Can't call local numbers

[TreasureGift]

I have had my MJ for less than a week, I have been fairly happy with it, except for the fact that I can't call local (land line) numbers, I can call cell phone numbers, I can call long distance numbers, anything outside of the 817 area code works fine.

When I try to call local land line numbers with an 817 area code, it rings a bunch of times, then I get a fast busy signal then a dial tone. When I contact the person I am calling using a different phone, they tell me their phones never rang.

I am living on a mountain top in far west Texas, I am off grid, I generate my own electricity, I have wifi internet access and get close to a T1 connection, I have no trouble with using the internet. I don't think it's an issue with my computer or my MJ unit, I believe it's a problem on their end (the MJ company). I was hoping this service would work for me, cell phones do not work out here, well they barely work, the MJ sounds better than my cell phone does out here, I will not get a landline, the costs of getting a pole set are too high, I have no city utilities up here and do not want any. I got the MJ so that I would be able to talk to my family and friends back home without having huge long distance bills. It is not that big of a problem that they don't have phone numbers for where I live, I can live with that.

Oh, the worst thing that happens when I make or receive a phone call is the person I am talking to sometimes sounds like Max Headroom, (if you have to ask, never mind ), the people I talk to say they can hear me pretty good, the biggest problem they have is my voice isn't loud enough, I just talk louder, as I said, it's better than my cell phone.

I have read everything I can find here about this subject, it seems to be a known issue, but I didn't find anything that would help, yes I did do the upgrade, multiple times, I have tried using different USB ports, nothing works. I broke down today and contacted customer service/tech help, boy do they make it hard to FIND the right place to click to get to them! Here is the transcript:



Please wait for a site operator to respond.

You are now chatting with 'Marco'

Marco: Hello, how may I help you?

Wretha Smith: hello, I cannot call local numbers (817 area code), I can call long distance numbers and cell phones. When I call local numbers it rings 5 -10 times then I get a fast busy signal

Wretha Smith: I have tried the upgrade multiple times, I have tried different USB ports

Marco: How long have you encountered this issue?

Wretha Smith: from day one

Wretha Smith: it will not call the two main numbers I want to call (my dad and my sister), it lets me call most other numbers just fine

Marco: May I have those numbers please?

Wretha Smith: 817284**** (dad)

Wretha Smith: 817595**** (sister)

Marco: Please include the carrier lines please.

Wretha Smith: 1-817-284-**** 1-817-595-****

Wretha Smith: is that what you wanted?

Marco: What is the carrier line of those numbers?

Wretha Smith: I don't know what you are asking, what is a carrier line?

Marco: Example of carrier line is Verizon, T-mobile.

Wretha Smith: they are land lines, just a minute let me look them up

Marco: Thank you.

Wretha Smith: (817) 284-****Type: Land Line Provider: Southwestern Bell

Marco: I need 3 numbers that you cannot contact using magicjack.

Wretha Smith: give me a minute

Wretha Smith: the first two I gave you and this one, 817-284-****

Wretha Smith: I don't have the carriers for the last 2

Marco: Its okay.

Marco: May I know if you can call to different numbers?

Wretha Smith: yes, I can call other land lines outside the 817 area code with no problems, I can call cell phone numbers, it doesn't seem to matter what area code on cell phones

Wretha Smith: I understand this is a known issue according to other people using the Magic Jack, not being able to call in your own area code, is there a fix for this?

Marco: May I have your complete name, email address and magicjack number please?

Wretha Smith: Wretha Smith wrtha@*****.com 817-494-****

Wretha Smith: wretha@*****.com

Wretha Smith: the second email address is correct

Marco: Thank you for that information.

Marco: We will email you regarding your issue within 24-48 hours.

Marco: Is there anything else I may help you with today?

Wretha Smith: that is all, I am happy with everything else

Marco: I need you to fill the survey up. Can you do that for me?

Wretha Smith: sure

Marco: Thank you for stopping by to chat, I hope I did a good job at addressing your concerns. Please take a second to answer a one question survey about the service I provided. Please click the "close" button on the top right of this screen and the survey will appear. Thanks again!


