Has anyone tried the new "Magic Jack" that has been advertising on the paid programming channels? It is a phone service that costs only $19.99 PER YEAR. Please share your reviews.
Onesummer
We have actually just purchased it, but there are no NH area code phone numbers available yet. We put a Massachusetts phone number and hooked it up to my teenage sons computer and he can call out for free. The only drawback is that his friends would be charged for the call because of the Mass number. They did tell us that NH will be available shortly and we can change numbers then.
It seems to work fine, there's not static or anything on it. (03/19/2008)
I live in upstate NY and the area code that we have to use would be a long distance call for anyone local to call us. I took about 20 minutes for me to get the information from the tech online. I'm not happy with that part of it. Calling out seems to be fine, however if you plan on using it for a regular phone, you may want to see what area codes are available in your area before you purchase. (03/22/2008)
By Dee
The Magic Jack itself works great. The customer service is poor. No email or phone number to contact them. The chat system is depressing. But for what it's worth, the box works as advertised. But, If you are associated with Comcast as a cable provider, forget it.
By Henry
If I had answered this question two weeks ago, I would highly recommend Magic Jack. I have used it since December 2007 with few problems.
But for the past two weeks, I have been having serious problems with my incoming phone calls. At times, I do not get any incoming calls. The problem is that you do not know anyone is trying to contact you. Sometimes, anyone calling can leave a message on voice mail but not all the time. It is not constant but enough to become a major problem.
I have contacted Magic Jack and could not get the support to fix this problem. I will probably get a cell phone for a back up. I really did not want a cell phone. I don't know if I can get my money refunded from Magic Jack but I may try. I am still considering to give the company more time to fix this problem.
So for three months, it was great but not now. When it works it is great but when it doesn't it is the worst. But I still may consider keeping it for making long distance phone calls, you can't beat the price. But the question is can you can trust how reliable Magic Jack will be? As of today, I can't recommend it as a main telephone in your home.
(04/01/2008)
By Mike
The product is great and simple to install. Its just as clear as a land line if not better. I would definitely recommend this product. Especially for college students away from home. And it doesn't cost allot of money. (04/16/2008)
By Joe B.
I am currently in the 30 day trial phase. I am currently using DSL. Here are my findings.
1) The quality of the phone call is as clear as a regular telephone call when calling telephone to telephone.
2) The magic jack has problems with "press number" prompts. In voice mail there is a lot of studdering at the beginning so when it say "you have X number of messages" it studders "y-y-you have x number of messages".
3) If trying to call a business with press number prompts. The quality gets very garbled when you have to press numbers. If you don't have to press numbers, the quality of the call remains perfect.
If you use magic jack for phone to phone conversation its great but be prepared for a quality drop when you have to press numbers for certain departments or prompts. I had to hang up several times and call them back because the quality was so terrible and choppy. (04/21/2008)
By Chris
I've had my MJ for a week now and am returning it tomorrow. I got it to replace my business line but the quality is not there.
The problem is the stuttering - you never know when it's going to happen, but it happened every call I made. I tried plugging it in to the computer and into an a/c powered usb hub - no change. I tried downloading their 'magic fix' - no change.
I did their chat tech support and they wanted me to contact my ISP to open some ports or something like that. No way am I getting that involved with it.
I had to ask 3 times to get the return information, but they finally did.
A friend of mine has had the same problems -t think she will be returning it as well. (04/21/2008)
By Lynn
Bad bad service. First they don't have any phone #'s to the company that you can call and get live support and then they only have tech support through on line text chat. They seem to go by script and will make you spend a lot of time trying to fix stuff on your computer when in reality its their phone lines that are no good.
I got 2 phone Jacks and they have there own #'s assigned and when I call them they are disco. After research on youtube and google I found out I am not the only one. In fact I saved my live chatswith Magic Jack tech support so I can post them and expose them. (04/21/2008)
By Jose M.
Question for Lynn: Could you please explain to me what an AC powered USB hub is? I was told by MJ reps to try this for the MJ problems. I was told by someone I should make sure it is a 2.0, whatever that means. I bought a powered USB hub but it does not say AC powered. I also found out that it is not a 2.0.
I don't want to spend a lot of money since I'm not sure if it will work. The MJ reps told me that I might have a corrupt driver. Does anyone know how I can check to see if any are corrupt. Thanks. (04/22/2008)
By Mike
Yes. It works great. You won't be disappointed. (04/22/2008)
By RCox
I'm glad to see this product addressed. I thought it was 'too good to be true' and a gimmick. I won't be considering it. Thanks to all! (04/27/2008)
By Cajun
I ordered this product from the TV advertisement and it was a terrible mistake. Like so many others, I encountered the stupidity of their service/chats and can't seem to get any refund information. I think they jack you around until the free trial period ends and then they charge your account saying you failed to return it during the free trial period.
Their TV ad wasn't very true to their stating their return procedures. If you plan to return the jack, be prepared to fight tooth and nail for the return information. (04/27/2008)
By redroses
Think twice before ordering this product.
While reading the User Agreement from magic jack , I see there are way to many complications that can arise from using this piece of hardware and I decided not to install it , my computer is way to expensive to take any chances with so I said no.
Next I tried to contact someone via the live person chat at the magicjack.com site and low and behold my email address that they have already sent me stuff too is not listed when I try to contact them and there is no phone number , Hummmm. Makes me wonder how on the up and up these people are, then I tried the phone directory to find their phone number from the Post Office Box 6846 West Palm Beach Florida 33405 where the magic jack was mailed from there is not one , Hummm , then I tried the return form at the site and it won't accept my email address and I cannot send in the return form.
