How does MagicJack SUCK? Let me count the ways

[mutedmajority]

After 30 days you have officially been ripped off, and have no recourse

You can not dial out due to defective chip in all of them

You can not fax

You can not update a tivo or cable box

You have idiots in customer service handing out 5 minute passifiers

You have a stupid splash screen popping up when booting or making calls

Your computer takes additional 2 minutes to boot while you can watch splash screen saying "tell your friends"

You will be given a time consuming wild goose chase to run (as your warranty runs out) they will have you buy a new phone, powered usb hub, maybe a new computer

you may find after paying, that you have a long distance number that your friends will have to pay to call you on this line.

*** tell your friends***

[maine-iac]

After 30 days you have officially been ripped off, and have no recourse

You can not dial out due to defective chip in all of them

You can not fax

You can not update a tivo or cable box

You have idiots in customer service handing out 5 minute passifiers

You have a stupid splash screen popping up when booting or making calls

Your computer takes additional 2 minutes to boot while you can watch splash screen saying "tell your friends"

You will be given a time consuming wild goose chase to run (as your warranty runs out) they will have you buy a new phone, powered usb hub, maybe a new computer

you may find after paying, that you have a long distance number that your friends will have to pay to call you on this line.

*** tell your friends***

So, do I take it that you don't like your magicJack?

I wonder how many people read the info that is available on the magicJack web site before they order the thing.

[AlaninKY]

mutedmajority didn't study this site before buying a magicJack. Faxing is a hit and miss with VoIP. Some have been successful with faxing and others like myself can't get faxing to work good enough with magicJack. Overall magicJack is a great service; the greatest invention since the wheel!

[camerons]

What amazes me is the way people expect it to be just like their LEC at $30-50 per month for $20 per year unlimited use....

[johnatnro]

MagicJack? What a piece of crap, it just sits there with its blue light on! It doesn't wash the dishes, cut the grass, or walk my dog! All it does is let me make phone calls for next to nothing quite reliably, let my daughter-in-law call home at no charge from Italy when she was there, and generally save me a lot of money! Is this all I get for a whopping $20.00 per year?

[msiam]

Couldn't have said it better , johnatnro..

[BillyH]

I just like to say that my MagicJack is working good as can be. I have save alot of $$$$ on my LD calling with MagicJack. I do not know way someone would talk bad about MagicJack. If I call LD with windstream I would have to pay 0.10 a min. I have save me a lot of money with my MagicJack. It amazes me is the way people post messages saying bad thing about MJ. I some time thing he or she do not have a MJ at all. Are just from other trying to kill MJ with P.R.. I have had my MJ since May 19th and I would not be without my MJ at ALL. "Please do not be a CRY BABY about MJ on here". I just LOL all the times that I read messages about someone crying about MJ on here.

[Mark]

I have a newer computer with an AMD2 6000+ and 2GB of 1000Mhz DDR2 RAM so magicJack loads in 10 seconds on boot. Also, magicJack minimizes in the system tray until I pickup the phone so I'm not experiencing annoying software hanging out on my monitor. My magicJack has worked fine since I bought it so I have had no need to contact Tech Support. I can dial out without a problem and I don't need to fax with it. Oh...and I'm saving at least 30 bucks a month not having a Verizon land line.

So overall, no problem here.

[teyong]

yeh! I had some problems; needed a new phone anyway; did you know the battery cost as much as the phone.
I used the customer service, she spoke english, she was helpful, she could not correct my outgoing sound then I came here.

anyway, works like a charm.

[rebel]

After 30 days you have officially been ripped off, and have no recourse

You can not dial out due to defective chip in all of them

You can not fax

You can not update a tivo or cable box

You have idiots in customer service handing out 5 minute passifiers

You have a stupid splash screen popping up when booting or making calls

Your computer takes additional 2 minutes to boot while you can watch splash screen saying "tell your friends"

You will be given a time consuming wild goose chase to run (as your warranty runs out) they will have you buy a new phone, powered usb hub, maybe a new computer

you may find after paying, that you have a long distance number that your friends will have to pay to call you on this line.

