CAN NO LONGER RECOMMEND MAGICJACK

SteveHC · Post by **SteveHC** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 11:13 pm

I CAN NO LONGER RECOMMEND MAGICJACK TELEPHONE SERVICE.

Here's why:

I have just determined the source of most MagicJack telephone service failures that occur REGARDLESS of the MJ device or app used, and as the company REFUSES to to make even *temporary* fixes or work-arounds for its customers, I can no longer recommend MagicJack to ANYBODY other than to children or people who might be willing to periodically change their MagicJack phone number to a non-local one. Here's why:

As most of you already know, every MagicJack telephone number (and therefor every device and installed app) is assigned to a particular MagicJack proxy server "covering" that number's "local exchange" (area code + prefix). Unfortunately, MagicJack's ("YMAX") telephone network equipment - proxy servers and/or the telecom switches that they connect to, but especially the servers - are prone to breakdown/failure due to inadequate maintenance. When one's "local" MagicJack server (or digital switch, if you prefer) starts failing, that's when calls either don't connect properly or they actually do connect but you may hear inconsistent audio or even just dead silence instead of clear and intelligible 2-way audio on a call.

When this happens within most *other* telecom companies' network equipment, they willingly - and, usually, READILY - will reassign or "reroute" your phone number to a DIFFERENT server (or switch), at least temporarily, in order to maintain your service with your phone number until they can permanently fix your originally-assigned server or switch. Unfortunately for MagicJack customers though, MagicJack *REFUSES* to do this. Instead, MagicJack keeps wasting its customers' time with circular online "help" chats, wasting time with unnecessary and repeated futzing around with one's router or computer (or whatever), hoping that the customer will "give up" and put up with lack of usable telephone service until they get around to fixing their equipment - which can often take a month or longer. If a customer REALLY persists with insisting that their now-faulty MJ number be REASSIGNED to a *different* proxy server, MJ "customer service" and "technical support" staff outright REFUSE to do it. Thus for most people in this situation - which almost ALL MJ customers will find themselves in sooner or later - the ONLY solution is to get a DIFFERENT MJ number - from a DIFFERENT local exchange - assigned to their device (this is not even possible for App users).

IF you know the I.P. address of your assigned (and faulty) proxy server - and that's a BIG "if," because MJ staff DELIBERATELY REFUSE to tell you it - then you'd be able to block it within your router's settings, thereby forcing your MJ device or app to connect to a *different* one. Although there are a couple of lists of the MJ proxy servers out on the Internet - including right here on this website - NONE of them are anywhere near complete because MJ has set up so many of them throughout the country. But again, MJ REFUSES to tell its customers what even the customer's OWN assigned proxy server's I.P. address is let alone the I.P. address of any of the OTHER servers.

Consequently I now conclude that MagicJack telephone service is only suitable for children's or other non-critical use. Not only is their customer service poor, their customer service staff *deliberately* engage in subterfuge with customers when there are MagicJack telephone network equipment failures. The company experiences a LOT of proxy server failures, and when a local server begins to fail they REFUSE to reroute calls to and from one's MagicJack number (like most all other phone companies do) as a "work-around" until they get around to fixing their own network equipment problems.

So unless you are willing to occasionally change your telephone number to a new one associated with a different local exchange (that uses a DIFFERENT MagicJack proxy server) when you start being unable to complete calls correctly and audibly, or you are willing to put up with unpredictable local MagicJack server outages or problems for a month or longer, I do NOT recommend MagicJack.

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:24 am

Consequently I now conclude that MagicJack telephone service is only suitable for children's or other non-critical use

Better late than never, Steve.
There is simply no reason why an informed person would want to stick to Magic Jack these days. There are far better alternatives out there.

SteveHC · Post by **SteveHC** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:37 am

cell14 wrote:
Consequently I now conclude that MagicJack telephone service is only suitable for children's or other non-critical use
Better late than never, Steve.
There is simply no reason why an informed person would want to stick to Magic Jack these days. There are far better alternatives out there.

- LOL. I wasn't able to definitively confirm the company's network equipment problems, outright refusal to re-route calls when local servers start failing, and its deliberate use of subterfuge with customers by their customer service staff, until today.

donnybb · Post by **donnybb** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 2:28 pm

There are far better alternatives out there.

Such as?

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 3:22 pm

Google voice through Obi, google voice through GV jack, Localphone, Callcentric, Anveo, and many more.

SteveHC · Post by **SteveHC** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:16 pm

cell14 wrote:Google voice through Obi, google voice through GV jack, Localphone, Callcentric, Anveo, and many more.

- While most others don't have the customer service, server-related codec, and unpredictable call connection problems that MJ has, for many people they seem to suffer from worse audio consistency and quality than does MJ and cost considerably more. Each provider seems to have its own unique set of "pluses" and "minuses." Even the relatively free Google Voice via Obi, and the highly-rated OOMA, have their share of detractors/complaints. The very best VOIP service providers still seem to be the cable tv companies (with their dedicated VOIP IP "lines" and networks) and the more commercial, business-oriented providers - both of which are (not coincidentally) the most expensive.

cell14 · Post by **cell14** » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:30 pm

- While most others don't have the customer service, server-related codec, and unpredictable call connection problems that MJ has, for many people they seem to suffer from worse audio consistency and quality than does MJ and cost considerably more. Each provider seems to have its own unique set of "pluses" and "minuses." Even the relatively free Google Voice via Obi, and the highly-rated OOMA, have their share of detractors/complaints

I have to strongly disagree on that. The absolutely free Google voice has a far superior audio consistency , actually surprisingly superior audio consistency compared to MJ, and works even in environments with less than perfect broadband connection in places where MJ completely fails.The problems with GV reliability are on the incoming call side and have nothing to do with audio consistency. Callcentric provides excellent, high end VOIP service and the only complain i could have that it is a bit on the expensive side. I personally do not use Anveo but had a lot of recommendations for it. Localphone, which I use extensively, has some audio consistency issues but minor compared to MJ
I would never use ooma or nettalk, they belong to me to the same category as MJ, not worth the money.
There are differences between VOIP providers and the priciest are not necessarily the best.