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magicJack - 7/23/2008 8:44:59 AM

Termyn8or

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I didn't know these things existed, someone told me they are somewhat like Vonage or something, with which I am not familiar.

For forty bucks, something like that you get a box that plugs into a USB port, and that includes a year of service, it's a telephone jack. You have to have highspeed internet, but it includes longdistance to anywhere in the US and Canada, plus if you install it say on a laptop, if you can get on a broadband connection anywhere in the world you can phone home for free.

Twenty bucks a year is like $1.66 a month. And I can tell you the thing works. It also has features like caller ID, voicemail, all that, and I am pretty sure that you do not have to have your PC on for the voicemail to work.

So we were thinking. Although we live seperately, we do share a phone line, but we very very rarely butt heads on the phone. By that I mean it is extremely rare that one wants to use the phone when the other is on it.

So, in light of this, he has talked abut cable TV from time to time. And we also know about Feb 2009. With cable, all convertor boxes will be supplied by the cable company. Somebody told me there was a law, but I don't believe that. There is no reason for a law, if they want you to continue paying the bill they will do it of course. Plus the fact that the FCC regulates the airwaves, regular cable is not on the air so they do not have to switch over.

But we have avoided cable, but now things have changed. A basic cable bill including broadband internet now costs what ? Well the phone bill itself is about forty something, so for a minor investment, twenty bucks a year per line, we can tell Ma Bell to go to hell. It might not be a net savings, but network TV really does suck. The only good thing about that is that not much time is spent in front of the boob tube. Cable might well have something more stimulating.

So the math has changed. And with the cost of new PCs so low, we could literally buy one, stick it in the basement and run the house phone wires to it and pretty much have our own telco in the basement. Hell once it's up and running we can even grab up the monitor, keyboard and mouse, just let it run forever.

From what I've heard this thing does not care about IPs or how it is you get on the net. Also, IIRC it does not even come with a disk. It downloads the software automatically.

I think it's pretty cool.

T

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RE: magicJack - 7/23/2008 9:05:21 AM

TreasureKY

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

I didn't know these things existed, someone told me they are somewhat like Vonage or something, with which I am not familiar...

And I can tell you the thing works.

I'm afraid I'm a bit confused... how can you tell us the thing works? It sounds as if you only know about it second hand.

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RE: magicJack - 7/23/2008 10:05:10 AM

xxblushesxx

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eh...do a google search on it first. There are a TON of complaints. (I remember this 'cause someone brought this up several months ago)

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RE: magicJack - 7/23/2008 10:10:44 AM

mistoferin

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I started a thread on this a couple months back as I've been considering it also. There are a lot of complaints but most of the ones I could find were not about the device itself but about the fact that the company has no customer service. The reviews on the device itself were for the most part positive.

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RE: magicJack - 7/23/2008 10:36:39 AM

pahunkboy

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well- voip has been not good with me.

in the commercials.. they paid alot of money for it.

Now- most people dont review their landline bill detail.   I dropped all features. I am billed for every call.   My last phone bill was $6.40. Now for that I can run wires around the house move them and my connection is as good as my phone. SO when family calls on a cell phone, the hizz is the cell and not both.

The DSL, can one have that w/o phone???

Every year os $20.

But- the unwanted calls here have increased and many are human voices wanted to confirm the last 4 digits of my social security number.   I am so very tempted to change the number... but family is used to I ring them on prepaid $0.25 a minute cell- then they call my landline.

I used yahoo messenger voice once on my laptop and it was good.

anyhow - I am always interested in cutting expenses.

Today I was browsing properties and the tax on them. [ for a dispute of my assessment and I see the market is a aaabut different. I see DUMPS and trailors over priced.... so I feel abit better about my place.

I was reading    http://www.acoustics.com/project_remedies.asp   interesting.

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RE: magicJack - 7/24/2008 11:21:07 PM

Termyn8or

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Complaints, fine, but I have none, it works.

No customer service eh ? so now we are expected to know how the junk we buy works ? The hell you say, at least in the USA.

I couldn't seem to get it setup, but my sister did. She is a bit geekier than I. But it really does work, and what more can I ask as long as it works ? Customer support is for when it does not work. But it does. We are talking full duplx over a USB port, through everyting and then to the internet. Also somehow using the 12 volts DC at the USB port, they somehow made 35 vols AC to ring the ringer. I'd bet the thing does not have alot of RE tolerance, in other words you can't plug nne phones into it unless the ringers are off. There is a limit I am sure.

I know the voicemai works even if the PC is turned off. That is about to get setup.

More later, I am running out o gas. I did some real work today.

T

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RE: magicJack - 7/30/2008 11:22:20 AM

sub4hire

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I know two people with systems like these. Neither have had any issue yet. Both had professionals set them up. Although I'm sure any of us could handle it.

The biggest problem from what I've been told is you only have one phone and it is tied with the computer. Owning more than phone costs you hundreds for each additional phone.

I do recall my friend telling me if she had to call 911 for any reason. They would not come to her house...its a different system than a regular phone line.

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