Magic Jack Phone service

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boater07
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Magic Jack Phone service

Post by boater07 »

Unfortunately, I have been unable to find past posts on this topic that I recall reading.
I am trying to understand the difference between Magic Jack and OOma. I recall "Mel"
has been using MJ for some time. While MJ is cheaper it seem to require that computer
is always on. Ooma on the other hand is wireless and seem to accomplish the same thing.

Does anyone understand the various features of each?
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Toons
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Toons »

Pretty informative video here comparing magic jack and ooma :D :D


http://www.infonotmercial.com/ooma-magi ... rison.html
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dbltrbl
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by dbltrbl »

I am sure some one will correct me but let me try to summarize them. The new magic Jack does not require computer to be on. How ever, magic jack while cheap it has charge per year and their customer service is terrible to put it mildly. Ooma , there is no annual charge but you pay about $ 200.00 up front for all calls to US and Canada. Theoretically you will never pay another dime to any one for calls to USA and Canada with Ooma. Typically call quality is tad better with Ooma. I have old magic Jack which requires computer to be on. You will be fine with either choice. Magic jack automatically directs your messages to your email in wave file which you can listen to. If your calls are only to USA and Canada at least for this year you can use Google phone at no charge.
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Salty1
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Salty1 »

Check out Magic Jack plus here http://www.magicjack.com/plus-v05/
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boater07
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by boater07 »

Thank you-great info-what I'm still missing is need for phone provider.
Can I drop my phone service, or is all I'm saving? long distance?
dbltrbl
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by dbltrbl »

No you do not need a phone provider. You can ditch them. You can call local or long distance no problem. Depending your number, people calling you may have to call you long distance but you ABSOLUTELY do not need phone service provider. This assumes you have internet service.
mikep
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by mikep »

dbltrbl wrote:I am sure some one will correct me but let me try to summarize them. The new magic Jack does not require computer to be on. How ever, magic jack while cheap it has charge per year and their customer service is terrible to put it mildly. Ooma , there is no annual charge but you pay about $ 200.00 up front for all calls to US and Canada. Theoretically you will never pay another dime to any one for calls to USA and Canada with Ooma. Typically call quality is tad better with Ooma. I have old magic Jack which requires computer to be on. You will be fine with either choice. Magic jack automatically directs your messages to your email in wave file which you can listen to. If your calls are only to USA and Canada at least for this year you can use Google phone at no charge.
Ooma is not free now charges $3.47 per month in 911 taxes/fees. However, call quality is great with it and no complaints really. Either one will save a lot of money.
staustin
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by staustin »

Another vote for ooma. Going on a year now and very pleased. Call quality is excellent.
BogleBrit
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by BogleBrit »

Does anyone have Ooma linked up to an all in one fax/printer/scanner type machine for faxes ? I've been interested in Ooma for a while but there seem to be some very mixed reviews out there, mainly about the poor customer service, and I could not find much about how it plays with a fax machine.

Thanks.....
mikep
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by mikep »

Not sure about fax but here's my experience so far with ooma.

Wife was irritated with call waiting beeps. So ooma customer service turned that off for us, which means that callers don't get a busy signal but calls go to ooma voicemail. So if you have an answering machine, occasionally have to check the ooma voicemail too incase someone calls while you are on the phone. I played our message into the ooma as ooma's voicemail message. :) However, ooma's voicemail answers at 6 rings and my home machine answers after 4 rings.
No need for custom wireless adapter ($50). Just buy a cheap router and reconfig as a repeater.. this way your adapter still works if you get rid of ooma. Thanks to tfb for this suggestion. I have the ooma hidden in the bedroom connected to a repeater and back feeding a phone jack with the main phone plugged in the kitchen phone jack using the in house wiring.
Alarm probably won't work with ooma. Likely have to convert that to cell-based.
Constant barrage of sales pitch for the premier which has things like second line etc. I didn't really need it, basic works for us. About the only premier feature that I cared about was caller ID by name.. but somehow after our free trial the names are still showing up. No complaints.

