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How can the answer be improved? Porting an existing phone number is subject to an additional fee, and may not be available for all numbers. Annual and monthly fees quoted do not include initial purchase of magicjack device or devices (which includes 1 year of service) or shipping, administration and regulatory fees and taxes as applicable.
MagicJack Plus Review by WhichVoIPThis section provides an overall summary of our review of the magicJack Plus phone service. Scroll down to read the complete review, including ordering, installation, using the service and returning. The GoodThe magicJack Plus is very simple to acquire, setup and also has three (3) different ways to utilize the service (computer, home phone, and mobile). The biggest plus is the low cost of service, a fraction of a typical landline cost.
This device and service lends itself very well for a cheap second line or for people who are not that reliant on a home phone line (e.g. Someone who uses their cell phone for most conversations). The BadThere is no customer support to call if you have issues but they do have online chat and a knowledgebase. This would be more of a concern for less tech savvy people who like the comfort of knowing that help is just a phone call away. The feature set is minimal compared with other VoIP services available.
There are also a few annoying points with the magicJack mobile application. The Bottom Line. Cost: $39.95 for the magicJack Plus device which includes 6 months free phone service. Service Plans: Monthly plan costs $5 per month, 6month plan costs $20 every 6 months, 1 year plan costs $35per year and their 5 year plan costs $120 every 5 years. Extra fees apply for some features (e.g.
Porting your number) plus applicable regulatory fees and taxes. Extra fees apply for certain national area codes plus international calling. MagicJack Go is now available and comes with 1 yearof free service included for an up front cost of $59.95Overall ThoughtsOverlooking the nuances about the magicJack Plus, it is actually quite a neat product. Setting up the device is a little obnoxious but after you survive the deluge of ads, what lies beneath is an acceptable calling solution.
Worth considering if you are comfortable with technology and cost is a major driving factor over anything else. Our Ratings for the magicJack Plus OVERALL RATING(3.4)Ease of OrderDeliveryInstallationVoice QualityService ReliabilityService FeaturesCustomer ServiceValue for MoneyMobile App. IntroductionA lot of easy-to-use VoIP calling solutions have made their way to the market.
A variety of solutions have surfaced both as an attempt to meet the needs of the everyday consumer as well as enterprises. These simple devices and applications allow people with an Internet connection the ability to make a voice call without an actual landline. One very low cost solution is the magicJack Plus.MagicJack first hit the market in 2007. The original version was a small USB device that plugged directly into a Personal Computer (PC) and allowed a standard telephone to be plugged into the device. It utilizes Voice over IP (VoIP) technology, allowing users to make internet-based phone calls.
MagicJack Plus was introduced in 2011 to remove the requirement of connecting directly to a PC, instead connecting directly to an available internet port (modem, router etc).The company behind the MagicJack products is YMAX Communications Corporation, who provide the transfer of the phone calls made with these products. Many people have heard of MagicJack as it is promoted through commercials on television. It is a very low cost option, with a small annual charge, for making unlimited calls in USA and Canada (note that certain fee type codes and some area codes may require prepaid minutes to be purchased though). A 30-day money back guarantee is offered for those who want to try it out with no risk.We decided to take the magicJack Plus for a test drive to see how it performs, including ordering, setting up, using it, trying customer support and returning the device. Ordering the magicJack PlusThough you can find the magicJack Plus in many consumer electronics stores, we went ahead and purchased the device through the company's website. We selected the expedited shipping option for an additional $8.95 so the device would arrive between 3 to 5 business days. However, the device arrived 9 days (7 business days) after ordering, causing us to deduct a star.If you are someone who is easily offended by 'up selling' tactics, I would avoid ordering the device online.
After you register for your free trial, magicJack bombards you with a deluge of add-ons for your order. Some of the offers do make some sense though if you were planning on keeping the service. However, it still feels like a high pressure sales situation so we knocked a star off for these tactics.
The below image shows an example of some of the ads.The cost for the magicJack Plus device is $49.95 and this includes six (6) months of service free (unlimited calling to the USA and Canada). They also promote a 30 day money back guarantee, excluding shipping fees. Like any phone solution, VoIP or landline, additional fees apply to make international calls. Unless you are calling another magicJack subscriber, you are subject to certain fees for numbers outside of the coverage area (including some national area codes). Fortunately, their rates are fairly low (it differs by country.) These fees can only be circumvented if a person you are calling in another country is also using magicJack.
