Replacement dongle question

CraigS · Post by **CraigS** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:45 am

Hi forum,

My first post so if you think I am asking silly questions, don't be an anal cavity and criticize me for it. Just move on and don't reply.

I tried searching the forums but didn't really find the answer I was looking for. Basically, my question is whether or not there is a way I can use a MJ+ dongle previously registered to another account, on my own account.

A friend of mine bought a MJ+ dongle and activated it. After a couple of months, they decided that they thought it sucked and decided to go back to their cable company phone service. They gave me their dongle and said to use it as a spare in case mine goes down. As I understand it (after chatting with customer support), this is not possible. Is that really true? This FAQ entry tells me that it is not really true.

"Can I transfer my current magicJack license to my new magicJack?

Answer

Please contact our Live Chat to determine if your current magicJack license is transferable to your new magicJack."

It seems pretty f'ed up that perfectly good hardware is not usable just because it was registered to a different account before.

I paid $99 a year and a half ago for Platinum Preferred service (through 2019). I thought it was a good deal at the time and it will be, if I don't have to pay for new hardware when my dongle dies. So what happens if my device goes belly up (which it will between then and now)? Conflicting answers on website.

Answer #1 -

"What if my magicJack stops working?

Answer

magicJack is dedicated to ensuring your complete satisfaction.
We will replace your magicJack no questions asked within the warranty period as long as there is no physical damage. There is a $10.95 shipping and handling fee plus applicable administration fees.
All you have to do is plug your replacement in and follow the prompts. Your access rights and phone number will transfer."

Yes, that's right. I can get a replacement dongle ... within the warranty period ... which is 30 days from purchase ... if you bought it from the website (which I didn't) ... and as long as they get another $10.95 for S&H (also known as BS charges). Damned fine print.

Answer #2 -

"If your magicJack breaks or is damaged FOR ANY REASON during your first term or even any renewal term, simply return the damaged Jack (with your Return Authorization Number) and we will send you a replacement Jack - NO QUESTION ASKED, all you pay is S&H, the replacement Jack is absolutely FREE."

I think this one applies to me since I am in a renewal term. That's still $10.95 for a "refurbished" $2 dongle. It's the principle of the matter really. For the cost of things today, $11 is not a big deal to replace the dongle but why should I have to pay that with perfectly good HW in my hands?

Anyway, I figured someone with more technical prowess and patience than I have would have figured this out by now and posted their genius about it online.

Greed is not good MagicJacka$$!

Craig

Bill Smith · Post by **Bill Smith** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:04 am

Craig - First of all, thank you for posting an intelligent question and doing some research beforehand. The short answer is MJ does not permit resale. The Terms Of Service contain this:

"7. No Resale:

Unless expressly authorized in writing by magicJack, LP and/or magicJack VocalTec Ltd., and/or YMax Communications Corporation, you agree not to reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade, resell or exploit for any purposes any portion of the magicJack and/or magicJack Plus device, magicJack APP or the Software.

8. License:

magicJack, LP grants you a personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive right and license to use the magicJack and/or magicJack Plus device and Associated Software on the device or your computer and magicJack VocalTec Ltd. grants you a personal, non-transferable and non-exclusive right and license to use magicTalk, magicJack APP, access license and/or Associated Software on your smartphone, computer or other digital device..."

If you want to read the entire document, see: http://www.magicjack.com/tos.html

I think MJ will consider the transfer you described as a resale. About the best you can do is use the dongle your friend gave you if it has more time left than yours. Of course, you'll also have to use that phone number too. Wish I had better news for you.

CraigS · Post by **CraigS** » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:52 pm

Hi Bill!

Thanks for the reply and compliment. I loathe posting to public forums because of how many ignorant people with a lack of reading comprehension and a burning desire to pass judgment on people's questions there are, but I thought I would give it a shot.

So the answer to my question is that the restriction is based on policy (and their system set up to disallow dongle reassignments) and not necessarily a technical impossibility (as the chat agent stated).

Well, I guess at this point I will entertain myself with trying to find out if there is any kind of software/hardware out there that can read and write the device firmware. If there is, it might be possible to clone the original dongle and fool the MJ network into thinking the two devices are one and the same.

(this is the part where I hit reply and totally do nothing else about it because it is just too much work to avoid paying the $11 they want to send me an unassigned dongle *haha*)

Thanks again Bill. Good to know there are still some intelligent humans on the interweb.

Craig