My only concern with it now is what do I do when it eventually dies, knowing it won't last forever. Since we can't go without phone service, guess I'll buy another one and hopefully they can port the number to it. Even in the warranty, not sure how fast you can get a replacement.
BogleBrit
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by BogleBrit »

Thanks mikep......I hadn't even thought about our home alarm system not working with it. Guess I'll have to stay with the regular phone for a bit longer.
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Mel Lindauer
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Mel Lindauer »

I'd certainly consider the new magicJack Plus. Doesn't need a computer and the sound quality is supposedly much improved over the older magicJack which needed to be plugged into a computer that needed to be on.

FWIW, I plan to get one of those when my current pre-paid subscription to the original magicJack runs out. MJ decided to not let current MJ users transfer the remaining time on their pre-paid subscription over to the new MJ Plus. Poor customer service IMO, but I'm very satisfied with the original MJ, so I'll just stick with that for now.
Best Regards - Mel | | Semper Fi
mikep
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by mikep »

BogleBrit wrote:Thanks mikep......I hadn't even thought about our home alarm system not working with it. Guess I'll have to stay with the regular phone for a bit longer.
Most of the alarms can be converted to cellular, which is safer also (since thieves can cut power and landlines).
For me, the alarm company wanted $99 to install it then another $5/mo for cellular monitoring.. which I wasn't pleased about but still cheaper in the long run.
david99
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by david99 »

I've had problems with the sound quality of the old Magic Jack but maybe the new Magic Jack Plus is good. I only use Magic Jack when I run out of cell phone minutes.
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KarlJ
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by KarlJ »

I have 5 years pre-paid on the original magicJack, which I am satisfied with for the most part, so it will be years before I would consider magicJack Plus or Ooma as a replacement.
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tfb
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by tfb »

mikep wrote:Not sure about fax
There's a special prefix for fax, *99 or something like that.
mikep wrote:Constant barrage of sales pitch for the premier which has things like second line etc.
How? I don't get any sales pitch at all. Maybe I turned off something in My Ooma?
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mikep
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by mikep »

tfb wrote:
mikep wrote:Not sure about fax
There's a special prefix for fax, *99 or something like that.
mikep wrote:Constant barrage of sales pitch for the premier which has things like second line etc.
How? I don't get any sales pitch at all. Maybe I turned off something in My Ooma?
To me, it really seemed like they push the premier as a cash cow.. many emails about premier. Especially after they ported my number it started all over again at a further discount. Now that I'm on basic, I see again I can get a free 30 day trial of premier..
However, for someone who wants premier and porting a number, I'd suggest paying $39.99 to port your number first, then you'll get an email offer for a year of premier for $60. Beats paying $119.99 and having them port your number for free. You'll also need a telo handset ($49) to be able to use the second line. You also have the option of getting that for free (instead of a number port) with a 1 year premier sign up.
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by HearDoc »

Mel Lindauer wrote:I'd certainly consider the new magicJack Plus. Doesn't need a computer and the sound quality is supposedly much improved over the older magicJack which needed to be plugged into a computer that needed to be on.

FWIW, I plan to get one of those when my current pre-paid subscription to the original magicJack runs out. MJ decided to not let current MJ users transfer the remaining time on their pre-paid subscription over to the new MJ Plus. Poor customer service IMO, but I'm very satisfied with the original MJ, so I'll just stick with that for now.
Consider OBI @ http://obihai.com/googlevoice.html. Using it now with Comcast HSI. Upfront cost about $45. No other costs. Beat MJ by a mile.
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KarlJ
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by KarlJ »

Email from magicJack:
I am offering my newest invention, the magicJack PLUS, to our existing customers first. I wanted to make sure my loyal customers could be rewarded and be first in line. No doubt, most of you will want the option to continue using the magicJack as you have (with a computer), or now just plug into the wall and internet (without the computer) - it's your choice and so easy to use as always. The new magicJack PLUS is the same size as the old one, and it is basically a computer/system on a chip. Our chip developer Dr. YW Sing really outdid himself this time.