*** tell your friends***

You cannot dial out due to a defective chip in ALL of them? So, exactly how are all these other people dialing out?

Anyone who did even the tiniest bit of research would already know (before buying the product) that VoIP sometimes works for faxing and sometimes doesn't. It's no guarantee. This is why I always have a basic landline for my fax machine.

You cannot update a TiVo or cable box? What kind of comment is that? If you're using VoIP, then you have a high speed Internet connection. If you have a high speed Internet connection, then it's much simpler to use your (high speed) Internet connection to accomplish these updates! So why is MJ even a concern regarding updating TiVo or cable boxes? And, again, with a little research, you'd already know VoIP is going to work for these updates.

Seems to me someone is blaming a company for his/her inability to research before buying (or is it laziness...).

Lastly, it's very clear the product must be returned within 30 days, so how exactly are you being ripped off if you purposely CHOOSE to not return the product within the 30 day time frame? It's a choice you make. All choices have consequences, and it's no one's fault but your own. What happened to personal responsibility?

Amazing...

[rebel]

After 30 days you have officially been ripped off, and have no recourse

You can not dial out due to defective chip in all of them

You can not fax

You can not update a tivo or cable box

You have idiots in customer service handing out 5 minute passifiers

You have a stupid splash screen popping up when booting or making calls

Your computer takes additional 2 minutes to boot while you can watch splash screen saying "tell your friends"

You will be given a time consuming wild goose chase to run (as your warranty runs out) they will have you buy a new phone, powered usb hub, maybe a new computer

you may find after paying, that you have a long distance number that your friends will have to pay to call you on this line.

*** tell your friends***

You cannot dial out due to a defective chip in ALL of them? So, exactly how are all these other people dialing out?

Anyone who did even the tiniest bit of research would already know (before buying the product) that VoIP sometimes works for faxing and sometimes doesn't. It's no guarantee. This is why I always have a basic landline for my fax machine.

You cannot update a TiVo or cable box? What kind of comment is that? If you're using VoIP, then you have a high speed Internet connection. If you have a high speed Internet connection, then it's much simpler to use your (high speed) Internet connection to accomplish these updates! So why is MJ even a concern regarding updating TiVo or cable boxes? And, again, with a little research, you'd already know VoIP is going to work for these updates.

Seems to me someone is blaming a company for his/her inability to research before buying (or is it laziness...).

Lastly, it's very clear the product must be returned within 30 days, so how exactly are you being ripped off if you purposely CHOOSE to not return the product within the 30 day time frame? It's a choice you make. All choices have consequences, and it's no one's fault but your own. What happened to personal responsibility?

Amazing...

[Agent_86]

mutedmajority - TOO BAD

I'm using the MJ service as my only phone service now. Going on approx 3 months or close to it.

Current Savings of = $90+ VS my Vonage which was about $34 per month.

And VS regular phone service of approx $50 per month, total savings is in the $150 range.

All I can say is: It just can't get any better then this.

I'm sorry your having problems, but as the other poster indicated you could have returned the item if you were not happy.

Also it is more likely that you have a lousy computer and/or internet service causing this problem, or perhaps using some wireless router device or even some other issue causing the lack of service you seem to be having.

Anyhow I'm very satisfied thats all I can say and I'm very much enjoying the awesome savings I can't say that enough.

I'm going to invest the extra money and create some extra income with this savings as well.

Happy phoning

[Darkman90808]

Agent_86... would you mind sharing a little about your experience with Vonage, i.e. call quality? I'm not so concerned about additional features, but more about how the actual usage, including ease-of-use, compares with MJ. Thank you.

I'm only asking because I was considering signing on with Vonage and couldn't quite bite the bullet. A clerk at Office Depot told me she tried them a few years ago and the instant she connected, her DSL (Verizon, which is what I have) went dead and it took her two weeks to get everything sorted out.