If you're really trying to beat the system, you can also assign a local number to a unit and send it to someone over seas.Here is an image of the package once it arrived.Installing the magicJack PlusThere are three (3) main ways that the magicJack Plus device and service can be used, as follows. However, option 1 below is required to configure your service before you can make phone calls. You can connect the device directly to a computer via the USB connector. In this scenario you can use what is known as a 'softphone' application, which includes a piece of software that turns your computer into your phone dialer. You will then need a headset, or separate microphone and speaker set to make calls.
You can also plug any analog, touchtone phone to the device for a more authentic experience. The magicJack Plus device can plug directly into your Internet modem or router, which is the easiest way to use the device if you want to use a regular phone.
For various set-up options with your home network we recommend reading our. There is a free mobile application (App) available on Google Play and Apple App Store which gives users a highly mobile option to use the service as it can function on 3G or higher networks or over Wi-Fi connections. Perfect for modern day smartphones.No matter how you use it, you have the ability to access voicemail. Fortunately, you don't have to fine tune anything (nor do you have the ability) as you simply plug in the device, provide requested information and you're good to go. Next, lets look at the different ways to use it as introduced above. 1) Using the magicJack Plus with a computerInstallation can be a pain point for some users who are not technology comfortable so we will walk through this. The device utilizes a USB 2.0 connection to interface with a computer.
Since Windows commands a majority of operating systems in the market, we installed and tested the device on a computer utilizing the Windows 7 64 bit operating system.When you plug the magicJack into a USB port on your computer the driver automatically installs. One quick note here is that the device includes two additional USB ports which can be very useful as the device depth means it can cover multiple ports on your computer device. If you have not already registered the device you will need to now. You have to work through a few web forms to setup the device and register a valid phone number.
Be prepared: the same offers you encounter when ordering the device come back for a second round of promotional assault. The below image shows the device connected to one of our laptops.You can request an area code for anywhere in the US or Canada which is a free feature of magicJack Plus. Additionally, it is possible to port an existing number to the service or you can optionally create a vanity number (subject to availability, of course) both for an additional fee of $20 plus $10 a year annually. Note: we typically recommend not porting your existing phone number initially until at least you have used the service and are happy with it. We recommend this for any VoIP service you may be considering.
Once you have named your device, selected a valid number and shuffled through all the promo's, you are ready to make calls. The below image shows the phone dialer on the computer screen.The magicJack application you see above is the softphone you can utilize to initiate phone calls. If you dont have a phone connected to the device then you will need a headset or microphone/speakers combo as mentioned previously. Just like every phone since the rotary phone went to the wayside, you will see a familiar number layout. You use this dialpad to dial the phone number you want to call and click on the 'send' button.
To end the call you simply click on the 'end' button.You can also connect your existing home phone to the magicJack Plus device in this configuration. Connecting a phone to the device is just as simple as connecting a phone to any other RJ-11 socket in your home or business. If you're using an actual phone, you can also use it's number pad like any other phone, just pick it up and dial the number you want to call. We made a few test calls with this set up and found the sound quality as good as a landline, with no noticeable hum, echo, or static noises in the background.Depending on how you plan on using the magicJack device, this option works OK but it is somewhat clunky and space consuming, especially when using a laptop. It also requires the computer device to be on and running for the phone service to work. Fortunately, the Plus device includes other ways to use the service as well. 2) Using magicJack Plus with your routerAnother way to use the magicJack Plus is by plugging the device directly into an Internet modem or a router Internet port.
The device includes an adaptor for the USB connector to plug into a 120V mains socket to power the Plus device (similar to a smartphone power adaptor). Your analog phone will plug into the RJ-11 port just like when using the device with a computer.
Then you will use the phone in the same way as if it were a landline. The below images shows the magicJack Plus device connected to a mains outlet and then a cable connected to a router and a cable connected to the phone (3 connections in total).The device will protrude if connecting directly to a mains outlet, so it is best to avoid plugging it into a socket in a high traffic area.
Alternatively, the device does include a USB-power extension cable. This setup is likely the most commonly used. However, when performing an initial setup it is probably simpler to start with the device connected directly to your computer and then move to this setup once complete.We recommend setting up 911 service as soon as you can, which must be configured through a separate verification process, especially if this will be your main home number. 3) The magicJack smartphone applicationThis magicJack application is one more way you can utilize this service. For someone with limited minutes on a carrier plan, this is the perfect way to add virtually unlimited minutes to your cell calling plan.
It works over both Wi-Fi and 3G or higher mobile data networks. The image below gives you an idea of what the app looks like on a smartphone.Though the magicJack application is a great a value add-on, we did notice a couple of minor issues we should mention. The first one was that when going to download the app the icon presented is a green square with the words 'Talk Free' in white.