The magicJack PLUS will be in Radio Shack first followed by Walmart for $69.95. It will contain everything you need and the first year of service will be free. You will be able to use the same number you had before or you can even port a number to the new magicJack PLUS. You will not be able to transfer your old plan to the new magicJack PLUS. That is just one reason why we are offering a 48 hour special to buy the magicJack PLUS at half price. The price right now is $34.95…We have sold over 7 million magicJacks and we only have 200,000 new magicJack PLUS to offer! . After that, you will have to wait about 60 days more to get yours.

The reviews for the magicJack PLUS by bloggers and reporters have been so positive. It makes me very proud for them to rave about the call quality and ease of use.

Dan Borislow
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BTDT
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by BTDT »

I am very satisfied with Google voice and the price is just right for a Boglehead.........Free! :beer
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HearDoc
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by HearDoc »

jvclark02 wrote:I am very satisfied with Google voice and the price is just right for a Boglehead.........Free! :beer
You have some unknown method to plug your landline phone into Google voice without an adaptor?
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Kashi
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Kashi »

Slightly askew of the main topic...but...

I considered Magic Jack for a period of time, but eventually settled on using a Google Voice/Gmail/Android setup. I have an android cell from virgin mobile, which has very few minutes. I make calls from home with Gmail's VOIP capability, which will be free through 2012.

Ultimately, if I needed the computer for Magic Jack, I figured why pay anything for it? Google Voice has the same capabilities and using an Android Cell allows both the VOIP line and the Cell Line to share messages and contacts, avoiding the 'checking multiple message boxes' issue noted in an above post. Additionally, call forwarding in Google Voice can have calls forwarded to or from any phone you add to the network, so you can get landline calls on your cell or work, etc.

I don't know anything about this Magic Jack v2.0 thingy. So my above point is pretty uninformed.
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ejvyas
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by ejvyas »

HearDoc wrote:Consider OBI @ http://obihai.com/googlevoice.html. Using it now with Comcast HSI. Upfront cost about $45. No other costs. Beat MJ by a mile.
jvclark02 wrote:I am very satisfied with Google voice and the price is just right for a Boglehead.........Free!
Google Voice has been free since it was launched but Google has been slowly cutting down on its features. International calls and texts were free earlier but they are no longer free.
Also, google has been trimming its free offerings and product line so I would be careful in the long run.

Yet I am using it whenever possible to cut down on my cell phone minutes usage (through my laptop at home) within US only. International is charged but rates are getting more competitive now
dc5vt05
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by dc5vt05 »

I've been using OOMA for about 5 months now. Although I paid around $190, I only pay $3.47 every month for taxes and fees. Call quality is great, using 15Mbps down and 5Mbps up.
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Hexdump
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Hexdump »

I have had both and OOma is superior.
Less noise, no PC requirement (a big +), less dropped calls, stays up and active longer.
No comparison, IMHO.
Jamieson22
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Jamieson22 »

I have been using Ooma for 2.5 years. It has worked pretty much flawlessly for us. I got in before they charged any fees so all I paid was the upfront equipment costs.

I also have an alarm system so I was not able to completely get rid of my AT&T account but I was able to strip the phone line down local calls only which basically nets out to about $24 a month. The savings still allowed me to break even in about 6 months, so even if you have an alarm it is worth looking into.
mikep
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by mikep »

Jamieson22 wrote:I have been using Ooma for 2.5 years. It has worked pretty much flawlessly for us. I got in before they charged any fees so all I paid was the upfront equipment costs.