Of course, the world has changed in two years, but it was enough for me to procrastinate until I saw "my little bundle of joy" ([sup]TM[/sup] magicjackjoe) on a late night infomercial and the rest is history.

[Agent_86]

Agent_86... would you mind sharing a little about your experience with Vonage, i.e. call quality? I'm not so concerned about additional features, but more about how the actual usage, including ease-of-use, compares with MJ. Thank you.

I'm only asking because I was considering signing on with Vonage and couldn't quite bite the bullet. A clerk at Office Depot told me she tried them a few years ago and the instant she connected, her DSL (Verizon, which is what I have) went dead and it took her two weeks to get everything sorted out.

Of course, the world has changed in two years, but it was enough for me to procrastinate until I saw "my little bundle of joy" ([sup]TM[/sup] magicjackjoe) on a late night infomercial and the rest is history.

I guess someone deleted my post, I've noticed it is gone,

Anyhow I like Vonage a lot, worked great for me for 3 years and Now I'm using MJ as my only phone source and cancelled my Vonage.

I like Vonage, but I like saving money better LOL and MJ is working good for me.
I hope this helps.

[Yami]

Sounds/Looks like....." mutedmajority " works for VONAGE!!!

Sounds/Looks like....." mutedmajority " works for VONAGE!!!

Sounds/Looks like....." mutedmajority " works for VONAGE!!!

......he was laughing at Ma- Bell. Now.......


He's gonna lose his " JOB SECURITY " lol hehehe

[bigjohn]

I have a copper VeriZon line - low audio and ground hum all the time! Call repair? What a joke!! I would rather waldk down the street bare back beating myself with a chain on a hot summer day.

I also have the 15 + bucks a month Vonage - What a deal that is works fine for me as well.
I thought I would try a MagicJack as a backup and I find it works 99 percent of the time well. I do lots of calls for a dog rescue checking vet references, and rather than burn up my 500 minutes on Vonage that I share with the rest of the household, I would give MJ a try.
Since it is hooked to a machine that seldom is off or gets rebooted, many of the complaints mentioned don't bother me.
Next step is to configure an HP thin client to use it.

All of my phone lines work into a key system throughout the house, so MJ fits nicely there as well.

Fax?? Who uses fax anymore?
Inbound free service for those stuck in the 20th Century through Jfax, and the three a year I have to send outbound work well with Vonage.
My ISP is Comcast, so 98 percent of the time everything just works.
Why would anyone buy their phone service from Comcast? Perhaps the uneducated?
In the future, it would be nice if MJ had a BYOD ( bring your own device ) subscription for those of us who also have Asterisk boxes running.
That WOULD be sweet.
I do hope their business model is well thought out and just keeps on working.
Oh, yes. I Do NOT work for MagicJack, Vonage OR VeriZon, I just like to save money so I can have more high tech toys with the savings!

[Mark]

I can't complain about magicJack, especially since it's only $20 a year.

I also have Verizon DSL and it stinks. Every time there's a storm in the area it cuts out. It may have to do with noise on my phone line though. My condo unit was built in the middle-70s. From what I understand, DSL is not very forgiving when it comes to line interference. I'm considering calling Verizon to get access to the demarc box (or NID) outside to install a dedicated Category 5 line for the DSL. The other option would be to get ride of Verizon and go with Comcast cable.

Here is a nice tutorial for setting up a dedicated DSL line:
http://dslnuts.com/DSLwiring.shtml

[dildog]

I can't complain about magicJack, especially since it's only $20 a year.

I also have Verizon DSL and it stinks. Every time there's a storm in the area it cuts out. It may have to do with noise on my phone line though. My condo unit was built in the middle-70s. From what I understand, DSL is not very forgiving when it comes to line interference. I'm considering calling Verizon to get access to the demarc box (or NID) outside to install a dedicated Category 5 line for the DSL. The other option would be to get ride of Verizon and go with Comcast cable.