Hummm, this is starting to upset me off so next step I will tell all who are interested if you want to return yours too, contact you states Attorney General's Office and report this company as Fraud, and then turn to your local Newspapers and ask about running a "Warning Notice to the General Public" I have been told this ad will run free of charge . Even if they did charge for it, it would be worth it to put these people in their place if you ask me.
Also I intend to return this magic Jack to the address it was sent from with a confirmation delivery on it , then if they still try to charge you for this piece of merchandise then you can file grievances against them with your credit card company .
If you are not happy with your magic jack product don't let them get away with it. Look here for other dissatisfied customers: http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf31071682.tip.HTML
I just learned from the Mailman that if you think "Fraud" has been committed then contact your local Post Master General and file a complaint. I intend too.
(05/01/2008)
Hi all,
Bought one for use at my cottage. Simple and easy. I am on a laptop with a cable internet. It is a small device with a short usb cord (if needed) plugs into my laptop and ran without any problem. I am using an old hand set and leave my computer on hibernate over night. Place to reset 911 location. easy phone book. Works fine so far. (05/01/2008)
By john e
I recieved the Majic Jack a couple of weeks ago. Plan on keeping it. I like it. The one drawback is that they do not have a more local phone number. I have to use an area code and exchange that is long distance for me. One good thing I can call me family living through out the US for free. I would recommend this to my family and friends.
Very clear and fun to use. I use it on my desktop. I have earphone with a mic, instant handsfree phone. Try it for 30 days if you do not like it send it back. (05/06/2008)
By Dan M.
2 months use. GREAT Stuff at a $1.67 a month how could ANYONE go wrong?
Get it. It works! (05/06/2008)
By bill
Magic Jack is a SCAM! Customer support says the same thing everytime you contact them, I did four times. They run you through a bunch of ridiculous things to test and then say they will get back to you or at the end they hang up when you insist on a refund. They have no telephone numbers, no address. I suspect that there is no customer support just a computerized response system that makes it appear you are talking to a real person. Don't fall for it! (05/11/2008)
By Joe
For some reason their system will not process a prompt code *7. There appears to be no way to contact company. I suspect they are crooks.
(05/12/2008)
By Don in Laytonville, Ca
It has worked astonishingly great for me but like any VOIP option, it is dependent on your internet connection and traffic at home. If your thrifty with configuring your computer and networking gear, give it a try. (05/20/2008)
By Al
I have it and it works. It's not like Ma Bell, there are times where I have to call someone back because of a bad connection, but for calling family members it's great. I don't use it for business because I can't affort to have connection problems. (05/21/2008)
By alice
Yeah, I travel with it all the time. Never had a problem. I love it! (05/22/2008)
By Bonnie
So far so good, remember always clean your computer for virus and spy wares. Magic Jack is not the problem. The problem is your computer. (05/29/2008)
By Marcos
We ordered it, installed it but wasn't happy with the sound quality. It was very noisy with a lot of static. Nothing but problems with the customer service folks. The 30 free trial is a joke. They charged our credit card within three days over a hundred dollars.
When I complained they said they had no record of my order. When I tried to send it back they didn't want to give me an address. I'm hoping to get a refund but am doubtful. Sounds like a great idea but I would never recommend it to anyone. Too much hassle. (05/29/2008)
By Beckie
I like it used the menu to increase the mic and speaker and using my old phone thats not plugged in so no battery to replace for the phone and other than a long distance number not sorry that I dropped my regular phone line.
P.S. I do use a track phone for important stuff but not having a massive phone bill for me offsets the negatives. (05/31/2008)
By Bill Hoeft
I have never had a VoIp phone service (though they were to expensive), but after reading articles about MagicJack thought that i would give it a try. It only cost me 35 bucks, and if it did not work, I could get my money back; no questions asked. So, I bought one last week, and installed it on my new computer (HP Pavilion DV9820US, which has VISTA 64-bit), it would not work, however I thought this would happen since MagicJack said that I needed to download their drivers for VISTA (per my previous investigations) from their website.
I downloaded the software and plugged the unit in; and guess what, it works as advertised. You can either plug in a phone, or make calls directly from you computer. I think issues like call quality, or operation probably have to do with your internet service and/or viruses on your machine. Am still playing with it to see what other features it has. I like this unit, and would recommend it to my friends. (06/02/2008)
By sandriver58
We bought one, hooked it up to our Desktop (Vista) , registered and started using it withing 5 minutes of unpacking. We live in Florida, called Boston, Massachusetts, Houston, TX , and Denver, CO. It worked better than the Vonage System we had. Must have got a good one. Time will tell, been only one week so far.
(06/06/2008)
By Paul G.
Just got back from St. John in the Virgin Islands. Took my laptop and got a wireless connection to the hotel's broadband connection and placed many, many calls back to the continental US and not once did I encounter even the slightest indication of a problem. It worked FANTASTICALLY! Not one problem. I even plugged the hotel room phone into it, so I didn't even have to take an additional phone with me. (06/08/2008)
By
Hi, I live in NH but picked a North Carolina phone number. As yet do not know the down side to the choice. Can any one explain please? Otherwise it was fairly easy to get connected and operational. Customer service is not very good so far. Does any one know when NH phone number will be available and how difficult will it be to change phone numbers? (06/11/2008)
By Fredrick
Have had Magic Jack for three months now. Had voice mail problems in the beginning but now everything works fine. I have high speed cable connection. (06/13/2008)
By David
One person asked, "Has anybody tried to plug the phone line coming out of the Magic Jack into there main phone line, so that all your phones will work off of one M J?"
