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 Review by mrkevin 
Posted: 136 days ago
member for 2.3 years, 225 visits, last login: 3 days ago
 Aurora,Hancock,ME
 Contract price not specified.
 "Cost"
 "sometimes can be touchy"
 "You get what you pay for"
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For the money you can't beat it.
I have a local number and can bring it anywhere I have a high speed connection.
The quality can be sketchy at times and I did go a week where I couldn't make any calls but over all its not bad.
I don't use it as much as I should but I think I have got my monies worth.
Makes a great gift.
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 Review by DrStrange
UPDATED: 143 days ago
member for 8.3 years, 3413 visits, last login: a few hours ago
West Hartford,Hartford,CT
$4 per month (12 month contract)
 about 5 days
"It's very inexpensive and it works very well"
"the fine print in the EULA, website slightly misleading, two-hour outgoing call limit, no local numbers in 860"
"It's very inexpensive and it works very well."
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I ordered a MagicJack on 7/3/2008 and it arrived Tuesday the 8th. It took about 2 minutes to set up and it was working. I set it up with an additional pair of 5.8GHz cordless phones next to our existing landline phones. I've tested it on several computers, including a Dell Inspiron laptop connected via wireless and an old Dell Dimension 4100 [USB1 ports] and a USB2 non-powered hub. I ended up hosting the MJ on an Inspiron 8100 with a USB2 card and a powered USB2 hub that I put in a corner of the computer room. My dedicated computer uses about 60 watts of power. I'm looking for a laptop with a broken display so that I can lower that figure.
MJ generally works flawlessly. Once in a while, there's some choppiness or echo, but restarting the MagicJack and redialing fixes this problem. My wife has used it quite a bit to call relatives in the Midwest and is very happy with it. It's paid for itself many times over.
We've used MagicJack for a year now. The call quality is good about 99% of the time. It's choppy about 1% of the time. For under $2 a month, I can redial when i get a choppy connection. Around the end of 2008, MJ experimented with time limits on outgoing calls. The initial 30-minute limit caused quite a few people to stop using MJ. After a lot of customer complaints, the limit was relaxed to 1 hour, then to an hour and 59 minutes. If you actually talk that long, just redial your call if it's dropped.
RE: CALL QUALITY: The lower your latency is, the better MJ will work. That's why people with good cable or higher tiers of DSL have better luck with MJ than people with bad cable or slower/problematic DSL.
I really don't care that it doesn't have a number local to my area, since I intended it for outgoing calls only.
The website looks like an ad for a bad used-car lot. Ignore it and research the facts [both good and bad] before deciding whether or not this is for you.
As for the fine print in the EULA, I don't care about targeted advertising when it's confined to the softphone and the softphone is non-intrusive. If you use MJ on a dedicated computer stuffed into a corner somewhere, you won't see the ads anyway.
I set it up with the free trial period, so I'll report back on whether I'm billed before the website said I would be billed. UPDATE 7/7/2009: I wasn't billed before the trial period was over. I've renewed my service for another year @ $19.95/yr. [that's the $1.68/month quoted in the infamous commercials].
I haven't had to deal with tech support in the year I've used MagicJack. I hear that the only support available is overseas-based chat.
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 Review by Nanoprobe
Posted: 144 days ago
member for 6.5 years, 2825 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Crab Nebula
Contract price not specified.
"Was able to ditch the land line"
"No local phone #s and unreliable at the beginning."
"For $20 a year it's goog enough as a cell phone backup"
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I tried MJ when they first came out. At the time there were no local numbers in my area code. Why there were none for Orlando made no sense. Anyway, it didn't work very well and I returned it during the trial period. About a year later I checked and they offered numbers in my area code so I tried it again. Much to my surprise It worked much better. I have it set up so it works on every phone jack in the house. I ditched my land line and hopefully they will offer portability so I can put my old land line # back to use.
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Review by chiptanis
Posted: 154 days ago
member for 154 days, 1 visits, last login: 63 days ago
Boca Raton,Palm Beach,FL
$1 per month (12 month contract)
about 3 days
"No problems what so ever"
"Note"
"Best $40 I ever spen"
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Ordered on line thru their site. The unit was delivered in about 2-3 days. Took me less than 5 minutes to set it up with voicemail. Haven't paid for a long distance / local call since. It's been about 3 months.
I'm using comcast high-speed internet for the connection. Only downside is if you lose cable or power / you lose service. I'm keeping AT&T for now because of hurricane season.
When season ends, plan on "suspending" AT&T service. You can do this for up to 9 months for a one time charge of $20. This allows you to keep you landline phone number.
I make most Long distance calls on Cell anyway. I figure it costs me $31 per month just to have a landline phone which I rarely use. $20 per year vs $31 per month a no brainer.
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Review by vintagewino
UPDATED: 160 days ago
member for 6.3 years, 703 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Grimsby,ON
Contract price not specified.
about 1 days
"Very economical."
"No uninstall procedure Shards hidden on your system."
"May not be the right item for everyone, but it's worth a try."
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I had seen the ads, thought what the heck?
Picked it up in February, running it on XP Pro on a Pentium M laptop. Chose a Milwaukee phone #. Couple of small tweaks, and it was functional. The unit is used for outgoing LD calls only, and is removed from the machine when not in use.
The bad:
There is no uninstall program, so you have a hunt to find the entries hidden in your registry and system.
The Canadian & US websites could best be describes as "visually noisy".
The unit may have a lifespan if left on continually due to constant writing to it. Some have said about a year.
The good:
Quality with everyone we have tried is excellent across Ontario and through the US.
