Cannont use 3rd party international calling services?

[siratfus]

Just hooked up our magicjack plus and pleasantly surprise by the quality. I was on the phone with Verizon for 40 minutes working on a new bundle that may include dropping their landline. Told them I'm talking to them with a magic jack. LOL!

Anyway, one drawback so far is the rates to vietnam, it's 30 cents per minutes. We call there often using various calling cards at around 2 to 5 cents. Live Chat support says we cannot use calling cards.

I find this hard to believe, is this true? If that's true then I guess I'm starting to understand the idea. This is how they make their money back?

Please advise.

[kevin8629]

Just hooked up our magicjack plus and pleasantly surprise by the quality. I was on the phone with Verizon for 40 minutes working on a new bundle that may include dropping their landline. Told them I'm talking to them with a magic jack. LOL!

Anyway, one drawback so far is the rates to vietnam, it's 30 cents per minutes. We call there often using various calling cards at around 2 to 5 cents. Live Chat support says we cannot use calling cards.

I find this hard to believe, is this true? If that's true then I guess I'm starting to understand the idea. This is how they make their money back?

Please advise.

If vietnam doesn't block magicjack on their internet services. Buy one register it with a US number and send it to them. Then you can talk to each other for free

[cell14]

You can use any service you want to. Calling cards are a rip off, I would not use them. There are many providers, both prepaid 9 cheaper) or postpaid.
Localphone.com to Vietnam : 3.9 c/min land lines, 4.9c/min cell phones.

[sabresfan]

Get a google voice account and set it up with your MJ. Their international rates are decent check here https://www.google.com/voice/rates .Also you will not need to buy any new hardware just setup a free google voice account.

[cell14]

Google Voice rates for Vietnam ( that what the OP wants) are significantly higher than those with Localphone while the quality is the same or less(I did not test Vietnam, though) .
He does not need additional hardware if he chooses to call through local US numbers. That's inconvenient if you have to call ever changing numbers but great for fixed calling patterns like family members.

[siratfus]

You can use any service you want to. Calling cards are a rip off, I would not use them. There are many providers, both prepaid 9 cheaper) or postpaid.
Localphone.com to Vietnam : 3.9 c/min land lines, 4.9c/min cell phones.

I'm confused, isn't localphone.com basically a calling card? They give you a number you have to dial in first right?

But anyway, I should clarify my question. What I meant was if I ditch my landline, say verizon or whatever and I make Magic Jack my default landline. Can I use these third party services through my MJ phone number?

The customer rep said NO.

[sabresfan]

Google voice rates for Vietnam


Country Google Voice rate per minute USD
Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City 5¢
Vietnam - Landline 6¢
Vietnam - Mobile 7¢
While localphone is cheaper it's more aggravating to use with MJ to me. Yes he can setup an account with localphone and use one of their access numbers then call Vietnam. The advantage of Google Voice is it can be used easily with MJ, cell or any phone that can make a local call. The GV app on my droid takes care of all my international calls for me and so far have sounded great. Both are good options and both have their pluses and minuses.

[sabresfan]

Another option with localphone is to download their softphone http://www.localphone.com/ways_to_conne ... rnet_calls calls to Vietnam are 3.9 landline and 4.9 mobile cents per minute. I'm not the biggest fan of using softphones but it's an affordable option. He could also use his MJ+ as a sound card with the localphone softphone and use his phone if he does not have a mic. At least the old MJ can do this but I would think the + should be the same.

[sabresfan]

But anyway, I should clarify my question. What I meant was if I ditch my landline, say verizon or whatever and I make Magic Jack my default landline. Can I use these third party services through my MJ phone number?

The customer rep said NO.

As long as MJ does not block the number you need to call then yes you can use any of these services with your MJ+.

[cell14]

Can I use these third party services through my MJ phone number?

The customer rep said NO.

I used all kinds of services with MJ. Forget about what their incompetent CS tells you.

[cell14]

I use Google Voice and got my Obi just a few days ago. For most international calls, i actually use Telna, a more "classic' long distance company. While their rates are somewhat higher, they have excellent quality, great CS, reliable, billing by the SECOND , POSTPAID with bill, have a great calling card, international travel card and an international cell service and are easy to use with cell phones too.On the top of the price you have to pay taxes, because they operate by the book.
Localphone I use usually for very long calls to numbers I regularly call and to European cell phones which are obscenely expensive.