I hope there is a fix for this, I considered trying a different exchange, right now I am using a Euless exchange, I could try a Fort Worth or Arlington exchange, but I also know I can change my number one more time then there is a fee for doing it, I want it documented with MJ that I am having trouble before I try to change anything. The phone numbers I am trying to call are in North Richland Hills Texas.

Has anyone else who has had this problem and managed to get it fixed?

Thanks,
Wretha

[Stewart]

As a temporary fix, see if any of these dialing formats work for you.

For example, to call 817-284-1234, you would normally dial 8172841234 or 18172841234 (MJ does not officially support 7-digit dialing).
But, as a workaround, try dialing:

*678*172841234
2841234
*672*841234

[TreasureGift]

Thanks Stewart, the first and third one worked, the second one doesn't do anything, no ringing, just did nothing then went to a dial tone again.

Thanks so much, it is a relief that I can call my family and if this happens again, I will know how to get around it.

I'll post any reply I get from the MJ people.

Wretha

[TreasureGift]

So I wonder why this works when dialing the number properly doesn't work? When I called my dad, my phone number still came up on his caller ID...

Wretha

[dot_loop]

I also had this same issue, dialing the 7 digit number instead of having the area code worked for me.

[HvyJet]

I had the same problem with only ONE number I call everyday in Hurst, TX. It had been working fine until 4 days ago when it started the ringing for exactly 30secs then the fast busy signal. I would call them on their 817 cellphone and would be told the phone never rang. I call other 817 numbers-residential and cell-with no problems. I also spent 30mins with tech support and they asked the same questions they asked of uuu. supposed to have an engineering reply in 24-48 hrs. Meanwhile the 67 fix worked for me but it could be inconvenient. It sounds like an 817 ac problem and maybe a permanent fix will be soon.

[TreasureGift]

Don't hold your breath waiting for tech to contact you back, they never contacted me back, I was also given the same 24-48 hours, a week ago... anyhoo, doesn't matter, I just use the *678*172841234 method and it works, I reworked my address book to include the code on all of my phone numbers that have that issue. I still try to manually call my Dad's phone number without the extra code and as of yesterday, it still doesn't work, it rings about 6-8 times then I get the fast busy signal.

I can't complain though, for $20 a year, I can deal with adding a few extra digits to call my family.

[HendersonMike]

Well, the MJ honeymoon is over....
Had my first problem with MJ not working.
But thanks to Stewart, it'sa honeymoon renewal
MJ won't typically dial 311 (sister number to 911) so I had found out what the actual number was and entered it into my call list for easy retrieval.
Had worked in the past (of course I had tested it when I put it in) . Tried it today because I had a need to get in touch with them for a question, and all day long, it would ring and ring and ring and then a short busy signal then disconnect.
Finally, I came here and put "busy" into search, and after wading thru several posts, landed here. Tried Stewart's fix several times till I finally got it right and now the number is working again.
Thanks Stewart..... you da man ! Hat's off to ya man.

[drh3177]

Stuart

I am in the 412 area code, and had the same problem you have addressed for others.
I was able to fix it using your solution of *674* 12 followed by the 7 digit number. In my case it was two cell phones of family memebers.

You refer to this as a temporary work around. Does that mean that you do not expect it to be a fix that will continually work, or that Magicjack will recognize the problem and fix it.

I did find that on one of the numbers that I could not reach without the workaround, that with the workaround the call quality is poor, whereas the call quality on magicjack is generally pretty good.

Any thoughts???


Steve

[Stewart]

I did find that on one of the numbers that I could not reach without the workaround, that with the workaround the call quality is poor, whereas the call quality on magicjack is generally pretty good.

If the number is in 412, try dialing the last 7 digits, followed by ***, e.g. for 412-234-5678 dial 2345678***. Unfortunately, this won't work if the exchange code happens to match a Canadian or Caribbean area code.

Sorry, I have no idea when the * dialing 'bug' might be fixed. I hope that it doesn't happen until after the intended routes are working properly.

[drh3177]

Stewart (sorry for the misspelling of your name in my last post)

You are correct...DAN SHOULD PAY YOU....The local phone number without the area code and followed by *** produces perfect phone sound quality, Permit me to join those who think we should be sending our $20.00 a year to you and not Dan

Steve