Skype Killer - Magic Jack - $20.00 a year phone service

[Aiyana]

Originally posted by: bradley
Even at $180-$250 Ooma is intriguing. My biggest concern is their business model eventually pushing them into bankruptcy and/or being stuck with proprietary hardware.

That is my biggest concern as well.

I based my decision to try it in part on the cost breakdown in the following article. I didn't understand how Ooma could provide the service at no costs, but the article spells out the actual costs involved to connect calls, and explains how even if nobody purchased extra services that Ooma could make a profit (albeit very small) on each device. That gave me some confidence that Ooma has the ability to survive for at least long enough to pay for itself.

http://www.fiercevoip.com/stor...tely-doomed/2009-03-19

 

[Destro]

Originally posted by: magreen

Originally posted by: Destro
I looked at MagicJack (really a scam company if you do your research) and I also considered Ooma. Don't believe what Magic Jack says about getting your money back. Customer service is non-existent.

After doing lots of research, I settled on VOIPo, and it's been terrific.

It's $99/year, and they provide a Linksys VOIP device that's a $79 box.

It doesn't require your PC to be on all the time like MJ, and their customer support is excellent. One of the VP's or owner answers questions frequently in the DSLReports forums.

http://www.voipo.com/

That looks interesting. I'm looking at it now.

It appears to be $135/yr, not $99/yr, because even though they currently have a promotion to waive the $30 activation fee, they charge $36/yr in taxes and fees. Their website explains it as,

This Fee covers USF contributions, E911 service and various taxes that VOIPo is required to remit on your behalf for the duration of your account.

So it comes out to $11.25/mo.

Now, it calls this a promotional rate for their first year of doing business -- it says in their support/knowledgebase section on residential pricing,

Tentative Pricing
$21.95 - Monthly
$99 - Bi-Annually
$199 - Annually

Limited Pre-Launch Special: First Year for $99

So it may jump to $199/yr after the first yr, which would be more like $20/mo, and not such a bargain.

Also, is this system really pre-launch? Does that mean it's a brand new untested service? How long has this company been around? And what's with the "backed by HostGator" stuff on their homepage? That makes me think they're really just starting up and fly-by-night -- if they have to tell you which webhosting they use. Google doesn't go around bragging about their webhosting.

But I'm still interested, anyone else with experience or knowledge on this?

It's pretty well assumed over on the DSLreports forums that the $99/year will be available in year 2, if you ask for it. No guarantee, but I suspect that's what will happen. They don't make you buy the hardware, so there's nothing to lose. If they decide to raise the price in year 2, just switch to another service.

HostGator is one of the largest web hosting companies in the world (1.8 million sites hosted). They are the owner/backer of Voipo, so it's got plenty of support. They aren't "bragging" about their web host, they are telling you their owner is a long-established, reputable company.

I've had the service about 6 months, and have not had a single missed call or service issue. I used Vonage for a long time, and this is better in almost every respect. I like the fact that they are very engaged with their customers over at DSLreports forums, and not hiding behind "Customer no-service" like MagicJack or Vonage.

 

[GCS]

Destro,

Are you using this as your main line?

I am looking for alternatives as I am paying Verizon $54 per month for telephone service + $32 per month for DSL. My DSL is ok (not great).

 

[microAmp]

Just got the MagicJack today, made a few LD phone calls and seems to work well. Though one person said they kept hearing a beep, like a touch tone but I couldn't hear it, it happened a few times but they didn't mention it again after talking about it. Didn't seem to be any kind of lag between chats, guess as long as I don't have to deal with customer service, I should be alright.

Of course as soon as I got the MJ, Google gives me an invite to Google Voice. Been a good day so far.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I just had the worst night with my MJ. Sometimes I couldn't hear them, sometimes they couldn't hear me, sometimes I couldn't even hear the phone ringing.

Called my friend, his dad answered, apparently he couldn't hear me, so he thought I was pranking him, so he said he was going to call the cops.

Had to call him back using my cell phone, to get that straightened out.

It's still better than Comcast Digital Voice. During peak times (5pm-6pm), CDV sounds like it's underwater, horribly choppy, etc. Like the worst VOIP imaginable.

 

[eplebnista]

My 2 years of service with Magicjack runs out in about a month or so, I will not be renewing. Mainly because I discovered AT&T now has a land-line plan available with unlimited long distance. It will be ~$20 more a month but worth it for the lack of headaches associated with using the Magicjack service.

 

[VirtualLarry]

AT&T landline, unlimited LD, for $21.60/mo? Where?