We did, and it worked!
MJ is NOT always reliable. Sometimes it works perfectly well, other times there's no audio, or the sound is garbled. Usually unplugging it and replugging it fixes the problem.
When pressing numbers for extensions on business calls, it sometimes works fine, and other times not at all, other times so-so. There is frequently an echo on the line. As people have warned, customer service is nonexistent. Their "online chat" cust. svc. is a joke. But if you're willing to put up with occasional hassles in order to eliminate a phone bill altogether, I'd say Go For It.
I've only been using it for a month, btw. (06/15/2008)
By Linda
Hey everyone who has a Magic Jack. I have a blog at http://blog.jaysonberger.com without the www you can get some help there and on the right hand side. It has a picture that says os ticket you can submit any ticket with any question and I will personally respond. (06/15/2008)
By jason
Magic Jack gives you 2 number for San Francisco: 415-521 and 415-632. None of these are in San Francisco. They are in Ignacio, CA and is a toll call for calling from San Francisco. I called AT&T and it's .012 cents per minute. So if your going to call these number,s call from your cell phone if you have free minutes. (06/16/2008)
By SFOMAN
Worst product I have ever used, and worst customer service. Can't call only live chat with some 2/hr hack from India. As my father once said don't be penny wise pound foolish. Ii have cablevision voip so thought I'd give mj a try since its the same technology. Had so many problems can't even list them all. Then like mentioned above customer service sucks.
(06/17/2008)
By gg
561-594 2140 or 281-404 1551 to reach their office and they will walk you through the returns process. Their return address is PO BOX 6846 West palm bay Fl 33405 Make sure you get a proof of delivery if nothing works call your credit card company and charge back make sure you send it back within two weeks as they claim it has to be returned within 2 weeks. (06/18/2008)
By Prez
It works fine. BUT I cannot get anyone at that company to TALK to. Is there a phone number that can be used to speak to a real person? And does Magic jack have an address? duffbethel AT aol.com
(06/18/2008)
It took a little while to get the magic jack set up. I did get it going and it seems to work great. I got my cordless phone plugged into a cordless phone and walked down the street, it was clear as a bell. I would recommend this product. (06/18/2008)
By danny
Yes, I had problems at first, but found out that they did not have any number in my prefix. When I selected a prefix next to mine, I got my number and it works. Computer must be on and you will not have service if you don't have power. But for $20 a year, I am definitely sold. I love it! Santa Monica, CA (06/19/2008)
By
I received Magic Jack last week and I have plugged it in to my computer, it works fine. I think if it doesn't work it might be you computer. To blame Magic Jack is not fair. There are people out there that are having no problems how do you explain that ? (06/19/2008)
By Steve- Las Vegas
I use it for my fax machine, I love it. Then I use my cell for everything else. (06/20/2008)
By Daniel
I do not have a Magic Jack, but a friend of mine has one and loves it. He got rid of his regular phone service. He only has cell and Magic Jack service. I wanted to address all the questions about USB 2.0.
USB 2.0 is installed in all new computers. If you have an old computer, you can get a USB 2.0 card for your computer VERY CHEAP ... here is a link for one :
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124008
This would also solve any problem with power from the USB (unless your computer's power supply is overloaded). If you suspect that too many devices are running of the USB port, buy a powered usb hub. This means that the power to the USB is coming from the hub and not your computer. If you buy a hub, you will still need a USB 2.0 port on your computer. If you don't know if it is 2.0 or 1.0... here is a link that will help you find out without having to open the computer: http://ask-leo.com/how_can_i_tell_if_i_have_usb_20.html
I hope this information helps all that are using Magic Jack. I am very impressed with this company and I believe their biggest problem is they are having a hard time keeping up with the demand for their product. They have a dedicated phone network, unlike other VOIP services, so there are many advantages to this service. I will be getting mine as soon as I can figure out how to get internet service without home phone service (it's bundled from AT&T).
Best regards,
Stephen Davidson
sdavidson AT 3danimationmagic.com (06/20/2008)
By Stephen Davidson
I purchased the magic jack and connected it to the computer. As others have stated there was no area code for my area. I picked the next state over due to being a border city. I then called several people, the sound quality from them was great, but when I talked they could not hear me. So, I just sent it back and hope that I get my money back. Seems that a lot of people are getting screwed, hope I am not one of them. My wife used her card and I will get the blame. Ha! (06/22/2008)
The dial tone on my Magic Jack went off. When I try to use it a notice pops up telling me to confirm the MJ is mine by putting in my email address and password. When I do I'm told my email address & password are invalid. What do I do now? I have a dead phone line. (06/22/2008)
By Jeff
Please do not, I repeat, Do not buy this "magic junk". It is just another gimmick to rip you off. End of story! (06/22/2008)
By Ripped off
Have a magicjack and it works fine. Had a problem and it ended up being my router. Just needed to be reset. Did not have any problems with customer service (live Chat). I've read some horror stories about MagicJack but I'm glad not to be able to tell one. (06/23/2008)
By Danny
I'm using 3 of them and they are working good. Slow dsl (128kb) in a foreign country and so far, no issues. They have a good customer support and most of the time they do fix it right away if you have any issue.
