Saturday, September 1, 2012

How About the Magic Jack for Your New Internet Phone Service


Nowadays more and more people are giving up their expensive land line phone service and trying the much more cost effective VoIP phone services. There are quite a few internet phone services to choose from, it just depends on your needs and just how much you want to save. 

I am here to talk about the Magic Jack because I am a believer in this great little internet phone service do to the fact that I have not paid a monthly phone bill in five years now. I have saved more than $500.00 the 1st year on my phone service by taking a chance with the Magic Jack and now thousands since then.

Just imagine paying less for a full year of local and long distance calling then one month with a standard landline. It started out the yearly renewal fee was $19.95 but is now $29.95 due to improvements and upgrades. 

Many people report that the call quality, in most cases, they can’t tell the difference from their old landline. I am one of them. After four years call quality has gotten better and better and I am still using the original Magic Jack I got from their website in February 2008. I was skeptical about the Magic Jack but it was so inexpensive that I had to try it, plus it had a 30 day trial period, what was there to lose. 

In the beginning the call quality was a little shaky as it was/is with all VoIP internet phone services. As with any technology improvement comes with time, ask your grandparents about party lines.
What I know about the Magic Jack is that over the years they have worked out the bugs because I can’t remember when the last time I had any trouble. Where you run into most trouble is computer related, once you understand this you can avoid most problems.

When I talk about the Magic Jack I try and stress that just because it is cheap to own doesn’t make it a cheap phone service or low quality. This phone service works just as your landline did other than all of your calls are free. Your phone rings, has a dial tone and you can call any normal phone without restrictions.

When it comes to low cost internet phone service the MagicJack phone is about the cheapest you can get and not lose great features of a normal phone service.

48 comments:

  1. My magic jack doesn’t work and never has worked. Tried help desks, they were no help. They wanted $70.00 service charge for a jack that cost $20.00 new. It syas a magic jack has been detected on my computer. Yes my son had one and he was not satisfied so tossed it away. Me being hard headed decided to learn my lesson the hard way and retry it. Now it says one is detected and won’t let me do anything. So lesson learned, spent $40.00 dollars for a $20.00 unit that never did work and they want $70.00 to make it work now, total, $130.00 (70.00 + 40.00) for a $20.00 unit to work. As for me technology at it’s finest, charge twice what it cost, “Oh, and you want it to work too that will cost three times the amount”

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Did you re-register it? ( More Money)

      Delete
    2. I bought the original years ago. Then I bought magic jack plus to plug my cordless set of phones directly into my modem. I Love them so much for the cost savings. I just bought another 2014 plus model to send to my son in the U.S. Army based in Germany to make it easier to keep in touch with family and friends here in the States. It is much less costly than any other phone. It was fun to read some of this nonsense.

      Delete
  2. can you help call me 817-929-5454

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. go and get skype or Vontage stay away from Magic Jack

      Delete
  3. I bought one a year ago and returned it, since it was incompatible with Macintosh OS X. Can anyone provide an update on MJ's compatibility with Mac OS X, or the computer-free upgrade?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Magic Jack refused a perfectly acceptable debit card (that I've used for online purchase without exception for several years) - so even if the device works, Magic Jack's administration needs to catch up !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are lucky. I sent mine back in less than 30 days. They advertise it will work with or without a computer. That is not true. You would need a ethernet cable from your computer to each phone you want to use.

      Delete
    2. see the scamm they pulled on me to charge my debit card when I did not authorize the charge. You are lucky they refused your debit card at least they will not be scamming you.

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    3. Cost me $30 to get my number back. What a rip-off!
      The service never worked either.

      Delete
  5. I DID NOT HAVE THE 'FREE TRIAL' AS I WAS USING MAGICJACK FOR TWO YEARS - MANUALLY RENEWING EACH YEAR WHEN THEY PULLED THE FOLLOWING ON ME - DO NOT BE A SUCCKER DO NOT PURCHASE MAGICJACK - SEE FOR YOUR SELF:

    From: "magicJackconfirm@magicjack.com"
    To: cameosun@YAHOO.COM
    Sent: Wednesday, November 21, 2012 12:57 AM
    Subject: magicJack Order#: TS23854024 Confirmation

    Dear MS. CLAIRE SCHAPIRO,
    Important: Please reply to this email within one hour if you would like to modify the order below. You do not have to take any action if you do not want to make any changes. Order No.: TS23854024
    Reference ID: 41213035



    Order Summary

    Qty Product Code Description Price Each Subtotal Charge Date
    1 1YR2995-AUTO One Year Gold AUTO Renewal Plan 29.95 29.95 11/24/2012
    1 REGULATORYFEES4.8 Regulatory and Compliance Expense 1.44 1.44 11/24/2012

    --------------------------
    ORDER TOTAL: 31.39

    Your credit card will be charged on or after the following date(s) for the amounts listed below.

