Magicjack?

[KC9LGV]

What do you guys think about magicjack an voip phone services like them? I know that almost everybody that is 25 or below around here uses cell phones only and have no land lines to their houses. I am the same way, but the magic of grounded aluminum siding makes cellular service in my house a shady affair at best. I just got a magicjack device but haven't dedicated a pc to it yet. I was just wondering if any of you guys/girls had any experience in the matter.

[KD7UNP]

What do you guys think about magicjack an voip phone services like them? I know that almost everybody that is 25 or below around here uses cell phones only and have no land lines to their houses. I am the same way, but the magic of grounded aluminum siding makes cellular service in my house a shady affair at best. I just got a magicjack device but haven't dedicated a pc to it yet. I was just wondering if any of you guys/girls had any experience in the matter.

I bought one of these at R.S. I really like it. Some folks say the quality of your connection is dependent to your internet speed. I don't know. I have 7megs and it works great. This would be a good question to ask. R.S. has a 30 day return-no questions asked policy on this item. One word of caution is in order here though. If you have the type of connection that auto-disconnects from the internet if you are not actively using it, do not plan on using this as a primary phone. It does not like to be disconnected without being "ejected" or shut down while it is running in the background. If you just plan to use it while you are using your computer, I say go for it.

Bob

[N2RJ]

MagicJack is simply standard SIP VOIP running on their custom USB to RJ11 device and using a custom soft phone. It is run by a company called YMAX corporation.

I use VOIP and it works fine for me. I have my own Asterisk PBX in my basement and use a few different providers for the best rates. Due to my low usage my phone bill is about $2 per month.

[KC2STS]

Due to over $10.00 in taxes, line charge and other fees per month added to my phone bill, I've considered the Magicjack. Does the computer have to stay on, or does the jack just work thru the modem somehow? I have high speed internet connection w/broadband cable.
Thanks,
Joe

[KF4VGX]

I have a friend that swears by it,well I mean she has a sailors mouth.

It seems her connection was working fine until her ISP somehow disconnected that particular service ,and left her voip phone dead?
Road Runner aparently did't like her free magic jack phone idea.

[KC9JWA]

I have magic jack, i love it, it in my room , its peaceful and none else has hear it ring in wee hours, plus i know who calls i only gave the number to few buddys and family. it yearly fee defintally nice, not to expensive.

[NE3R]

Yes, the computer has to stay on for the Magic Jack to work. There are other over the internet telephone services that don't require a computer to be on, they typically are a little box with an Ethernet network jack on one side, and a rj-11 jack for a telephone on the other.

VOIP systems are nice, but they are not regulated like the telephone company, and they come nowhere near to meeting all of the reliability standards that the telephone company has to adhere to. In general, VOIP telephone services work well, and are good alternatives to the traditional land line. Keep in mind though, that they are only as reliable as your internet connection. Even blips that you may not notice on your computer could cause you to drop a VIOP call.

I personally would not use a VOIP internet phone as my only source for calling, I'd want to be sure that I had a mobile phone around (I'm actually mobile only these days).

73 de Joseph Durnal NE3R

[K8JD]

I know about a "SmartJack" on the end of a T-1 line but first time I heard "MagicJack" !

[AE1PT]

I personally would not use a VOIP internet phone as my only source for calling, I'd want to be sure that I had a mobile phone around (I'm actually mobile only these days).

Mobile lines are becoming the "rule" instead of the exception--as an increasing number of households drop POTS and VOIP services. Things such as "Family Plans" that cover all in-network and account calls without counting against minutes can minimize cell phone costs--as well as keep people in communication when they are away from home--something else that is increasingly the case.

At my previous home, POTS was a necessary evil--as DSL could not be obtained without regular telephone service (a rural phone cooperative was the only internet provider in the county). Cell phone service was spotty--better outside the county and only a regional provider supplying it locally.

Now here in Knoxville, ComCrap supplies our cable and internet--and the Vonage we had for business and long distance is being eliminated. Verizon is our new cell carrier, and the entire family is grouped on a single account. No more need for the VOIP. If we lose cell phone capability, I suppose that I can still run out and save the world with my HT...

[N2RJ]

I keep a VOIP system in my house because of international calls, both inbound and outbound. I have numbers in the US and UK.

I use my VOIP system for long conference calls and the like when I am working from home. Cell phones run off batteries and today's tiny phones are uncomfortable to use.

I use Asterisk for the PBX and for calling I use future nine, CallWithUs, localphone, callcentric and Eutelia VOIP. I route per destination to give me the lowest rates.