The best of all, it's the best that you can get for your dollar.
http://www.dollartoolbox.com (06/23/2008)
By mcloide
I use magic jack every single day. The voice quality is good and I am actually saving money each month. June 23,2008 (06/23/2008)
By Will
I first learned about Magic Jack in a news article and then went to their website. Researching further I came across forums such as this one.
In the end I decided to order one to try. I run Windows Vista.
It arrived in about 5 days. I unpacked it and followed the directions, plugging it into one of my USB ports - nothing. I then tried another port. This time the blue light came on but no functionality. Tried a third USB port and it started.
Finished the installation (ran the Vista upgrade) and tried a few calls. It worked OK, one call had static, another could not hear me clearly.
The next day when I 'woke' my system Magic Jack did not run. Unplugged it and plugged it back in. It then started OK. I went to the Magic Jack website and ran the 'Fix-It' program which is basically just a compatibility check. It told me all was OK. Later in the day I had the same problem with Magic Jack not working. This time I had to re-start my system. It still would not work. Only by unplugging it and then plugging it back in could I get it to work.
The following day both Internet Explorer and my email programs started to become unresponsive. I unplugged Magic Jack and restarted my system. I then plugged Magic Jack back in and it started OK. The phone calls I made did work fine with only a bit of static on some lines.
The third day I again started to have my programs become unresponsive. I again repeated yesterday's steps to get it working. This time I decided to contact Support through their 'Live chat' feature. After explaining the issues I was having, the agent instructed me to unplug Magic Jack, disable my firewall and anti-virus, and then plug it back in. It started and I resumed both my antivirus and firewall protection.
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The fourth day I again started to have my programs become unresponsive. I unplugged Magic Jack, restarted my system and went to their website to return the product - I had had enough. I selected the link for 'Returns' and it took me to the 'Fix-It' program. This time, about 3/4 through the check, my browser stopped working completely. I had to re-launch it and go back through the steps. I did this three times and each time I got to the same part of the 'Fix-It' program, it would cause Internet Explorer to stop working completely. The next time, I decided to reach the Live Chat support. I managed to by-pass the 'Fix-It' program and connect with a support agent.
I told him what was happening and asked for instructions on how to return Magic Jack. He provided a link for Returns - the minute I selected it I was put back into the 'Fix-It' program which again caused my browser to stop and of course, end the session.
I again connected with a support agent, explaining what just happened, and again asked for the return procedure. This time he gave me a different link which took me to an RMA form, already pre-printed with my information with instructions to Print and return in two weeks in order for my card to not be charged.
In conclusion, Magic Jack may work well for a lot of people but they clearly have software compatibility issues with Windows Vista. (06/25/2008)
By CLK Group
Took several tries to connect. Then after going through the set up, I note you only can call free to other MJ users. Signal and quality are uneven. Plan on returning. (07/04/2008)
By bearlyyours
My wife have got magic jack to said at first it work ok. But when I put it on another computer it did not work. Then when I put the hard drive back in the same computer it pop up. But did not work. I went to there web site for help. It seem like they did not have a record of my wife. They try to help. Still have it which it don't work. Plus no free trail; they taking the money with in 3 days, as soon we receive it. (07/05/2008)
By boo
I bought 4 of them and I don't have any problems. I travel and I always go with me. I use my laptop with XP system and NO PROBLEM AT ALL. I cannot go wrong for $20 a year? (07/09/2008)
By Mike Herrera
I uesd magic jack, it works great, but if you have a problem with it, forget it, they have no phone # or address. I have been trying to find them for 3 days no one will answer you. Mine quit working 3 days ago I've been trying to find someone ever since. They will not answer you. No phone, no address, no email, and only recordings. (07/10/2008)
By jim b
Mj unit worked only after adding two trusted sites to XP internet options. Downloaded and installed software update for MJ as well.
After talking for 5-10 mins call becomes garbled. Must unplug and replug to fix!
My Vonage works much better!
2 out of 5 stars rating for this product. (07/12/2008)
By Matt9876
Have used Magic Jack for a year now. It was perfect until beta3 and ever since has been un-reliable. The main problem being in the middle of a conversation the person you are listing to become garbled. The only resolution is to restart the soft phone.
The phone runs on a dedicated PC and had intended to use it as my only land line. (07/13/2008)
By John
I just received mine last week. I have only experienced a couple of minor issues. First, often times when I pick up my phone to make a call, I may have to wait 10-15 seconds for the dial tone. For the price, I can live with that!
Second, a neighbor of mine who also has the unit told me that he was unable to access touch tone automated menus, for checking bank account and reordering prescriiptions, etc.. I tried myself and found the same issue to be true. I contacted technical support via the MagicJack website on 07/14/08 and was advised that they were aware of this and that their technicians where working on it. Today, 07/15/08 the issue has been resolved and I can now access automated touch tone systems.
I am cancelling my Vonage account this week. Although Magic Jack is not quite equal to what I have become accustomed to with Vonage, the price difference far outweighs any concern I may have.
(07/15/2008)
By Chris E
Me and 5 of my friends all have them and they all work without a problem. The main problem people are having is they have too slow a connection, 128 kbs minimum is needed. How do I know this you might ask? I read it on their web faq people need to read and follow directions. This product works perfect! I save 90 bucks a month it is awesome. (07/15/2008)
By CrEePfAcE
I have a Magic jack. It has worked perfectly for 4 months until lately, I have an echo on my end that I can't get rid of and gaps in audio & a constant clicking that persists on the other end of the line that only the other person can hear.
