50 replies to this topic

[zunigan]

We use it each weekend. My husband loves to call all his friends and family in the usa. It was to expensive with our other phone so this is great. And yes your computer must be on to use it. It has really cut our phone bill down. Now if I can just figure out the cell phone thing!!

[CB]

well, i decided to give it a try, i ordered it last nite, should get it in a few days. will report back.
peace

[Scooby]

Two questions:

Can one make calls to toll free numbers ?

Can the magicJack users send their caller id if they choose ?

========================================

Answered by me on 20080723:
Yes, to the 1st.
Yes, to the 2nd, but without the option to block your caller ID. On a few occasions, my caller ID didn't go through.

[CB]

ok, got it the other day, just plugged it it, it automatically downloaded software, and boom
it worked like a charm. great connection, not like skype.

yes i was able to call toll free numbers.
yes they received my # via caller id.
its completely portable, so if you wanted to, you could cancel all phone service, and make your calls from a wi-fi location.

this is the greatest product since sliced bread, it will revolutionize the telecom industry.
ps if you pay for 5 years, you can get it for $10 a year- amazing!

[galvezis]

ok, got it the other day, just plugged it it, it automatically downloaded software, and boom
it worked like a charm. great connection, not like skype.

yes i was able to call toll free numbers.
yes they received my # via caller id.
its completely portable, so if you wanted to, you could cancel all phone service, and make your calls from a wi-fi location.

this is the greatest product since sliced bread, it will revolutionize the telecom industry.
ps if you pay for 5 years, you can get it for $10 a year- amazing!

I'm sold! Ordering one as I type...

[zunigan]

I love it. It has cut the cost of my phone bill with cablemas to nothing. I use it all the time to call the us and leave my laptop on and it plugged in when I am in Mexico so anyone can call. It is great!

[Scooby]

Say adios to monthly contractual payments for just an annual one of $10 to 20.

[Scooby]

Well, I got it and for the most part, I like it. A few times I noticed that using it while web surfing and visa versa, one interferes with the other.
I'm wondering if buying more bandwidth would solve that. With Skype I hadn't this issue.

[JohnnyOxx]

For all of us livining in Tijuana in need of a (619) number this is absolutly the best option. There is only one down side that i can see and that is your computer cannot receive calls while it is sleeping. Thankfully it comes with voice mail and notification via Email. Telnor which is the company I use for internet service blocks my Skype service. But they can't block Magicjack. And how can you beat the price at $20 a year.

[Scooby]

....... Telnor which is the company I use for internet service blocks my Skype service. ....

Is it legal for them to do that ? Shouldn't it be ? Does that bother only me ?

Perhaps it's owner & super-billionaire Carlos Slim has his sights on being the world's first trillionaire.

[galvezis]

Is it legal for them to do that ? Shouldn't it be ? Does that bother only me ?

Perhaps it's owner & super-billionaire Carlos Slim has his sights on being the world's first trillionaire.

It bothers me too bro...maybe a phone call to telnor can change that...Cablemas is wide open when it comes to VOIP...

[Scooby]

...Cablemas is wide open when it comes to VOIP...

I've been paying Cablemas for internet only at approx $35 usd per month which I belive is for the minimum bandwidth (I forget how much, maybe 256kbs ?).
Anyway, this has normally been sufficient for most of my needs including voIP.
Since I've been trying to switch over from Skype (via their pc softfone or the router linked handset)
to MagicJack, the quality of the calls have often been unusably poor.
I'm wondering if others with MagicJack are experiencing this.

Perhaps the bandwidth isn't large enough ?
As I said elsewhere on the board, minor multitasking on the web while using MJ, both get interrupted.

[galvezis]

I've been paying Cablemas for internet only at approx $35 usd per month which I belive is for the minimum bandwidth (I forget how much, maybe 256kbs ?).
Anyway, this has normally been sufficient for most of my needs including voIP.
Since I've been trying to switch over from Skype (via their pc softfone or the router linked handset)
to MagicJack, the quality of the calls have often been unusably poor.
I'm wondering if others with MagicJack are experiencing this.

Perhaps the bandwidth isn't large enough ?
As I said elsewhere on the board, minor multitasking on the web while using MJ, both get interrupted.

Maybe it's your PC? Have u tried using another PC or laptop?