    11/24/2012 31.39

    Important: Please save this email for 30 days as it contains your Order Number
    Some useful information: You may check on the status of your order at any time by clicking here Order Status and entering your email address and order number. For your convenience, these have been included in this link. For questions regarding technical information click here Technical Help and a representative will assist you. Please note that this link is specifically for technical issues (not for order/billing information - see above for order/billing inquiries).
    ** Attention: Debit Card users
    Due to the nature of the Free Trial Offer, this Free Trial is only available for Credit Card users. Please note: If you falsely identify your 'Debit card' as a 'Credit card' your card will be charged today and your order might not be processed. Please click here if you would like to change your method of payment or if you can not currently use your debit card for these payments. You may also respond to this email and reduce the amount of items you ordered.
    Congratulations and enjoy your savings. Yours truly, magicJack Customer Service

    ReplyDelete
  6. Bought magic jack plus from Radio Shack. Tried to register
    the item 15 times to no avail. Little did I know that it took magic for it to register. I do not believe in magic and
    having to pay for magic Jack plus is a true ripoff.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I just spent the last 2 hours on the WWW reviewing an enormous volume of complaints against this unethical company.
    Customer service is NIL. We have had MJ for almost 5 years. The quality is realy hit and miss, but cheap so we put up with it. until we had to renew and they put us under "investigation"?!? huh?? their web chat thing is designed to send you to the nut house.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Flase advertising at its very best. Magic Jack can not work with satellite dish, I purchased the plus magic jack from Radio Shack and was able to return it, however trying to receive a credit on the hidden activation cost thru magic jack of $20.95 is impossible. They do not honor their bold add:
    magicJack.com - Never pay a monthly phone bill again! Free local and long distance calling in the USA and Canada. 100% Risk Free 30 Day Trial. No Contract, No Obligation.

    They just take your money, and I should have know better when there is no 1-800 customer service number to even ask for help. What a mis-representation of a product. Most
    annoyed and irritated

    ReplyDelete
  9. I tried to send a fax message however to no avail. I thought it worked like a regular phone line. So I got caught! Still like the magic jack though, because a lot of my contacts have the magic jack so calling is inexpensive. I wish they could include an international calling plan package similar to the long distance bundle. That would definitely make my day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You Know all of your Conversations and Contacts are being recorded. So nothing is private. till I pay the Monthly fee of Porting, New Nuber and any add ons you will pay about $30.00 a month or about $50.00 a year if you do not request a new phone number and Just pay the regular $19.95 a year. Tooo many Hidden fees for me. I am taking it back and cutting my losses.

      Delete
    2. way does magic jack in western pa work and not any where else?

      Delete
    3. will i have ploblems if i change inter net providers with mj?

      Delete
  10. R. Chagnon, Lebanon, NHFebruary 4, 2013 at 3:08 AM

    I agree that when working, MJ is great! However, trying to contact them about an issue is another,sad, story.

    I renewed my subscription ($29.95+tax) and they never credited my service with the renewal.

    i tryed live chat which is open Mon - Sun (EST) 8 AM - midnight and got a call us when we are open. This was at 7 PM during the Super Bowl game.! Not good PR
    R. Chagnon, Lebanon, NH

    ReplyDelete
  11. Majicjack sucks. I have been using it for 2 years. I had to go back to my old service.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anyone just now realizing that not only do you have to pay the $29.95 renewal fee but if you want to keep the same phone number you have to pay an additional $9.95 each year. SO you are basically paying twice for the same service.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Been using for two years,,, love it.

    ReplyDelete
  14. so should i try this or not i have direct tv and internet

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Try it! I have it at three of my homes and they are great.

      Delete
    2. This service Sucks..Plainly Sucks. If you try to make a long distance call it will most likely drop the call or go into Error. Stay with the Old School even Vonage uses the same internet bassed service but is way more reliable than Magic Jack, Also I was just told by the FCC that Magic Jack was caught recording Phone conversations. I am sure this is to sell info but no verification on this as of yet. Big Brother is coming to your city calling itself Magic Jack.

      Delete
  15. is it true that all calls are recorded for playback?