I went to magicjack.com to fix the problem and have had no luck. They have a link on their website that says "Customer Care/Live Person", you click the link & your forwarded to another page that says "Get Live Help In Seconds" you click that you are forwarded to another page that is suppose to fix your issues but has not yet worked for me.
If you scroll to the bottom of that page there is another link that says "To reach a live person, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week Click here" which takes you to another page, you then click on unsatisfied with results at the top and never get to speak with a live agent. You get to chat with an automated one Who runs you though the same q & a help you have already been through that never fixed your problem.
I've even tried typing live agent, it seems as if you are talking to one, but who really knows; you then soon read "chat session has been terminated by the site operator"; unhelped and now frustrated, your vicious cycle of trying to get help with the magicjack has just begun. "If I ever get help with fixing this product, I will let you know".
Feel free to call me on this if you wish. My home phone is 903-874-7843 (07/21/2008)
By Jeremie H. TX
We used it. It went back the next day. It would work but calls kept getting a LOT of static, then we'd have to reboot. Tedious.
They are indeed the worst for customer service. They really make themselves look like snake-oil salesmen when it comes to human contact. Horrible. No options were given for returning it (despite a 'free trial' offer) and no information was forthcoming from their 'chat techs'. We just had our credit card company remove it from our account and took the box back to the shipper and told them to return it to wherever they had picked it up.
Bad experience. With kids in the house and relying on our phones a lot we didn't trust it.
(07/21/2008)
By Jack C
This is by far the worst customer service and scam one could EVER imagine. If someone is posting a good reveiw on this product, they simply are extemely lucky or not who they say they are! My MJ worked fine for 2 weeks, then there were problems! No incoming phone calls would ring on my phones and no phone could be dialed out. MJ simply stopped working!
After 6 tries to live chat to fix, by the way that converted to about 7 hrs. of my time, NO help, same old repeated run around. Tried to get an exchange to no avail, after I had a phone /computer technician look at the Mj and told me it was defective. Upon rebooting the MJ it worked to dial out 1 call than failed again. We tried it on 3 different phones, 4 RJ-11 cords, 3 pcs, and also tested each phone on my still hooked up telephone line, that I kept hooked up just in case! Thank god!
This is a SCAM / BEWARE! I would not wish this kind of service on my worst enemy. PLEASE be careful! (07/23/2008)
By Fred Heinly
At $40 for the first year and $20 thereafter it is a good deal; but beware, it is not"The VOIP solution". It is a great additional resource to those that will continue their traditional phone service and are looking to reduce the long distance charges. Expect to receive adequate voice quality; adequate, but not great. Expect that MJ will successfully call most phone numbers, but not all.
Calls to several businesses could not be completed. Also, many cell phone numbers also cause MJ to fail. Online technical support is staffed with dedicated people. However, some of the glitches of the Magic Jack simply cannot be solved. For some customers, it is possible that they may never have a glitch depending upon their calling requirements.
For most of us, Magic Jack is not yet the answer. Another note, I tested the endurance of the tech support staff. The glitches that I experienced simply were not solvable and I wanted to take the support to the logical end that it could not be fixed. After 8 to 9 hours on one day with no solution, I was prepared to continue the next day. I made one call.
The techie, after reviewing my call history, told me that because of my Operating system (XP with SP3) MagicJack was not compatible. I have 3 computers in the house: one with XP SP2, and it did not work on that one either. The interesting point here is: When they no longer want to chat with you , they remove the only link to technical support from your magicjack.com page, effectively shutting you up. (07/23/2008)
By Ralph
I got my two magic jacks and both work fine. Don't see why so many bad reviews. Maybe I'm just lucky. I look forward to using my magic jack when I travel to Europe next month. (07/23/2008)
By Erik
I got magic jack it had static from the first day I got it. After rebooting the computer it stopped.And started again. 2 Weeks after my card was charged it took a dump altogether and would not work. After 3 hours of live chat trying to fix it. I wanted to return it for repair or replacement. I was told my 30 trail period was over and i would have to buy another one.
Apparently 30 day trial period also means if it breaks down you are screwed. The warranty is misleading. It is not worth the hassle to try to save a few bucks on your phone bill for the hassle you have to go through with their live chat people. They had me resetting ip address and and going thru my computer. My computer is brand new. There is nothing wrong with it. This issue is in dispute with my credit card company. (07/25/2008)
By NOT HAPPY
I just got mine, seems to work just fine. I think this could be the Vonage voip killer. The main thing I like besides the cost, is the fact that I can take it on the road and use it with my laptop, something that you can't really do with vonage. For more on Voip, visit
http://www.411-voip.com (07/25/2008)
Mj has been a problem since received. Low volume, echo, clicking sound. Tried different usb ports, reboot, turn off, turn on. Nothing works. I am wireless. Use windows vista. Tech support horrible. All answers are canned. Hate to send back but have to, hope. Ps i also tried vista quick fix download. (07/28/2008)
By DON FROM BRINY
Works fine with me. Key is good internet connection (with laptop I use a wireless AT&T G3 USB connection); Desktop I use DSL. Sometimes I use the wireless AT&T G-3 USB connection along with it; but not necessary. My friend lawyer who recommended it to me is very pleased with it as well. (07/29/2008)
By Rom De Guzman
I have a magic jack installed on my pc and it works fine. No problems what soever. It's great! (07/29/2008)
By Greta B.
Just thought I'd help everybody help here's the number where you can talk with a real person. Its 281-404-1551 I don't know the exact hours but you can attempt to get your money back. This sucks. Don't use this service. (07/29/2008)
By
I just got back from a month overseas. I used it in my own laptop as well as in others' computers. I had no trouble at all with it. In addition, I was able to talk to my brother who was also traveling outside the US.Using Magic Jack saved what would have usually been up to $4 per minute.
