Cheap Phone Calls - MagicJack and Alternatives

Gave my tenants a MJ+ a few months ago. Works great as long as internet service is up and running (which it has been without any major interruptions). When there was service interruption, MJ+ resumed service automatically as well. Sound quality has been adequate to excellent. One warning is that calls will disconnect after 90 minutes. While my view is that no one should need to talk to anyone for 90 minutes about anything less than an international treaty. If you've been on hold for 85 minutes, finally get connected and then . . . that would prove enraging! Otherwise service has been close to flawless.

After 4+ years of MagicJack, my number was removed and my account put into "Review" for 18 months with their Chat always telling me, "any day now" but it wasn't until I contacted the BetterBusinessBureau that two days later my account was removed from Perpetual Review but STILL no bananas. MJ insists that I can make calls but they don't work and I have requested credit for the 18 months of suspended "Review" service which they don't want to conceed. And when I use my MJ outside of the US/Canada, I have to pay 1¢/minute, for now. Yes, MJ is cheap but you get what you pay for while Dan Brislow hides out in Israel and Chat is appalling... but the voice quality is pretty good. So with MJ, just be careful....

I couldn't wait to get rid of MagicJack and MagicJack Plus. Their customer service is one nasty person after another nastier person. I now have Net Talk Duo and i like it very much and their customer service is pretty good. The only problem with Net Talk i find is if you don't dial the number fast you get a busy signal and have to dial over again.

I've had Nettalk Duo for 8 months. My phone number started acting up after 7 months. You call me and get an 800 number. Can't get a resolution from the pathetic customer support. I'm going back o Callcentric (a byod company). Excellent customer support, and a lot of pricing options.

Bob,
I've used Ooma for about 3 yrs. Voice quality is poor, callers complain of echo (from my end); calls are dropped from time to time. Paid a LOT for Ooma, but if I had to do it over again, wd probably go with MJ+.
Also, it's important to remember that if yr having problems with yr Internet connection, u won't be able to use yr phone until it's fixed.

I have had the Ooma service for 2 years using a Frontier DSL. The only problems I have had are when the family are trying to use Netflix and talk on the phone at the same time. Call quality is better than landline and I get to block telemarketers.

Hi
I've been using Magic Jack since 2008 and now have the plus version and for 19.95 a yr, it's great. I can even fax with it when needed, no problem. i've only had one problem and the power supply adpt went bad and they replaced it @ n/c..but if you feel good about paying 19.95 or higher a month for others, then go for it, it's your money!

I've had MJ for 5 years and I find it hit/miss. In my work I travel the US and rarely call outside the US, so can't speak about international calls. I tried the SKYPE free trial, and I kept getting sales calls so often and soliciters, that I canceled after the 3 months, but their billing company just kept charging my credit card until I had to cancel my credit card. It bill outside the US, so you have to pay a foreign exchange charge. So, Beware of Free Trial of SKYPE. I'll never use that one again.

I've used Ooma for over three years and Majic Jack since it came out. Ooma has now been rated three years in a row as the best VoIP service by the major consumer rating magazine. For good reason, as I have had no problems with it, also faxes work just fine. My bill is $3.71/mo and you can often find the Ooma boxes for $100. An option I don't think anyone else has is the bluetooth usb chip that plugs into the Ooma box ($30). When my cellphone is in the house and rings, it rings the house phones through the bluetooth connection, and I can answer the call from any of those phones. The caller ID tells me it is coming through the cell phone. Is that cool or what!

Mr. Rankin,
I may be reading part of your summary regarding the Vonage VoIP service, where you state in the article that "Pricing starts at $26 per month and each extension is another $5. That's for unlimited calling to the U. S., Canada, and Puerto Rico." I have had trouble-free Vonage for a few years and I am only charged $9.95 per month for the services you describe. Maybe the pricing has gone up since my joining...

Bob, you're off my list. I bought a Magicjack, based on your recommendation. It cost me, ultimately. $85.00 for nothing. I spent 2 1/2 hours on their tech chat where we both decided that it wouldn't work. The echo problem could not be resolved. Everyone who called me. or I called them, it was a two second delay. No conversation possible. I had ported my home number at a cost of $21. After our inability to make it work, I ported my number back to Century Link at a cost of $35. Now Magicjack is charging me another $32 porting charge. This thing never worked!!! I am beside myself. This is the definition of extortion! $88 for nothing!!! Buyer beware. I'm calling the AG's office. This isn't over. These people need to be put out of business!