Oddly enough, the poorest quality occurs when calling a Milwaukee #. We have yet to figure out if it is MJ or the person we're calling.
Economical - Omitting the hardware cost ($20US), at less than @$2 US /month - you'll likely spend more on coffee in a week.
Other:
Canadian #'s have just come in. For the charge for a Canadian # ($5/month), I'll stick with the US#, thank you.
A stable high speed internet line is strongly recommended.
Have had no calls to their tech support, so that really can't be commented on.
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Review by Ted Sheckler
UPDATED: 166 days ago
member for 313 days, 384 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Aurora,Arapahoe,CO
$1 per month (12 month contract)
about 4 days
"Easy install, free local and long distance, good call quality"
"Horrible web site, must leave PC on 24/7"
"Perfect solution if you want to call from home and avoid cell phone charges"
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I saw the infomercial on DirecTV and decided to try it out. Found it on ebay for about 35 bucks including shipping, had it 4 days later. Plugged into my PC, installs software automatically and you choose an area code and prefix. Plug my wireless 4-handset phone in, and was making calls within 2 minutes, my dad couldn't tell any difference when I called him other than it was a different phone number. We don't need a landline for any reason other than to avoid using up cell minutes during the day time, and this is the perfect solution if you don't need to have phone service guaranteed to be working. I tried it on a Pentium4 with 1 GB ram running Vista, call quality was unacceptable. plugged it into my Core 2 Quad and it functions as good as Vonage. the first year of service is free, and its 20 bucks a year after that, or you can purchase 5 years for 60 bucks. if i decide its worth it, I will purchase the 5 year license after the free year is up.
For a 35$ "I'll try it out", This is an excellent value. You really can't go wrong. Don't listen to the negative reviews, they either expect something for nothing or don't have a fast enough pc to give consistent call quality. I have it running upstairs from my wireless router in the basement. No problems.
UPDATE 6/14/09
5 months of rock solid phone service, the only time i've had trouble is when my computer does an automatic reboot (windows updates) and I don't log in again before trying the phone. That is not magicjack's fault though. GREAT SERVICE, ALMOST FREE!!!!!!!!
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Review by danoid
UPDATED: 176 days ago
member for 4.8 years, 41 visits, last login: 148 days ago
Penn Yan,Yates,NY
$1 per month (12 month contract)
"when it is good, it is great"
"i've had overall good luck with it"
"for me, it had done well and i have saved a lot of money"
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well now, it has been almost a year since i first got the magic jack and despite some early teething pains, i have been quite pleased with it......i can call mum who is in a 607 area code and my best bud in canada in a 902 area code and not have to worry about a nasty phone bill every month.....some had probs with being cut off after an hour or two, but i was fortunate and did not have that occur....as of this writing, i am on v 5.1.2535.0 and it seems to be doing ok.....it will be coming due in a month or so and if it continues this good, i will re-up for another year.....i am satisfied (and no, i am not an employee of MJ nor do i have stock in the company  )
ps-have not had to deal with tech support, thankfully
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 Review by baineschile
UPDATED: 184 days ago
member for 1.5 years, 637 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Sterling Heights,Macomb,MI
$1 per month
about 5 days
"PRICE!! Snap installation, always on"
"Voice quality, no tech support, odd phone numbers"
"Good alernative to people who dont use home phone a lot."
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Ordered Magicjack just like everyone else did, from the website. $40 up front, and now $20/year. The price, obviously, cannot be beat.
The only reason I got it is because I have a ton of contacts in Canada (hey, I am from Detroit, we are practically Canada). My wireless carrier doesnt cover unlimited North American calls, but if they ever do, I will probably dump Magicjack.
I received the pack in the mail about 4 days later, packaging was nice (underrated aspect of a lot of companies). Set up the install, tweaked some QoS settings on the router for optimum performance, and I was off. The only thing I really dont like is that I have an Alabama area code. Not that I have anything against Bama, its just a bit odd when I make calls on it to family and friends, and they see it on the caller ID.
Got a headset with it, works great
Call quality is only fair. Its a bit muffled, but, I have never dropped a call, or have one not go through.
I have only (attempted) to call tech support once on initial install, (to see if I had a choice NOT to get an alabama number) but I couldnt find a number on the website. I managed to come across on on here (thanks BBR!) and called up, but ended up in a never ending automated system circle.
Would recommend to a friend as a supplemental line, but not as a main communication line.
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 Review by meskinct
UPDATED: 192 days ago
member for 7.8 years, 4290 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Danbury,Fairfield,CT
$1 per month (60 month contract)
about 8 days
"Cheap"
"Occasional Weirdness"
"I'm still using it so it must work"
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Got my MagicJack in November 2008. I use it in conjunction with GrandCentral. That setup seems to work quite well.
A few things:
- I do use it as my primary line. I personally hate to talk on the phone and don't use the phone much.
- It's CHEAP!!!! $1/month for voice service?!? Yes, that's what it costs!!! Signed up for 5 years for $59.95
- You do get what you pay for. Sure it works. Is it as good as POTS...well no but it does work.
- Your PC must remain on. I connected it to my server which is on 24/7 so no big deal there for me.
- Had to do this fix to get caller ID working on my handset. »www.magicjacksupport.com/post785.html#785 But it now works
- If you are a geek and like to play, this is a device that could use some TLC.
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 Review by polythemus
UPDATED: 215 days ago
member for 4.8 years, 1116 visits, last login: a few hours ago
Hendersonville,Henderson,NC
Contract price not specified.
"Cheap"
"Scratchy sound"
"More trouble than it's worth"
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My magicJack unit lasted 10 months before it went belly up so maybe I got my money's worth. I won't bother with one again.
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