Well worth the money. I recommend it and unless I am unusual, I don't understand all the complaints. (07/30/2008)
By Alec
Hello - I just had a horrible experience with MagicJack. My voicemail stopped working completely, so I got online and chatted with their tech support. I will say that everyone I chatted with was very knowledgeable and helpful. In the process, however, the product completely died on me.
I have submitted for a refund, but it gets worse because the MagicJack number I created is printed on business cards and the number is where clients called to reach me. It has ruined my business. I hope people are reading this and re-thinking their decision. I am considering litigation.
(08/01/2008)
By Joe
I ran the phone line from my computer into the main phone line of my home. This now connects all 8 phones in different rooms in the house to magic jack, and I have to say I am really impressed it works SO WELL! Every phone. Upstairs, downstairs, with a cord or cordless... Every phone works like a charm.
The ONLY downside to using magic jack is I have to leave my computer on 24/7 and I dont like using their voicemail system, so I just use my answering machine. I set my answering machine to allow incoming calls to only ring three times before my answering machine will pick up. This way it doesnt activate Magic Jack's voicemail. Unfortunately there is no way to disable MJ's voicemail service.
Overall, I give this product 4.5 out of 5 stars! I love it! (08/02/2008)
By Just like a regular home phone.
Hi, I was kind of skeptical at first about Magic Jack. But for $40.00 and saving all that money on my phone bill, I purchased one. Shipping was fast, I received it within three days, plugged it into my computer, and it downloaded perfect. I plugged it into my phone and got a dial tone, wow!
Now the phone calls: I called my sister in Florida, my other sister in Washington, my brother in Ohio, and made local calls. No problems, just like using a land phone. Phone quality is excellent and it's a great product. Thank you Magic Jack. (08/03/2008)
By DAN
First they charged our card two weeks into our free trial. Have had MJ for almost six months we only used it occasionally. Call quality was crap. Couldn't ever receive any incoming calls, but decided to keep for long distance emergency situations. After 6 months, it came back to bite me you know where. Had dial tone and phone would ring but I thought every one I was calling wasn't home, until I dialed my own cell phone number, and it never rang.
A great job opportunity ended up going to someone else because I didn't know I had no phone service. Chatted with live chat help (whatever) for 5 hours, to have them tell me several different stories on why my service was not working. Wanted me to uninstall firewalls and virus protection and asked me to open several ports for trouble shooting. Of course I didn't allow this, but I kept them talking, and saved chat with her where she attempted to reassure me that she wasn't doing this to gain access to my pc.
Right up until the end she tried to reassure me it was just for updates and she wasn't trying to access my pc. Even though through out the conversation so it would be on record that I didn't feel safe doing this, that she wasn't trying to gain access to an open port on my pc that she did not have any permission to gain access of any kind and if she was lying to gain access to my pc, that it was a violation of federal law. Her response was if we didn't want to comply with magic jack that we were basically screwed.
But we are not taking it lying down I'm compiling a file from all you good people on the internet that have been robbed by this company and I will be sending it to the FCC newspapers local tv station, any body that can read and has an email address. And to all that have given them good quotes, I'm glad your service was fine but how can you support a company that has done wrong to so many fellow Americans? (08/06/2008)
By Disatisfied. It's time to act
I order got it in about 6 days loaded it. It worked for two days the next few weeks I was on www.magicjack.com support they never could fix it. Never could speak with anyone on the phone. Here is a phone company without a phone number. If you do your home work you will find a number that is answered by a voice mail. The police and a lawyer talking to them on line then someone called me. They pulled from my account before the 30 days. (08/09/2008)
By Eugene
I ordered a magic jack to save money on my phone bill. I was a little skeptical at first but I spend $50.00 out drinking on Fridays. So I ordered one. Fast shipping got it within three days. Now the real test. Plugged it in down loaded within a couple minutes. Plugged it into my phone line, wow dial tone. Called my sister in Florida, my brother in Texas.
Made a good amount of local calls no problems. Sound quality excellent. The only drawback takes from 30to40 seconds for the phone to dial the number. But i can live with that for $20.00 A year. Good by phone. Hello magic jack. Thumbs up from this user. (08/10/2008)
By Dan B. NY
Magic Jack works for me as long as it's using the Lan wire, wireless doesn't seem fast enough and the talking is chopped up a bit. Runing Windows XP, would like to go to Vista but I'm reading that the MJ has issues running on Vista. (08/11/2008)
By Alayne
For those who have had bad experience, I think the good out ways the bad. I had my share of problems in the begining in March.
I got the free trial...they did not even charge my card $1.00, until the 30th day, the took their money.
The only real problem was that others could not hear me, I could hear them... fixing that problem? had to go thru 3 chat reps at MJ. What I had finally realized is that I needed a strong USB port, so I upgraded my USB ports to the highest grade, I then bought a 6.0 mega hertz phone, I originally had a 2.0.
Be careful with the customer service, some dont know what they are talking about. some told me, to use only a a wireless phone or they would keep having me got thru the fix it.
If you have a seperate fax phone hooked up to the main phone line that goes to your computer for your DSL service, his can cause you to have dropped calls. unplug the phone, GET RID OF IT, get efax.
The only problem I may experience now is the first call may not connect clearly, and Have to hang up and try again.
