[bikeman]

Are there any magic jack users, internet phone service to eliminate land line phones, that have input into the pros and cons of their service? To be able to save $500-700 a year that I spend on my land line service sounds too good to be true. Are their television adds legitimate, and can phone service only cost $3.33 per month with all of my existing features, including long distance? Can anyone help me decide?

[SteveFromNY]

Originally Posted by bikeman

Are there any magic jack users, internet phone service to eliminate land line phones, that have input into the pros and cons of their service? To be able to save $500-700 a year that I spend on my land line service sounds too good to be true. Are their television adds legitimate, and can phone service only cost $3.33 per month with all of my existing features, including long distance? Can anyone help me decide?

I bought one last year and it has been OK some of the time. However, I have often had to wait a long time for dial tone, often the sound quality stinks, and I've had to reboot the computer frequently to get it to work. When it works though, it works fine. I wouldn't get it again though.

I am on the verge of buying a device called an ooma (yes, that's the correct spelling). It plugs directly into the internet connection in the house and does not need a computer to run. I understand from reviews that it is better than the Majic Jack. Unfortunately, it costs around $250. But still a long term save over land lines.

[Hawkwind]

I have MJ and I can notice that since the voice is buffered to some degree two people cannot talk at the EXACT same time and still hear what the other is saying. There are many times when I have had to repeat things as the person on the other end was talking when I replied. Now this is a common occurrence when using VOIP (voice over internet protocol). The company that I use to work for was converting to VOIP and I could in a few seconds if someone was on a VOIP line or regular land line.

Also I do notice a difference when using my 2.6 Vista computer over and old P3 XP computer. The faster and newer the computer the better.

Other than that I only had a problem was after one year for some reason my service was halted. I had to contact MJ and they corrected everything using an on line chat. A friend also had the same issue as he paid for 3 years and for some issue at the end of his first year.

[schotzyb]

I have been using my Magic Jack for ~3 years now with absolutely no problems at all.

[bikeman]

Thanks Steve, I will check this ooma out.

[twalker919]

It's OK for the price ($3.33 a month, $40 divided by 12). The price is great for 24/7 free long distance service, but it does not always work properly. Do not use it as your only land line unless you have cell phones for back ups.

PS. After you get a Magic Jack, you can extend the service for $1 a month if you pay for five years in advance, which sounds like a "good" deal.

[twalker919]

It's OK for the price ($3.33 a month, $40 divided by 12). The price is great for 24/7 free long distance service, but it does not always work properly. Do not use it as your only land line unless you have cell phones for back ups.

PS. After you get a Magic Jack, you can extend the service for $1 a month if you pay for five years in advance, which sounds like a "good" deal.

[ekdk92]

ooma is $199 at costco

[Freeda]

We have had a magicjack phone for almost two years, since when it first came out in early 2008, and we love it. We travel alot, and even when home here in TV we are out alot, and so we mostly use our two cell phones; but for making calls when we are at home, listening to or recording conference calls, etc, the magicjack phone is great. We have good sound quality and use a phone that also has two extention phones, so we actually have three phones around our home that all are on the single magicjack line, and the signal is fine even when we are outside on our lanai. We only pay $19.99 per year to renew the service, including long distance, voice mail, etc.

Another great option is the 'Google voice' service - it allows you to get a phone number from any area code that you want, which is individual to you, but you direct the calls that are made to that phone number to any other phone that you have. For example, my cell phone is a Kentucky phone number (which is where I lived before TV), which I need to keep for business reasons; however, I have a local 352 area code google voice number that allows me to have a local number to use for here in The Villages; but when someone calls that number, it actually rings my Kentucky cell phone (and it also rings my magic jack phone). I can also make calls from my Kentucky cell phone by accessing my google voice number, so that to the recipient of my call they see an incoming call from a local phone number, rather than from my Kentucky phone number, even though I am calling from my Kentucky cell phone. This alleviated my previous need of having two separate cell phones in order to have a local phone number. I had been concerned about having multiple cell phones because of concerns about the amount of electro-magnetic signals I was subjecting myself to.

I also have google voice phone numbers for some other area codes where I do alot of business, allowing me to make it simple for people to call me using a number that is local to them. They all ring to my single cell phone, and our magicjack phone, as explained above.

[diskman]

Originally Posted by bikeman

Are there any magic jack users, internet phone service to eliminate land line phones, that have input into the pros and cons of their service? To be able to save $500-700 a year that I spend on my land line service sounds too good to be true. Are their television adds legitimate, and can phone service only cost $3.33 per month with all of my existing features, including long distance? Can anyone help me decide?

This was in a previous thread about a year or so ago. Do a search of majic jack above to find it

[captain1202]

I have an MJ which I use with my laptop broadband connection when traveling. It works "OK". Actually, I use Skype with better results. With both Skype and MJ you need a GOOD broadband connection to avoid clipping and various other complaints.
The only real downside I see to MJ is that you must have your computer on all the time in order to have incoming phone service.
For $39.95 why not give it a try and see if you like it. You'd spend that much on a dinner out!

[Shirleevee]

Our MJ worked great the first year here. Over the past few months it has been disconnecting every call I make and receive. After numerous attempts to fix the problem on their part MJ is sending me a new one. I cannot say anything bad about the service.

[nONIE]

Aside from some occassional annoyances, dropped calls, a squealing sound on the line ocasionally, and cutting in and out, I think it is a super deal! These things dont happen very often at all and I think it is a great deal for the price. They are running a special at present of 59.99 for 5 years.
I am much happier with MJ then my cell phone for clarity but not necessarily for dependability.