Magic Jack Phone Service - A Review - Cheap But Has Bugs
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Magic Jack is a relatively new phone system witch uses a land line phone as well as a computer and broadband connection to place and receive phone calls.
I have used Magic Jack for several months.. It gets a mixed review from me.
What’s Good About It?
Background Information
It’s cheap. You get unlimited local and long distance calling in the United States and Canada. However, this does not include U.S. territories such as Guam. The cost for the first year is $39.95. This includes the service and the unit. Thereafter, the cost for each year is $19.95.
The device is small. One end plugs into the USB port on your computer. The other jack plugs into your phone. The installation procedure is simple. You can choose your area code, but you cannot choose your phone number. Your number will be assigned to you. There is one odd feature though. If you are calling a phone number which is in your own area code, you must dial your own area code in addition to the number you are calling.
Retrieving Messages
Retrieving messages is easy. You can call your Magic jack number from another phone and get your messages by following the prompts. In addition, your messages will appear in your e-mail in box. You hear your messages via MP3 player format.
The message system has its bugs. I had a few instances where someone tried to call me and the phone just kept ringing. The system failed to take a message.
Luckily, the person calling me had the patience to call back and try again. By trying again, he did get through and was able to leave a message. Most other people would give up on the first instance because they don’t know about the quirks in the system or just don’t have the time or patience to try again. Therefore, you could miss very important messages.
Voice Quality
Voice quality overall is good. However, it does vary depending upon how slow or fast the internet is operating. On several occasions, people have told me that they could not hear me well. In at least five instances when I was doing the calling, I had very bad connections where I could not hear the other person at all.
Other Features
The system has call forwarding a dcall waiting features. I have not tried these features so I cannot comment on them. The system has 911 service.
What’s Bad About It?
Complaints
The biggest complaint I have is that there is no live customer service person to talk to by phone when you have problems. You have to rely on text messaging only.
Defective Units
I know of one person who ordered a Magic Jack. It arrived and worked for several weeks and then became defective. He sent it back. He received a replacement unit. That unit was defective as soon as he plugged it in. Having to send products back is a real inconvenience.
Limited Shipping
Moreover, the company does not ship to all destinations. For example, they do not ship to Guam, even though Guam is a U.S. territory. The Magic Jack web site states that you can call to the U.S. or Canada from anywhere in the world and not be charged. Yet, they will not ship the unit to anywhere in the world.
Bottom Line
The product is generally good though it has its bugs. Many people use it as a second phone. They like the unlimited long distance for a flat rate. Sometimes this rate can be cheaper than traditional long distance services.
If the Magic Jack will be your only phone, then I would not get it. If you are elderly, sick, disabled or need the phone in an emergency, it is not 100% reliable.
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Comments
I got it but I cannot use with my telephone, I don't hear a dial tone. It only works through my computer.
Well i bought the Majic Jack about 2 monthes ago and I LOVE IT! We are a very low income family and having a phone peroid is more than we can handle usually. I ean to have a land line phone just hanging on your wall is around 30-40 dollers a month alone. I paied 39.95 once..... and have a phone all the time. There are a few bugs mainly what I have experianced is a lost call from time to time but other wise has been wounderful. I use it for my main phone it beats not having one at all! SO as the economy goes to poop it is deff a alternate means to an inexpincive way of communication!
bottom line, should i purchase the product as my primary line. total cost equates to what.
TardisAndTheHare says:
6 months ago
Get a phone line polarity tester to verify this. I think that MagicJack switched the polarity of the red and green wires. If so, a fax machine might blow out the MagicJack (or blow out something). I suspect that a person with two defective MagicJacks has something wrong. One common mistake is to overload the USB power supply. If you get a powered USB hub (powered means plugs into 120V AC wall plugs), it will provide enough power to run the phones. Older phones, with electromechanical bell ringers, might use more current, so might drag down the USB power supply.
Using more than one phone at the same time is fine, but turn off the ringer in all but one phone. If you have to have ringers in each room, consider a wireless system that uses radio signals to cause battery operated phones to ring. Perhaps a better alternative is using a special device that uses house wiring to carry phone signals.