BUT! all else aside... $20.00 yr, they get no complaints from me. I saved $300.00 year ( had Packet8 unlimited calling at 24.00 mo), pluse phone line $15.00 + DSL service $21.00. SO I eliminated the 24.00 month and now I pay a falt 36.00 to have everything. WOW what a steal.
The regular phone company only gets pennies from me. ha! ha! (08/11/2008)
By babyscoobie
I use it but there is one thing that bothers me about it. There still isn't an area code available for my state where I live. Magicjack say's on their website more will be added. That was in february, 6 months ago! I am stuck using an out of state area code. This is not good because anyone who lives locally that needs to contact me via the magicjack are being charged for making a long distance call.
My Mother needed to reach me one time to get picked up because her car had broken down but the telephone she was using would not let her place the call to my home even though she was only a few miles from my house! She can't walk long distances and lives on a fixed income.
Something is definitely not right or fair here. All I want is my own area code. Seems to me that magicjack are in bed with the certain telephone companies. (08/11/2008)
By kamikaze_CoPilot
I've had it installed for 2 days now, purchased through qvc. The reviews tend to be very positive or very negative. I am greatly concerned that the proportion of reviews leans heavily toward the negative.
I notice that magicjack is not listed with the Better Business Bureau, at least not where I could find it.
Installation was a little trickier than expected on my xp machine. There were no instructions or illustrations, either of which would have helped greatly with those situations where some minor tinkering was necessary as well as when it comes to enabling various features.
The product is supposed to include call-forwarding but I cannot find this feature in a menu anywhere. The voicemail setup is unnecessarily complex because voicemail is supposed to simply take messages when the human can't or won't answer the phone. I was expected to record a greeting, a "busy" message, and an "unavailable" message.
I have tried phoning our home number as well as using our home number to call the jack. If I don't answer the jack, voicemail responds within 5-6 rings. Calling the voicemail a few moments later took several attempts. They use 7 to both delete and undelete, so I had to call the voicemail twice (5 actual calling attempts were made before I was connected the two aforementioned times) to completely get rid of the message.
I emailed my son the "new" phone number as something he could attempt calling from Japan for a very short conversation so we can evaluate whether or not the device provides a clear sound.
There were 22 total items added in my ZoneAlarm Program Control tab. After "killing" each of the splash screens, I then disabled the auto-update feature. This feature was mentioned elsewhere as a means for the folks at magicjack to alter the software, rendering it less useful or altogether nonfunctional after the trial period had elapsed. By using ZoneAlarm's other options, I have prevented any of the magicjack programs from "sending mail", and, more importantly, prevented ALL of them from acting as a server.
It is doubtful that I will choose to keep the jack; much depends on clarity to and from Japan. I will consider phoning a friend in Canada later tonight, but for my purposes, it looks like Skype wins. (08/13/2008)
By angelhelp
I received my Magic Jack a week ago and it works great. I am using DSL and a four year old HP computer with WinXp. I know of other people who have Magic Jack and it works fine for them. It actually sounds better than my Verizon telephone service using a cheap phone.
I know Magick jack works FINE however the computer connected must have 768/128 minimum broadband speed and also have the USB port working properly with Version 2.0.
I am a certified broadcast engineer and computer network certified. I got my Magic Jack on QVC two weeks ago and have tested it by making many phone calls to friends all over the US. I spoke for two hours to California the second day I got my Magic Jack from Massachusetts. WORKS just FINE!
(08/15/2008)
By Dick R.
Received mine yesterday, easy to install and I was up and running in a few minutes. Got the area code I wanted but not the city prefix.
Works great so far. Definately worth the money.
Using a cordless phone and no issues. Sound is much better than my cell. (08/15/2008)
By Guest
I have had MJ since December 2007 and at times I do have problems. Sometimes people cannot get through to me. At this very moment, I can't check my voice messages because it is not working. Overall, I think it depends how much of an inconvience you can tolerate. I have had numerous problems in the past and have put up with them because of the price. I must admit that when I am having problems when I am talking to someone, some of them get irritated with the quality of the call. I am still willing to give it a chance only because of the price. (08/15/2008)
By Mike
I have had the 'Jack' for around 3 weeks. Installation was simple and the device has functioned perfectly to date with calls from Georgia to the West Coast and New York as well as may closer-to-home calls.
Disadvantages: 1. It only works when the computer is booted up. This seems to surprise many people, but since the thing is designed to work via a computer I would have thought that they may have reasoned that it had to be booted up. Takes all sorts I guess.
2. It takes around 30 seconds to start up when u boot up the PC. So what? Some people seem to have a big issue with that.
All in all I am well pleased with the device BUT because of limitations when dialing 911 I would not consider Magic Jack as the only phone in the house. But then I have to have a phone line for broadband - so again, what's the problem.
I think Magic Jack is getting a lot of negative feedback that it doesn't deserve. DL (08/15/2008)
By David Latimer
Just received my Magic Jack and let me tell you its everything they said it will do +++. All the features are up and running. It took about three minutes and was calling my friend in Canada. The caller ID displays the new phone number and the word "unknown". For the price, this invention "tops it all". Thanks Magic Jack. (08/16/2008)
By Ray
We tried it @ home & it worked great. Now we sent it overseas and our family can call us now for FREE! It's great. (08/18/2008)
By Richard
It is not as good as a genuine VOIP router. First of all - your computer has to be powered on and NOT in hibernate. Secondly, you must plug it into a powered USB port.