I am using MagicJack for seven months and I am very happy.The voice quality is excellent. I had dropped calls but very seldom not like NetTalk. I used NetTalk for a year and I had problems using 1 800 numbers to Bell etc and it took them six months to fix and numerous calls to customer service waiting three hours to talk to someone. They don't even acknowledge tickets. I rather talk to someone on chat than wait three hours on the phone. NetTalk's customer service sucks. Their voice quality is really bad. NetTalk made me so mad that I threw the adapter away and I won one free and I threw that one away too. Between Magicjack vs NetTalk I would say that MagicJack plus wins every time. They are coming out with a new device this April which will work with the App better. People blame dropped calls on the company but it could be their Internet connection not the device. Magicjack is really trying to make things better not NetTalk they don't care.

I have used MagicJack since 2010 and NetTALK since 2012. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. I have had fewer tech support issues with MagicJack, as well as fewer outages. Both have similar (good) voice quality when comparing the MagicJack Plus with the NetTALK Duo Wifi. If I have to spend a long time on a call, ie. having to get tech support for something, I prefer NetTALK, as it doesn't disconnect automatically after between an hour to 90 minutes. I also find that calls drop more often for no reason with MagicJack. Although NetTALK used to have better tech support, their business hour only support they now offer really diminishes its value. For example, my NetTALK device couldn't receive calls this past Good Friday and Saturday and there was no way to reach them. They must have fixed it on Sunday, as it started working without me doing anything. Fortunately I had the MagicJack and friends had both numbers. MagicJack's smartphone app can link to your MagicJack number, which adds significant value. It works okay on 3G or 4G, however Wifi is definitely better. There has been the odd occasion where my internet went down and was very thankful that I had the MagicJack smartphone app. NetTALK has a smartphone app, however at this time, there is no way of linking it to your number. MagicJack gives you the ability to take your phone number wherever you go, either by smartphone app or by computer app. Even to another country when travelling, as long as you have internet. The MagicJack app for your laptop doesn't require you to bring a physical phone, which the NetTALK requires. You just need a computer headset or built in microphone on your laptop. Both have voicemail. Both email the recorded message to you, which is very useful, especially when you have a smartphone. MagicJack doesn't provide call blocking, however NetTALK does. I had to purchase an external call blocker for my MagicJack line to reduce telemarketing calls. In Canada, MagicJACK is less expensive overall, especially if you go 5 years for $99 and the $10/yr for a Canadian number. NetTALK, even with multi-year pricing, is almost double the cost.

In summary, if I had to pick one only, I would pick MagicJack. But having both does have benefits. The NetTALK is used primarily by my wife and I use the MagicJack. I wouldn't completely trust either for emergencies, so having a cell phone is also recommended. I haven't had a land line since 2011.

I have used MagicJack for around five years. I have the older version. I love how cheap it is, but frankly, I have had constant problems of one kind or another since I got it, and I am now looking for an alternative. I recently bought the newer version for friends of mine and based on their experience, I am not keen on trying it. It is possible that their problems are a result of the old computer or the old operating system on that computer, but given my endless problems with the older version, I am inclined to think (fairly or unfairly) that the problem is MagicJack.

I have to add my 2 cents. In my experience Magic Jack just works. At an average cost of less than 3 bucks a month it makes all the other options seem like a rip off. I was skeptical at first but figured I had to give it a shot. I also figured it would never last. Well we now have his and hers MJ's and they are working perfectly. Yes I have had to replace the power supply in one of them as it died but MJ sent me a new one at NC. I keep buying the latest versions as they are offered at a special price to users as well. For the record I do not expect Platinum level support when I am paying "beer" price for the service. If you are OK with excellent service 95% of the time its a great option and BTW the smart phone app is fantastic.

I have recenlty shifted to denver and setup a new internet business and using the voip services and phone connections at http://www.libertybts.com .

Does anyone know if you can use any of these devices with an 800 number? Thank you in advance.

We have MJ for more than 5 years I live in Haiti and communicate with family & friends in the U.S and sometime in Canada. The first years was great we even call a friend in Paris ,France after our trip. BUT since 2015 the service has been IMPOSSIBLE no one can call us from the U.S or Canada our calls toward them are lousy. Our national companies are( very) over price. What are our alternatives Please,
Thank-you

OBI110 adapter combined with Google Voice was allowed by Google in the fall of 2014. I have been using it ever since and it now May 2015.

I think that Magic Jack is a great IDEA and DREAM but their chat customer service is horrible and the phone line is not dependable service. I have had it for about 1 year and when it works correctly it is great. But out of the blue it stops working, the line is dead, then weeks later the voicemail just stops working, one thing after another, the problems never end. It takes at least 1/2 hour of waiting every time to beg for help on their chat online, then 90% of the time do not and cannot help. I dream of a dependable Magic Jack product.