Overall my experience with Magic Jack Plus is good and I feel the service is as reliable as any other, granted your internet service is reliable. I needed to replace them though and the store could only replace them with a set made by AT&T without noise cancellation and the clarity is not as good. I used to use a set of digital V Tech phones with noise cancellation for a while and they were great paired with Magic Jack Plus.
It also doesn’t need to be connected to a PC 24/7 to work like the earlier version. The original Magic Jack had some problems when it first came out but the newer Pus model is improved. I have Magic Jack Plus and I used to have the regular Magic Jack. I have used mine to fax several times with no problems (well unless the internet was slow that day and then well it’s to be expected). I guess i would recommend spending the few extra dollars to get the plus version so it doesn’t “have” to be plugged into a running computer (especially if you are laptop only). I have the original unit (that has to be plugged into the computer) but I have it on our old desktop. It’s online chat only but eventually they got the problem figured out. If the internet is slow or not working you can expect the same for the phone, at which time any calls would go right to voicemail.Ĭustomer service is marginal. The phone service is about as good as your internet service. You can check online to see if your number can be ported before you buy the unit. The closest number we could get is from a town 3hrs+ away. We can not port our landline number to the magic jack (or to any of the low cost alternatives) nor can we get a local number. We have had one for 2+yrs now and it has been more reliable the then voip phone service we have for our “landline”. I hear good things from Google Voice users though, so it may be worth your looking into. We cannot port our business phone number with that though, which is a big deal since all of our written advertisements would have to be changed and would be floating around out there with incorrect information in the mean time. We are currently looking into Google Voice as another voice-over-IP option that is actually cheaper than Vonage. We pay $30 per month for the service, which is pretty reasonable in our area.
Our favorite services that come free with the service include free long distance through out the States and in dozens of foreign countries, plus free forwarding services, which are important with our business. We upgraded to a business line for our family business phone. The lowest plan is, I believe, less than $20 after taxes and surcharges. It is connected through your internet, but the fees are much better than the land line options in our area with any local providers even with package discounts. I assume you have internet? We have used Vonage for about 1 1/2 years now and are very pleased with the service. and Canada will run you $30.I have no experience with Magic Jack, but I can comment on other options. After that a year's worth of unlimited calling to the U.S. The device itself is $70 and that includes your first year of service. As a bonus, it will even work with fax machines, but you don’t still have one of those lying around, do you? DUO is better than its computer-less competitors because there are no monthly fees or contracts. Whichever way you choose to plug it in, after that it’s all the same - connect a standard phone handset and you’re ready to make unlimited calls for $30 a year. This way you can use the device when you’re on the road and/or at home. netTALK DUO can function this way by plugging into a computer USB port but it can also function on its own by connecting right to an ethernet jack on your router. Competitors require that your computer is awake and on in order to make and receive calls. The main reason I like the DUO is because it does not require a computer in order to work. That's right - talk as much as you want for less than $3 a month! It works with your high-speed internet connection to let you make unlimited phone calls to the U.S. Now, there is a new and very worthwhile entrant to the race if you like the idea of having a standard landline-style phone in your home - the netTALK DUO. It’s been about 5 years since MagicJack launched and various competitors like Ooma and Vonage have joined the space. It made Voice over IP - sending your voice calls over an internet connection - a no-brainer, and unlimited calling dirt cheap. I’ve been a longtime fan of MagicJack, the little device that plugs into your computer’s USB port and basically turns it into a standard phone jack.