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
AT&T landline, unlimited LD, for $21.60/mo? Where?

I should have been more detailed. I meant ~$20 a month in addition to my current plan and dsl, which would be about $55 a month not counting taxes, wiring plan and other misc. fees.

 

[Aiyana]

Originally posted by: eplebnista

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
AT&T landline, unlimited LD, for $21.60/mo? Where?

I should have been more detailed. I meant ~$20 a month in addition to my current plan and dsl, which would be about $55 a month not counting taxes, wiring plan and other misc. fees.

Is that plan part of their U-verse? My understanding is that U-verse phone service is VoIP, so I am curious what difference (if any) exists between AT&T VoIP service and one of the third party providers such as Magic Jack?

Does AT&T have any advantage if they are both VoIP?

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: Aiyana

Originally posted by: eplebnista

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
AT&T landline, unlimited LD, for $21.60/mo? Where?

I should have been more detailed. I meant ~$20 a month in addition to my current plan and dsl, which would be about $55 a month not counting taxes, wiring plan and other misc. fees.

Is that plan part of their U-verse? My understanding is that U-verse phone service is VoIP, so I am curious what difference (if any) exists between AT&T VoIP service and one of the third party providers such as Magic Jack?

Does AT&T have any advantage if they are both VoIP?

No, it's a plain old land line. Had this phone number for over 40 years now(was most recently Bellsouth until they merged with AT&T) with mostly a basic plan for 80% of those years.

 

[Zap]

They list XP/Vista/Mac. Anyone tried this with Server 2003?

 

[Emulex]

if it works with XP-64 (basically 2003 workstation) then it should be fine.

2008 is actually alot more friendly and uses all the vista drivers.

 

[imported_nunya]

Originally posted by: Zap
They list XP/Vista/Mac. Anyone tried this with Server 2003?

I've had this running on an SBS 2003 box no problems.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: nunya

Originally posted by: Zap
They list XP/Vista/Mac. Anyone tried this with Server 2003?

I've had this running on an SBS 2003 box no problems.

Thanks!

If I got a Magic Jack, the machine I'd run it on would be my low powered server (underclocked/undervolted E5200) which runs Server 2003. It is the only machine at my household that runs 24/7.

 

[imported_nunya]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: nunya

Originally posted by: Zap
They list XP/Vista/Mac. Anyone tried this with Server 2003?

I've had this running on an SBS 2003 box no problems.

Thanks!

If I got a Magic Jack, the machine I'd run it on would be my low powered server (underclocked/undervolted E5200) which runs Server 2003. It is the only machine at my household that runs 24/7.

That's exactly what I'm doing. If you get one you might want to have the software run as a service. Otherwise after a reboot/power-outage you'd have to log in to the server to get the software loaded. This works great for me.

 

[Destro]

Originally posted by: GCS
Destro,

Are you using this as your main line?

I am looking for alternatives as I am paying Verizon $54 per month for telephone service + $32 per month for DSL. My DSL is ok (not great).

Yes, using Voipo as my main line; I ported my phone number I've had for 15+ years to it, and I'll be able to take that number with me anywhere I go (no plans to go anywhere at the moment).

I've had it for ~6 months with zero issues. The Cisco/Linksys device they use is rock solid, I have had to reboot it since I got it.

BTW - I forgot to mention, Voipo gives you free Soft Phone access (Vonage charges $9.95/month for this). Use you phone on your PC or laptop anywhere with no additional fees.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: nunya
That's exactly what I'm doing. If you get one you might want to have the software run as a service. Otherwise after a reboot/power-outage you'd have to log in to the server to get the software loaded. This works great for me.

Great tip!

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: Destro

Originally posted by: GCS
Destro,

Are you using this as your main line?

I am looking for alternatives as I am paying Verizon $54 per month for telephone service + $32 per month for DSL. My DSL is ok (not great).

Yes, using Voipo as my main line; I ported my phone number I've had for 15+ years to it, and I'll be able to take that number with me anywhere I go (no plans to go anywhere at the moment).

I've had it for ~6 months with zero issues. The Cisco/Linksys device they use is rock solid, I have had to reboot it since I got it.

BTW - I forgot to mention, Voipo gives you free Soft Phone access (Vonage charges $9.95/month for this). Use you phone on your PC or laptop anywhere with no additional fees.

I'm tempted to go with Voipo from your recommendations, Destro, though you're the only person I've heard recommending it one way or the other.

