Can MagicJack Replace Your Landline? - Comments Page 1

I have used MagicJack for 5 years. Good service, good price, easy to set up! I even can use it to fax if the file isn't too large.
It's a no - brainer.

Nothing that I don't get with my Smartphone for #70.00 a month, that Includes unlimited Calling to and from anywhere including overseas. unlimited DATA carried over every month and can you watch videos and receive email with Magic Jack. My best friend had so much trouble with it and they would despite saying one fee, charged him for calls.

MagicJack and other VOIP services work pretty well now. Voice quality is better than it used to be but still can vary with conditions. And they can save money. But the voice quality is still not quite as good as a real landline.

And in a true emergency (fire, flood, earthquake, hurricane, etc.) where power goes out, they don't work well at all. You need power for the MagicJack. You need power for your DSL or Cable Modem. The whole Internet infrastructure must still work.

Landlines (at least most of them) still get the power from the phone company batteries. And if you have an old dumb phone to plug in, it doesn't need any power either. So in an emergency, landlines work best. Although as the phone companies are gradually moving to true digital service, they also require power and are gradually becoming less reliable as emergency service.

Cell phones are also useful in emergencies as long as the cell system has power and works.

So if you have a requirement for reliable emergency coverage you should have all three of the following:
1. a landline
2. a cell phone
3. a third phone service (VOIP or phone from your cable company).

You said connect either via USB or ethernet. How is magic jack powered? It has to ring a phone. Is there a separate power supply?

Bob, I don't recall reading anything about Ooma. It is a fine service and less per month than Magic Jack. After the initial purchase of about $100 for the control unit, one's phone bill is only for state, local, etc. taxes, bringing my total less than $5.

Be sure to caution people about any of the VOIP services. The old fashion landlines from AT&T and Verizon are still active if you lose your power as long as you have one phone plugged into the wall and not on a charger. Magic Jack and other lines over the Internet are out when the power is out and if the cell tower is also out, as happened to me last month, then there is no phone service. I love the new technology but there is still something to say about the 'old' way of doing things. :-)

FYI - my burning question has been "will MJ work with the telephone entry system for my apartment building." Just checked with MJ and the answer is "no." Bummer. So of course I would like to know why. Why must I pay $12/month just to be able to open the door?
Yeah, yeah - I can go downstairs when I get a call fopm visitor's cell OR I can just not have visitors/deliveries OR I can hand out keys.

MagicJack also offers a model which plugs directly into a router, thus, avoiding situations when your computer might be down or disconnected from the internet.

MJ is a great and beneficial device. I have a couple MJ's and a Skype Worldwide sub. Skype has one advantage over MJ...you can block any annoying numbers permanently, or the idiots in Jamaica @ 876!

Better question: can MJ be replaced by Fongo (I think that is the name- here in Canada it is called freephoneline.ca) I never tried MJ but I have the fongo as home phone,100% free! (mostly use cell anyhow).It works quite well but I mostly let calls go to voicemail and call back on my cell .Voicemail is emailed to you too- nice feature!

I have been using MJ for years. It is my 2nd line when 1st line is busy and I use it for all LD calls. Works great. And the PC does not have to be on because it plugs into the router.

I have been using the MagicJack for 3+ years now, and love it! I "fired" my phone company here in Canada and haven't looked back! BEST move I ever made!!

concerns about 911 calling - how does magic jack kown where i am?

I've had MJ for about 5 years, very happy with it. To me the difference between the two is that the original has to be in a computer that is always on (mine). The new one plugs into the router, modem and I think you can turn off the computer. As I don't have this one I'm not sure (ask bob)

I have had MajicJack for several years. It works just fine. Beats the heck out of Vonage and other alternatives.

I don't have Magic Jack (because I couldn't stand all that yelling on their web site), but I've had Net Talk for over three years and I've been happy with it. I pay a little over $30 every year, and that's it.

It does everything a land line does.

As of a couple years ago, porting your present phone number over to them was pretty much not happening - in spite of them saying you could.

The gotcha was that they have some exchanges and could transfer phone numbers in those exchanges or others that they had agreements with the existing phone companies.
As far as I could tell (checking a number of exchanges), their exchanges do not include any other phone companies and they do not have any agreements with any phone companies in most exchanges.

I really wanted to go to them but the need for keeping a phone number blocked it.

A notable drawback is NO POWER - NO PHONE, but if you have cell service in your area you're OK.

The only problem I see with using Majic Jack or Vonage is if you have a home alarm system that is monitored. It seems the monitoring companies require a landline, at least that is what I was told.

google voice and a cell phone or even your tablet can replace your landline.
Google voice has voicemail there is your answering machine.

Just buy a cheap cell phone off ebay connect it to your wireless router and install hangouts. no need for activating the phone