[ReyPeSo9rip]

Any one that has already been using this for awhile please let me know what you think about it overall. I'll PM you my US # to give me a call just so I can check out the quality before I order. Really appreciate it thanks

[TJBlogBoy]

I've been paying Cablemas for internet only at approx $35 usd per month which I belive is for the minimum bandwidth (I forget how much, maybe 256kbs ?).
Anyway, this has normally been sufficient for most of my needs including voIP.
Since I've been trying to switch over from Skype (via their pc softfone or the router linked handset)
to MagicJack, the quality of the calls have often been unusably poor.
I'm wondering if others with MagicJack are experiencing this.

Perhaps the bandwidth isn't large enough ?
As I said elsewhere on the board, minor multitasking on the web while using MJ, both get interrupted.

Maybe it's your PC? Have u tried using another PC or laptop?

I ordered one also, but I haven't plugged it in yet. The Cablemas Internet that costs $35 is 1.5 MB. You may want to go on www.speedtest.net to see what your actual speed is. I also suggest you don't touch the computer while on the phone. I know, it sucks, but it's the price you pay to using VoIP in TJ. You could upgrade your internet speed to 2 MB but i think it's significantly more expensive, like $60 i think ? Is your computer connected directly to the modem or through a wireless router? Is it a Pentium 4? All of these things may be a factor.

I'll let you know my experience once I plug mine in.

[governor]

I use skype with cablemas (1.5 mbps) Sound quality is excellent. I previously used voip and that worked good as well.

I ordered one also, but I haven't plugged it in yet. The Cablemas Internet that costs $35 is 1.5 MB. You may want to go on www.speedtest.net to see what your actual speed is. I also suggest you don't touch the computer while on the phone. I know, it sucks, but it's the price you pay to using VoIP in TJ. You could upgrade your internet speed to 2 MB but i think it's significantly more expensive, like $60 i think ? Is your computer connected directly to the modem or through a wireless router? Is it a Pentium 4? All of these things may be a factor.

I'll let you know my experience once I plug mine in.

[galvezis]

Anyone else have stories to share about this gadget?

[Scooby]

Besides what I previously stated in my complaint post, my MJ device has now failed to successfully open the on-screen softphone when plugged in.
I can still receive messages on my MJ phone #, but that's only if I call from another number. No out-going calls can be made.
I admit that I haven't done much repair research to sort out the problem because I still have Skype as a reliable backup
while not costing me extra money for the most part.

MJ cost savings have recently been nipped away by Skype's improved cost saving products.
Their costs for all North American calls have been competitively lowered.

When making calls internationally (MX, etc) using MJ is a definite rip-off esp. since what they charge you is way more than what they say they will charge you.
Unlike most phone companies, they won't even provide a list of all calls made (or received) by their customers using their product. Go figure

[Jim Miller]

It appears Magicjack VoIP telephone service may be a good fit for those living in Tijuana.

According to its advertisements, you get a U.S. phone number for incoming and outgoing phone calls. A computer running either Windows or Mac OS with a USB port, a regular (RJ-11) telephone handset, and access to a broadband Internet connection is supposed to be all that is needed to use Magicjack.

The Magicjack device sells for $40.00, including a one-year subscription for unlimited local and long distance U.S. telephone calls. Currently renewal telephone service costs $20.00 per year. Supposedly Magicjack can be used anywhere in the world.

Magicjack has some good reviews. Including a 1-17-08 PC Magazine Editor’s Choice award.

If anybody has any "hands on" experience with Magicjack I'd appreciate a review. Thanks.

You can get a San Diego area phone number (or any # anywhere of your choosing) and anyone can call that number and reach you, wherever you are, IF your computer is running. IF your computer is running, you can make free outgoing calls to the US and Canada. The rub is that there is usually little trouble hearing incoming calls, but there can be irresolvable troubles calling out. I have given up calling out because of the broken conversations, the echos, etc. I tried repeating myself over & over to others & they still couldn't understand what I was saying. I would not renew except that my brother can call me on my MJ Burbank # which call forwards free to my Anaheim #, all for free. Still, I have no way to make ANY free outgoing calls. I have 10MB AT&T fiber optic so that's not an issue. It has to do with my computer, I've been told. MagicJack support is laughable. They have a "fix routine" that you can run but it hasn't done any good. Their phone people are foreigners who only repeat what's written down for them in a book. They don't comprehend or reason - they listen for phrases and match them up to printed replies. If you're up to a $40 gamble, go for it. You might get lucky.

[zunigan]

Now that my husband is in Zacatecas he put cable in along with the internet and phone. I purchased another Majicjack and now we use the computers to talk. It has saved us a bundle in phone charges plus he can call anytime instead of waiting until he gets somewhere his cell phone works. He now longer has to put credit on his mom's phone. It works well.