipage FAX the odds that all pages will get through are pretty low (I had to try 20 times to get a 6-page FAX to go through last week). This may be related to the echo problem.
7. There is no apparent way to disable the voice mail and use your own answering machine unless you set your rings to answer very low.
8. I have not tried support as there are too many issues and generally heard it’s a waste of time.
Yes the cost is great but the performance is severely lacking. Would be willing to pay more for a functional VOIP provider with reliable service and few issues.
October 12th, 2009 at 12:13 am
MAGIC JACK SUCKS!!
October 13th, 2009 at 6:20 am
You get what you pay for, I guess. I ordered a MagicJack because it seemed too good to be true. Well I guess I should have known that you get what you pay for. The magicJack worked for about 3 months then started having problems (funny that they have a 90 day money back guarantee). I didn’t think it was an issue because I was stupid enough to pay for the 5-year service program up front. Well all that did was get me to there on-line chat techs (no phone numbers for tech support). The unit needed to be upgraded, but that only seemed to last a day or two and then the unit would shut down. Since I really don’t use a home phone that often it never seemed to be that big of a deal. I would just unplug it and plug it back in and the system would reboot and be good for a while. Now the device does not work at all. After spending over 3.5 hours on-line with 6 different techs, they decided that I was eligible for a replacement unit. Well the catch is that in there terms of service it states that you have to pay to send them the non-functional unit back or they charge you another $40 for the replacement device. After asking to speak to someone of a higher authority about getting this fee waived, I was disconnected from my chat by tech (Cassy) without even restoring my MacAfee virus protection that had been disabled. Save your money unless you don’t mind buying a new unit every 2 or 3 months and changing your phone number. (Also the unit does not work for sending faxes, in case that is a concern which was not pointed out to me until well after I had purchased the unit). It also appears that you cannot easily remove the software that magicJack installs on your computer to run properly.
October 27th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
If my old MagicJack messed up and I want to get another one, can I keep my old MagicJack number?
October 29th, 2009 at 12:26 am
I’m with Lisa regarding MagicBeans (http://www.magicjackbeans.com). I bought it and it works great,
and has no viruses or other problems that “Roger Co” tried to allude to. @Roger, the reason your
lame Eset warned of a “possible URL security” problem is simply that the hosting of the install file
is on a different site than the web pages. This is not unexpected, as the website is hosted on YOLA,
which doesn’t allow hosting of executable files…hence they host from a file-hosting server.
Also @Roger, you shouldn’t bad-mouth things you know nothing of. MagicBeans’ support is excellent.
They provide email, phone, toll-free phone and even appointment-setting methods to contact them.
I needed to ask a question, and they were very prompt at responding, gave extremely insightful &
intelligent answers, and actually answered the questions I asked…which is something you rarely get
from so-called support these days.
I have full faith that if magicjack modifies their softphone (yeah, right) the MagicBeans folks will
quickly adapt their software, which has great add-on features for the magicjack.
I hate idiots like “Roger Co” who speak as if in authority about stuff they obviously don’t have
a clue (see “eset Nod32 conclusion” above, which he didn’t interpret correctly AT ALL), or knowledge
of (see “he never bought or used the software”).
I whole-heartedly endorse MagicBeans for use with your magicjack. It’s great stuff, and only costs a
one-time $12.95 with all updates free. Lisa’s right-on. Roger-Co’s an idiot.
November 1st, 2009 at 8:52 pm
As far as new with MagicJack, I think they have more phone numbers in their pool. Last year, I couldn’t get a local number, but that changed. I really like this little voip solution. It’s very inexpensive, it woks well, and you can take it with you when you travel. On occasion, I have to call back someone because I can hear them, but they can’t hear me. This happens so infrequently, it’s really not a problem. With the amount of money I save with MagicJack, over other VoIP providers, I can’t complain at all. You should go to http://voiprev.com/voip-reviews/magicjack/ and read the reviews or submit your own review on MagicJack. I am not fond of the popup MJ GUI when you use the phone, but you can just minimize it. The MJ GUI actualy has a promotional offer where you can prepay for 5 years of service for something like $60. I am seriously contemplating do that.
November 1st, 2009 at 11:23 pm
MAGICJACK TIPS: HOW TO PLACE SKYPE CALLS FROM YOUR CORDLESS PHONE
Users of the magicJack can now enjoy the added benefits of Skype including video calling, conference calling and free Skype to Skype user calls worldwide.
A new Skype dual mode calling software plugin “SkyjackPlugin” for magicJack users has been released. The plugin allows magicJack and Skype calls to be placed concurrently from the same regular or cordless phone.
To place Skype calls just dial * before the number you want to call. Speed dial numbers are available for dialing other Skype users. Regular magicJack calls are placed as normal. For incoming calls, just answer the phone when it rings.
“SkyjackPlugin” can be downloaded at http://www.pcphonesoft.com
November 5th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I went in today to order this product from their website, and unfortunately had entered my C.C. #. After giving a little thought, I decided to further research all the negative publicity regarding this product and it’s poor customer service, and to decide whether to purchase their 1 year, or the 5 year plan. Well, guess what? Even after closing the windows, and never completing the order, I received an email confirming an order(that I never place). I was able to successfully get the order cancelled through their “live” customer service agent, but then went into my checking account, to see that $46.90, and $1.00 had been taken out…they say it was put “on hold”, but it does show as a deduction in my account. I just found a forum that explains this, but it would have been nice if they would have explained that in their site(just to save me the shock of showing charges for a product that I NEVER ordered). I successfully spoke to another customer service person or bot on their site, and asked why this was done, when it was described as a transaction that would be done on the 31st day(after the free trial)–and only if I decided to keep it. Two experiences like these described above, are just about enough to cause me to NOT want to try the product, just because of their ethics. Thank to everyone for taking the time to put in their two cents worth….Still waiting to see if the charges will be “UNHELD” in my account, and if not, have my bank dispute the charges. Seems like too much ridiculousness to experience in my book. Peace.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
MagicJacks work Fantastically well! We have 14 of them and are Amazed at how excellent they work. We have the strong feeling that most of the problems people have are due to….. the people themselves. For example, the lady who is all upset that her “vanity” number in another area code is long distance. Like that is MagicJack’s fault!! She is not bright, shall we say.
If your computer is full of viruses, you’re downloading and streaming music & videos on your network – all at the same time – and you expect your MagicJack call to be perfect…. You are not bright.
Here’s a Tip: Pay the $10 Extra for a “Vanity Number” when registering your MagicJack. You will NOT get another chance to do this later! And it is VERY WELL WORTH IT!
We absolutely LOVE MagicJack!!!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:41 pm
PS – Avoid all the hassles talked about above… of purchasing a MagicJack directly from their site…
Buy it at Best Buy, Walmart, or Walgreens. If you don’t like it, RETURN IT TO A STORE for a FULL CASH REFUND!
Hint: If Best Buy, etc. had a ton of them returned…. They would stop carrying this product in a heartbeat! It is an excellent product…. despite a few hick-ups (i.e. their unprofessional website, company policies, etc.)
Customer Service (via the live chat agent) has been slightly better than the average phone company..
It’s less than $1.60 per month people!