I'm also planning on ditching my landline and just going bare DSL + VOIP + cellphones.
Wish I had some more reviews of Voipo to go on. Is DSLForums the best place for that?
Anyone else here with experience with Voipo, especially if you have experience with and can compare it to MagicJack?

 

[GCS]

Well after getting home last night to find another $60 Verizon bill in the mailbox I bit and ordered Voipo. I mean $60 a month for local telephone services, gimee a break!!

I'll have to keep the dreaded Verizon service for a little while since I asked to port over my old #. Hopefully it will all go well and be great as I am sick of Verizon's fees.


If I could dump their DSL and go to something else I would but Comcast Internet is major suckage as well (and more money).

 

[TourGuide]

If I were you all, I'd avoid magicjack. Here is a scary link to some information on the EULA for magicjack.

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/...icjacks-eula-says.html

After researching this device, I will not install one of these on any of my computers. I had ordered one, but I am sending it back unopened.

I'm going to get the ooma, which is buy it, own it, and free from that point on.

 

[KeithP]

Originally posted by: TourGuide
If I were you all, I'd avoid magicjack. Here is a scary link to some information on the EULA for magicjack.

http://gadgets.boingboing.net/...icjacks-eula-says.html

After researching this device, I will not install one of these on any of my computers. I had ordered one, but I am sending it back unopened.

I'm going to get the ooma, which is buy it, own it, and free from that point on.

That assumes, of course, that the company stays in business.

There has been so much paranoia about MagicJack. I really don't get it. That EULA doesn't bother me at all but to each his own.

-KeithP

 

[breweyez]

I would like to hear more about ooma. Any folks here been using it?

 

[Binky]

I've tried magicjack and it didnt work well for me. I've known others that had it working great for a while, then it started screwing up. The annoyance factor of the phone not working increases exponentially so many people might be inclined to give up on a non-working magicjack after just a few days. Ooma sounds interesting, but it also sounds like a Madoff scheme.

The number of options for cheap and/or free VOIP service is growing rapidly. Below are a few of the MANY options for cheaper phone service, and they generally require a one-time purchase of a ~$50 VOIP device like a Linksys PAP2.

Google Voice + Gizmo = free phone. Google provides the free phone number and an Asterisk server tricks it into a full free service. Check it out at Nerdvittles (http://nerdvittles.com/?p=637).

ipkall + Callcentric = pay-as-you-go phone with no fixed monthly fees and $0.02/minute charges. ipkall gives you a free Washington phone number and Callcentric gives you $0.02/minute phone service. Other providers of free numbers can be found by searching for "free DID."

Callcentric = $20/month unlimited or ~$5/month fixed charges (pay-as-you-go) plus $0.02 per minute. The pay-as-you go plan needs a phone number, which callcentric will sell you for $2-$3 per month (if you dont trust the free services listed above).



For those of us that primarily use cell phones, a minimal use home phone is acceptable. My main use of a home phone is to let the pizza delivery guy in the front gate!

 

[Praetor]

Originally posted by: Destro

Originally posted by: GCS
Destro,

Are you using this as your main line?

I am looking for alternatives as I am paying Verizon $54 per month for telephone service + $32 per month for DSL. My DSL is ok (not great).

Yes, using Voipo as my main line; I ported my phone number I've had for 15+ years to it, and I'll be able to take that number with me anywhere I go (no plans to go anywhere at the moment).

I've had it for ~6 months with zero issues. The Cisco/Linksys device they use is rock solid, I have had to reboot it since I got it.

BTW - I forgot to mention, Voipo gives you free Soft Phone access (Vonage charges $9.95/month for this). Use you phone on your PC or laptop anywhere with no additional fees.

I didn't see anything that specifically mentioned this on their site, but can you port your number from any service area to them

 

[mscdex0]

Originally posted by: Binky
Google Voice + Gizmo = free phone. Google provides the free phone number, Gizmo provides the free service. EDIT: Gizmo just eliminated this as an option since they now limit calls to 3 minutes...and charge $0.02/minute. Steer clear of them!

You can use Gizmo to receive GV calls free and GV to make calls free. I use this combo on my Nokia n810 with no problems. You can have GV call both your destination number and then your Gizmo number and GV will connect the two, this way it comes as a free inbound Gizmo call and therefore you don't have to pay Gizmo's $0.02/min fee.

I think I recall seeing at least a command-line program (there may also be some GUI dialers also?) for Windows that would let you initiate GV calls (by sending HTTP requests to a specific URL containing the necessary call info). On the n810, there's a GUI frontend to all this called DialCentral.