Would I be an idiot to try "Magic Jack" as a second phone source?nt

[FLyellowdog]

[OmahaBlueDog]

1. Let me know how it works, because we're seriously looking at this as an option

If it works, we may keep a local land line, but use the MJ for all long distance.

[FLyellowdog]

2. My AT & T is dropping too many calls so I'm curious about the Jack.

[EvolveOrConvolve]

3. I've heard that the service isn't that great, but you can't beat the price

It's cheap enough that if it doesn't work out, you're not out that much money.

[FLyellowdog]

4. True.

[david13]

5. We have four of them and they are great. You would be a fool not

to drop that ridiculously expensive land line. We were paying 65 a month each minimum. And always extra.
Magicjack works about 96% of the time. A tiny glitch or tad off here or there, but basically excellent, particularly eckspecially when you look at the wild difference in price.
dc

[Orrex]

6. Terrific recommendation--we've been thinking about getting one

I could find this out from their website, but it's better to ask a customer, I think:

How is the number assigned? Specifically, do you use your regular area code?

Is your number automatically put on a public directory and/or can you opt out?

How is the service overall?


Thanks for your insights--we're eager to pursue another option, and this sounds like just the ticket!

[david13]

7. The number comes up and you chose the area code, near you.

And then they suggest numbers that are available and you can take your choice. Or pay extra for a custom number. They can check to see if you can use you current or old number as well, maybe a charge.
The numbers don't seem to go onto any directory or anything.
The service is good or very good over all. Not perfect but no phone is.
dc

[SammyWinstonJack]

8. I paid five years up front and before the end of the first year, my service expired.

:shrug: I didn't bother with Magic Jack again, after that happened.

[Schema Thing]

9. It works great. I honestly don't see how any of the other VOIPS

can get people to spend $240 + per year for what MagicJack charges 19.95.

[elocs]

10. When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Ask yourself, how does MJ make money?

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/04/14/magicjacks-eula-says.html

MagicJack, a cheapie $20-a-year internet phone service, comes with a shriveled and shaking devil EULA.

"You also understand and agree that use of the magicJack device and Software will include advertisements and that these advertisements are necessary for the magicJack device to work ... Our computers may analyze the phone numbers you call in order to improve the relevance of the ads"

...

Any claims, legal proceeding or litigation arising in connection with the magicJack device or Software will be resolved by binding arbitration ... in Palm Beach, Florida."

Oh God, not Palm Beach!

In short, it not only has one agree to ads with its paid-for system, but claims that the ads are necessary for it to work. It will also snoop on your calls to target ads more accurately, and has you sign away your legal right to take it to court if it defrauds or otherwise harms you. Delightful.

Neither the EULA itself, nor any other privacy or legal information, can be easily found at its homepage. It's not even provided at the point of sale, where one enters credit card info, email and street addresses as such, so as to gain access to the service and have your MagicJack dongle delivered. I found the EULA's URL through Google.

It gets sexier. When you access MajicJack's instant web help page, a bizarre series of "compatibility tests" take place first, reporting lies like "Your MagicJack is functioning properly" even if you don't have one installed.

Even the "look how many people came for a free trial" counter on the homepage is a fake, a javascript applet that increments itself automatically:

// the interval (ms) between new visitors
var interval = Math.round(86400000/perday);

As if targeted advertising, systematic privacy invasion and the signing away of your legal rights wasn't evil enough!

That being said, I have a friend who has Magic Jack and he loves it, but then he is totally oblivious as to how they make their money. They do need to make money and it is foolish to believe they could offer a phone service so cheap without some way of making a profit. As long as you know that and are comfortable with their methods, then go for it.

[FLyellowdog]

11. This information is a big help. Thank you. nt

[cwydro]

12. Had it for awhile, since my housemate got it.

I pretty much rely on my cell, but where I live is in a dead zone cell-wise. So we got it.

It was a pain in the ass in the beginning, but seems more or less reliable now. If your computer goes out, you are out of luck. We've got a lot of those issues in the Keys, but I'm thinking in a "normal" place it wouldn't be so bad.

I'm someone who hates talking on the phone, so it was usually not a big deal to me. Occasionally was rather frustrating though lol. Probably wouldn't recommend it if you have any sort of relationship (work, love, whatever) that depends on a phone, especially the Magic Jack.