It might be worth having for the occasional business trip but a cell phone is probably more practical. As far as a home phone - you really want a device that plugs into your broadband router and is independent of your PC.
btw - their customer service really sucks. Odd that they sell a phone device yet do not have a phone number. (08/25/2008)
By
I trialed the product. Easy, simple installation. When it works, it's great. The problem I have is that that wasn't often. MJ would drop a call. I would redial, sometimes 5 times and the person on the other end could not hear me. Often the calls had so much static that you could not hear the other person. The good call to bad call ratio was so bad, the product was essentially useless to me. I received an RMA and returned it 60 days ago. I have yet to receive a refund. With respect to their customer service live chat, you will find it less frustrating to talk to a potato. It looks like I will have to involve my credit card company.
Long story short. If you feel like gambling $65, do so. You might get lucky. If the product works for you, great. If the product does not work for you, be prepared to spend $300 of your time to get a refund. They will try to help you to get it to work. If that doesnt fix the problem, whether you are in the 30 day trial or not, it will take every fiber of your being to get a refund from these people. They are not interested in customer service or making sure you are happy. When they have your money, they are done.
(08/28/2008)
By Westwind
I had my magicjack for over two months now. At first it didn't work as advertised, but it appears that the bugs have been worked out. I use it with my laptop, which is connected wireless and it works fine. I don't know about booting up the PC as someone here stated; I just plug it in and it configures itself without booting the PC. If you own a cell phone, having magicjack to replace your land line makes some sense.
You can use magicjack to make calls without tying up your cell phone or running your mobile minute, and you still have your cell phone in case of an emergency. Plus you'll save on landline phone charges as well by just getting rid of it. When I must provide a retailer a phone number, I give them my magicjack number.
That way if they use or share my number for telemarketing reasons, they'll be greeted by an answering system since my magicjack is turned off most of the time. If it's an important phone call, they can leave a message, which will be sent to my email. It also has many useful features, like call forwarding, three way calling, voice messages straight to your email and many more. I chose their five year service because it is cheaper; about $10.00 a year.
There are some disadvantage of course, as some users pointed out: The computer must be turned on in order for it to work, so if you don't own a mobile phone, you are going to need a land line for emergencies. Depending on your ISP, there could be some interference. It does not support Linux based operating systems. (08/28/2008)
By Papo
Don't fall for this scam the system does not work and they will double and triple your bill. Trying to get your refund will take a great deal of your tine and test your nerves. It took me months and much persistence to get the refund you can not talk to a person because they do not have a telephone. The chat will drive you crazy and a lot of your time the chat could not be slower. My advice is do not buy this loser. I regret that I feel for this scam. ( (08/28/2008)
By Joan
We have it. Sure, there are some issues sometimes, but c'mon--it's less than $2 a month! Because of these slight issues, I would not use it as my only phone number (we got it to supplement our cell phones so we didn't have to burn through our daytime minutes).
Because this is phone through your computer, you should only order this product if you are computer savvy. Yes, they only have live help through text messaging, but, like I said, only purchase this item if you're savvy enough to handle an online chat! I personally prefer the chat, and I just utilized the help line the first time this evening and didn't have to wait more than a minute for someone to help me!
I don't think this product will entirely replace the phone company (I could never see my mother working this, lol) but as a second number, it's great. I love how I get caller id, call waiting, and my voicemail messages sent to my email. I don't like that it slows down my computer's startup a bit, or that the screen will pop up when I'm trying to work. However, overall, this is not a scam--just not for everybody. (09/07/2008)
By
I have been waiting two months for my refund. Magic Jack's phone number is 281-404-1551. Hope this helps. (09/13/2008)
By MARK
For those of you that call this a "scam" or "gimmick" are wrong! I've had mine for almost a year now and it works just fine! For $39.95 for the first year and less than $20 for every year after that, you can't go wrong! I don't know who made the post about them charging you and changing rates, they have NEVER charged me anything except the $39.95 to get the MJ. So they are lying and misleading!
I've even sent one to my girlfriends Mom in Canada and hers works great too!
I keep my computer on all the time anyways, so whenever i'm not using my pc I just turn off my screen. Like I said for the money it's way cheaper than ANY other phone company will EVER be! (09/16/2008)
By Leo Daniels
I am using magic jack- It is working ok for sometime- Later it started giving error message" error 3- pl connect to internet" It is not clear why it started giving such error- Can any body suggest solution?. I am well connected to internet as I am using broadband and every thing else ok with internet. (09/26/2008)
By TSR
I love it. I did have to set the program to High PR under my task manager. Besides that this thing is the best TOY ever! Don't for get it's new and VOIP is still coming of age. Thank you MagicJack for saving me money! (09/27/2008)
By Tony FRom MA
Yes, I have it connected now and it works just fine. Voice quality better than I expected I have cordless hooked to it and the 2 other cordless phones receive signal great. Not bad for the price (10/02/2008)
By Mary
Magic Jack is based in West Palm Beach, FL, and the BBB Southeast Florida office rated it F, the lowest rating given. The BBB Web site's explanation of an F rating reads: "We strongly question the company's reliability for reasons such as that they have failed to respond to complaints, their advertising is grossly misleading, they are not in compliance with the law's licensing or registration requirements, their complaints contain especially serious allegations, or the company's industry is known for its fraudulent business practices."
(10/02/2008)
By no one
We have had Magic Jack for 5 months now and really like it. Yes we have had some problems with dropped calls or the line continuing to ring after we answer it, but for $39.99 then $20/year for all phone service options, who can complain? (10/09/2008)
By DAJ
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