Here is a nice tutorial for setting up a dedicated DSL line:
http://dslnuts.com/DSLwiring.shtml

Then what are you waiting for. Anyone that uses DSL when other cable or fiber is available is just plain ignorant. DSL is a last resort, at best a compromise technology. Cable is a far better medium, and of course fiber the Ferrari of technologies, if you can get it.

[Darkman90808]

dildog... I have to respectfully disagree. I had Verizon DSL for a number of years and it worked fine. My neighbors a block away couldn't get it and have cable and phone service with Time Warner. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to call and the service is out. Also, I've heard too many complaints about how unresponsive TW is once you have a problem. I believe they just lost a fairly substantial lawsuit in Los Angeles based on their poor service.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9964733-7.html

Recently I switched to Verizon FiOS as soon as it became available. Although the speed test shows it to be blistering fast, the actual speed doesn't seem to be any better than the previous DSL access. I suspect it's more of a hardware issue but I can't prove it, at the moment.

I'm not trying to be disagreeable, but like so many things, the variables dictate the actual end result.

/rant mode on

BTW, I'm no fan of Verizon. I went apoplectic this morning when I discovered they cut the number of newsgroups I could access by roughly 90%! The went from approximately 38,000 to 3,800! If you want the rest, you have to subscribe to a third party provider. Did I mention they didn't lower my monthly access charge?

/rant mode off

[dildog]

dildog... I have to respectfully disagree. I had Verizon DSL for a number of years and it worked fine. My neighbors a block away couldn't get it and have cable and phone service with Time Warner. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to call and the service is out. Also, I've heard too many complaints about how unresponsive TW is once you have a problem. I believe they just lost a fairly substantial lawsuit in Los Angeles based on their poor service.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9964733-7.html

Recently I switched to Verizon FiOS as soon as it became available. Although the speed test shows it to be blistering fast, the actual speed doesn't seem to be any better than the previous DSL access. I suspect it's more of a hardware issue but I can't prove it, at the moment.

I'm not trying to be disagreeable, but like so many things, the variables dictate the actual end result.

/rant mode on

BTW, I'm no fan of Verizon. I went apoplectic this morning when I discovered they cut the number of newsgroups I could access by roughly 90%! The went from approximately 38,000 to 3,800! If you want the rest, you have to subscribe to a third party provider. Did I mention they didn't lower my monthly access charge?

/rant mode off

You make a compelling point, and I will have to concede to agree with you. I had Time Warner in San Diego and it sucked horribly. My basic point you can take in general, and DSL is at face value a lesser capable technology. I have to laugh when I see commercials for AT&T "high speed internet" and their dramatic representations of how fast their broadband is. Only thing is they don't actually tell you the speed, they rely on the average consumers ignorance to just blindly believe what they are saying.

[lonestarmagic]

I've got AT&T Uverse and it smokes out Road Runner with TWC.

[Dusty]

MagicJack? What a piece of crap, it just sits there with its blue light on! It doesn't wash the dishes, cut the grass, or walk my dog! All it does is let me make phone calls for next to nothing quite reliably, let my daughter-in-law call home at no charge from Italy when she was there, and generally save me a lot of money! Is this all I get for a whopping $20.00 per year?

Loved your response! I'm not technically inclined so this little device I could handle. I use my magicjack as though it's a cell phone for my house and I don't expect my cell phone to update my tivo or to send out a fax either. I expect to make and receive calls with it....nothing more nothing less. Even though it has problems from time to time, I still think it's the best money I've spent this year.

[calgaryhero]

FYI I can fax like a champion, 9600, error correction off. If you have a Brother fax find the "International Dialing" setting and use it, it's your friend.

[JohnnyFreightTRAIN]

You can not dial out due to defective chip in all of them

For a defective chip, my magicjack seems to be dialing out just fine.