Local and Long-Distance for $20 a Year - What the?

[hausdok]

It's not land line, it's not Vonage, it's not Comcast Digital Voice; it's something called Magic Jack, and it's kind of an attractive option in these times when money is tight for our businesses. Check it out!

[Brian G]

Get the hell outta here......can't be.

Brian G.

If It Seems To Good To Be True, I Hope It Is [:-bigeyes

[Brad Manor]

I ordered one of 'em today. Heck, it's worth the 40 bucks just to find out.....

-Brad

[Brian G]

Okay, what the heck. I ordered one. If it really works and I like it I'll have to do some rewiring, since I have 5 - 6 phones around the house, but if I can get phone service for $20 per year I'll do the dang rewiring.

Brian G.

In The Land Vonage Hasn't Discovered Yet [:-weepn]

[hausdok]

It would save me $604 over my Vonage office phone and nearly that on the Comcast Digital Voice on the house phone - not counting the long distance charges.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Chris Bernhardt]

Hell yes I ordered one too! I got a bunch of teenagers.

Chris, Oregon

[Brad Manor]

hmmm - I just realized that they don't have Canadian area codes yet.... I need to pick a US area code until they can get the Canadian ones set up.

where do I want to be from?........

[Robert E Lee]

I've got a question, how does the phone number management work out? If you have service from your local phone company, and then call and cancel in order to use the Magic Jack isn't the local phone company likely to reassign that phone number to a new customer? Suppose you don't have a phone now, where does the phone number come from that you would use with Magic Jack? Beyond that it almost sounds to good to be true.

Robert E Lee

GENERAL Home Inspections

[hausdok]

Hi,

You get your phone number from Magic Jack. Right now, you cannot port your phone number over although they say they are working to fix that.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[AHI in AR]

I ordered one just for long distance and overflow times when our other lines were in use. (Long-winded wife and 3 kids)

You can't use your existing number. In fact, chances are that unless you are from a pretty large city, you can't even use your area code or prefix. Several states aren't even listed. That makes it awkward for accepting inbound calls -- folks calling you would have to pony up long distance rates...UNLESS they have one too. (Now we see the bias inherent in the system) However, even if you only use it for LD, you can deep six your LD coverage and still save a boatload of $$$, even in just a couple of years.

I ordered mine Monday; it arrived today. Seems to work fine, but I haven't made but a few calls.

Apparently, you can plug it into a computer anywhere and call anywhere within the US for free. Great for travelers. If you are out of the country, you can call to the US for free. At $20 a year, seems like you can't lose. BTW, when I ordered mine, there was an option to lock in to a $10 /yr rate for 5 years!

[cbollin]

I’m starting a new business and magic jack seams to be an inexpensive way to get a separate line for the business.

[Brad Manor]

I got mine in the mail this morning. Aside from not getting a local number (though they assure me that will happen soon) the thing is great - just like a normal phone. What I really like is the free calls home if I'm travelling, I'm going to get one for my in-laws in Europe so they can call here..... on second thought....

-Brad

[Brian G]

Mine came a week ago, but I've been too busy to monkey with it.

Brad, did you actually communicate with someone at Magic Jack about the local numbers? If so, what did they say?

I'd love to be able to keep mine; even to the point of keeping the higher service for a little while, if it'll make the difference.

Brian G.

What's a Little More Blood After All These Years [:-mischie

[Brad Manor]

I communicated via the live help thingy.... They said that by the end of the summer there would be "some Canadian area codes." Until then, I set myself up with a Livonia, Michigan number, simply because that's where my sister lives. Now she can call me and it won't be long distance.

I don't plan to turf my other phone anytime soon, but I like having this thing for long distance. I spent the bulk of today talking on the thing, and so far it seems great - time will tell.

-Brad "Now I have phone numbers in two countries" Manor