I also have an alarm system so I was not able to completely get rid of my AT&T account but I was able to strip the phone line down local calls only which basically nets out to about $24 a month. The savings still allowed me to break even in about 6 months, so even if you have an alarm it is worth looking into.
Thieves can cut power/landlines, so consider a cell based alarm with ooma. My alarm co charged $99 for install + additional $5 month for monitoring + new 3 year contract. Then you can get rid of landline completely and your alarm is also more secure.
java
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by java »

for about $20 more per month you can add unlimited calling on your cellphone plan.
Then for a free second number, sign up for google voice.
Add talkatone app and use that google voice number free over wifi.
I bought a set of panasonic cordless phones that have bluetooth link.
Plug my android into charger next to base and use cordless handsets in various rooms.
Net cost of $0 for me as I already had unlimited voice minutes on cell plan.
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modal
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by modal »

I use Skype along with a wireless (Wifi) Skype Phone.
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by rotorhead »

Don't mean to hijack this thread, but haven't been able to find any discussion about AT&T's U-verse VOIP phone service on the forum. Anyone here have any experience with it? I'm getting ready to make a change; and trying to determine whether voice quality will be as good as traditional phone line. Some discussions I've seen say voice quality occasionally not as good. We are long time AT&T customer with DSL, wireless and traditional phone. Not unhappy with current service, but it seems there are substantial savings to be had by "bundling" these services into U-verse. Don't need the TV.

Comments anyone?
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cjackson0
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by cjackson0 »

My mom has Uverse voice and it has been sufficient for her (I don't notice the difference when I call her).

But if you're looking for cost savings, you can certainly do better. If I remember correctly, their unlimited calling is $30 per month - OOMA's would be about $3.50. Uverse has the advantage of being maintained by the internet provider so you have only 1 person to complain to if things aren't working. If you feel confident managing another device on your network, I'd recommend one of the other solutions here: OOMA or MagicJack.

For what it's worth: I'm using T-Mobile @Home (which is no longer offered) for $15 per month. I'm thinking about going to OOMA soon as my VOIP router has been having issues ever since I switched to Charter Internet.
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Rich Cape Cod
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by Rich Cape Cod »

I use MagicJack (MJ) all the time (for all long distance calls and frequently everything else – phone tied into MJ is right where I normally sit while normal land line is a bit further away). People cannot tell my calls are coming to them via computer.

At $20 dollars a year for unlimited nationwide calls I have no complaints about MJ. Never used their customer service, but have heard that’s a real issue with some folks using this system.

Rich
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by rotorhead »

Thanks cjackson0 and Rich Cape Cod, for the information and advice. I'm sure there are savings to be realized by going with Ooma or Magicjack; but there is some advantage I think to having wireless, DSL and telephone all bundled together with one supplier. It's easy to criticize the "telephone company", but actually AT&T have provided us pretty good service over the years. I have spoken with our security monitoring company, and they say their system works OK with AT&T; and should be no problem. Only issue is in event of power failure, after the back up battery goes out (4 hours), no security monitoring. I think we can live with that. If power out for more than 4 hours (hurricane?) we'll have greater issues to worry about.

A number of people have told me their experience was the voice quality was not as good as land line; so guess we'll just have to see for ourselves. I think we are going to go ahead with AT&T for the initial trial, and see how we go. Will be changing over at end of the year.
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cjackson0
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by cjackson0 »

rotorhead wrote:I'm sure there are savings to be realized by going with Ooma or Magicjack; but there is some advantage I think to having wireless, DSL and telephone all bundled together with one supplier. It's easy to criticize the "telephone company", but actually AT&T have provided us pretty good service over the years. I have spoken with our security monitoring company, and they say their system works OK with AT&T; and should be no problem.
May I ask what you like best about bundling with AT&T? The only advantage I saw when bundling landline, Wireless, and DSL was having 1 combined bill instead of 3. In my experience, if you had a problem with 1 service you still have to speak to that individual department to resolve it.

Disclosure: I am a former AT&T employee. The only thing I really miss are the employee discounts :greedy
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rotorhead
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Re: Magic Jack Phone service

Post by rotorhead »

Roger that! I realize it's still 3 separate parts of the same company; but I just think that in spite of the tremendous advances in communication the past 20 years or so, AT&T is still "the phone company". We've had no bad experiences with them, so I'm inclined to stay with "the devil I know" as it were. After we've had the new system for a month I may feel differently. We'll see.
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