    ReplyDelete
  16. Totally sucked never received calls did not take messages may not work with apple ?? Ended up going back to old service and they charge you another $30 to leave with your number... bullshit.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I got Magic Jack specifically to speak to a friend in Anchorage. I am in Las Vegas. Does not work! So "anywhere in U.S" is BS!! Although it works for other calls which are occasionally dropped, however that could just be my cable service. Who knows... good enough I guess..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes called cousin in Wasilla Alaska ... which is the United States... wanted 17 cents a minute ... Isn't Alaska & Hawaii the United States... so other than that i like it..

      Delete
  18. I purchased The Magic Jack Plus and I have been on with their Tecnical support team hours and hours of my day. They keep saying I need an upgrade so they do so. How many upgrades can one have? I went away and when I came home My Magic Jack was screaming Error Error. I lost many important contact calls. So think about this prior to trying to save a buck. Some things cost more for a reason. I'd advise you stick with the old School. By the way I have 20 MB internet speed. If your internet speed is below 15KB your Magic Jack will not work either.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I love My Magic Jack. Just got it and Love it.

      Delete
    2. It is your money to waist. When you spend a lot more of your time with Technicle Service the price goes up. Anyone who purchases this piece of Crap deserves it if they keep it and not return it.

      Delete
  19. SUCKS IT JUST PLAIN SUCKS. NOT JUST IN SERVICE BUT IT WILL SUCK THE MONEY RIGHT OUT OF YOUR POCKET

    ReplyDelete
  20. Well I have changed my mind, I was going to get it, but after so much bad reviews, I am not taking that chance, I will stick to my expensive phone that works. The old saying U get what U pay for.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Magic Jack sucks !!! Is now dropping all my calls after 6 1\2 minutes. Big ripoffs !!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. DO NOT BUY. I tried it for 3 weeks but returned before the 31 day trial period. (1) there is no porting of your current phone number if you live in Canada. I wanted this as I didn't want friends to have a long distance US charge to call me (2) there is a $10 non refundable charge for being assigned a random Canadian number, although the non refundable part is never discussed. This $10 is charged to you every year for being assigned this number (3) No 911 available, even for a charge (4) teleconferencing doesn't work (5) No technical support which is a huge problem. I have read some people were able to get Tech Support at a cost of $30.00 (6)it took more than 3 hours to install - registering the device, no dial tone, phone not ringing when number called. (6) The cost was $79.99 in Canada. My advice, stay away from this one unless you want your head to spin.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love my MJ! Going on almost 3 yrs now and about to order my second one. I love that I can be any where and if someone leaves a message, I get an email that I can view on my cell phone AND listen to the message, no matter where I am.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am confused with the many negative comments then some positive comments of support - makes you wonder if MJ employed folks might be responding positively? Screening for conflicts of interest ought to be considered - otherwise one has to assume the worst.

      Delete
  24. worst phone ive ever had

    ReplyDelete
  25. I bought the original years ago. Then I bought magic jack plus to plug my cordless set of phones directly into my modem. I Love them so much for the cost savings. I just bought another 2014 plus model to send to my son in the U.S. Army based in Germany to make it easier to keep in touch with family and friends here in the States. It is much less costly than any other phone. It was fun to read some of this nonsense.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Hmmmm... I just had a Magic Jack GIVEN to me. What will happen when I plug it in?

    ReplyDelete
  27. anonymous: Sept. 21, 2013:

    Is it legal for magic jack to bill directly for a 911 call, made to save a neighbors life? They informed me that the FCC will charge me any fee they want to. I was never informed of this prior to subscribing to MJ. and having put up with calls interrupted, error reports, etc.

    ReplyDelete
  28. An outright lie, scam, and ripoff..... I wish I could sue them for false advertising

    ReplyDelete
  29. Like other readers said, I was considering going to Magic Jack Plus, but NO WAY after reading the comments. I'm sticking to AT+T, even though they are expensive.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I have it for my fax # I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Magic Jack customer support or lack of it.

    First of all MJ Plus is not $19.95 a year but rather $29.95 a year. They alcarte you to death. Also there is a fee to port your old number, if you can figure out how to port it. Good luck because support is non-existent. I read another reviewer that stated they called customer support for help. Well I wish they would have listed the number of people.

    People do yourself a favor and pass on Magic Jack there is nothing magic about MJ it suck from a customer support standpoint.

    Buyer Beware

    ReplyDelete
  32. I've had mj for several years now, aside from it dropping my calls after 90mins it's great. wish I could use it to send a fax.

    ReplyDelete