This App icon looks nothing like the rest of their branding and we almost didn't download the App as we were not sure it was truly for magicJack.The second issue we encountered with the application has to do with the contact integration. For Android, after selecting a contact in the magicJack application, you are taken to the actual phone's contact database. If you attempt to make a call from here, you will simply utilize your actual phone and not the magicJack application (so using your phone minutes rather than free calling). Many VoIP App's, for example Skype, integrate further into the Android OS such that they appear in a prompt that allows you to select your phone, Skype or another application to call the number you select - magicJack does not.Though the magicJack app has some flaws, it is a nice add-on feature and does work for making phone calls. The sound quality was no worse than a typical phone call made from your cell phone. The 4G network in the area where we tested the phone App is very good so that would have helped. Features of the magicJack PlusAs a VoIP product and service, the magicJack Plus is considerably light on features.
The included call features are voicemail, caller ID, call forwarding and call waiting. They do also boast free 411 calling. However, these are basic features when compared to many other VoIP services available today (some with 40+ features). As mentioned previously they do allow number porting, but at an additional fee to switch ($20) and then annually to maintain ($10).
A fee for porting your existing number is common though (due to 'paperwork' involved). Customer ServiceThe customer service options are detailed in the tabbed section above titled 'Customer Support'.
This is a very low cost service so it's not surprising that there is NO phone support. They do have a knowledgebase on their website which includes some 'how-to' videos and frequently asked questions, as well as a live chat option.We reached out to magicJack's tech support with a hypothetical issue that we considered uncommon to test out the persons knowledge. Here is the live chat:This is the meat of the conversation - the rest of the unseen messages primarily consist of profuse appreciative statements from the live chat person. We were also presented with a link to claim a 5 year contract extension for a grand total of about $70. In a nutshell, the live chat person was able to provide an answer even though it was a somewhat obscure request. This is just an example and of course does not cover all scenarios so is not necessarily a true representation of their support as a whole.
Final ThoughtsThe only remaining item to test was returning the device. This can be an important step for those who decide it is not for them during the trial period. Returning the product was straight forward and simple we are glad to say.
It consisted of entering in a little information, confirming that indeed we wanted to cancel and then getting an RMA authorization to include in the return shipment.Overall, we had a positive experience with the magicJack Plus device and phone service. The sound quality was acceptable during our testing, although it must be noted we have a high quality Internet connection. The main strength and attraction is quite clearly the low cost.
If cost is your only priority then this service is worth considering. The weaknesses include no customer service phone line and the reduced feature set compared with typical VoIP services in the market today. There are also some quirks with the mobile App, although it is a nice feature to have and does work.Based on it's low cost we would certainly recommend this device to anyone who was looking for a second phone line that was not for critical use. If you are considering this option for your main home phone line then we recommend you consider what is important to you most (cost, customer service, features etc) and to also look through the user submitted reviews before making your decision. MagicJack OverviewFrom the over 70 user submitted reviews below since 2008 you can see a mixed reaction of experiences. One of the biggest complaints is related to customer service, which is only available through live chat on the website (click on the customer service tab for more information). However, for the very low annual fee its hard to see how CS could be extended without adding more cost to the end user.
Overall, the user's average rating is 'OK'. Please browse through the reviews below or add your own based on your experience.Overall, the service is at a good price.
Customer service is at the bottom of any telecom service I have used so far.Very happy with it for the price, but if you don't have the patience or minimum knowledge to connect it reliably, I would recommend something easier with better customer service. All User Reviews (Page 1 of 16). Six years of trouble free use now the called contact can't hear me.
Only 1 in two calls get through. Most incoming calls are okay.Customer service is horrible, unanswered calls to tech support who promise to call back but never do!
They say that my 'speedtests' are way to slow, 40 to 50 microseconds, they want less than 30, duh! They are in control. Now I can't even do speed tests ontheir website - it no longer exists. If you use them don't select renew now. Doing so extends your subscription out another year. Theydon't give you an option. Clicking on 'Update now' adds another year and there is no cancellation allowed.
Pros: Purchased Pro version at Walmart, so no issue with shipping or return if not satisfied. Total cost less than 1 monthsAT&T bill and computer fax number, since I canceled both. I plugged unit into existing one house wall jack so all house walljacks would receive and make calls and send and receive fax. It is very simple, just disconnect house phone wires from the outsidephone box by unscrewing the house low voltage wire from the incoming AT&T wire. Now all wired phone lines work as wellas my fax which is a multi use printer that sends/receives faxes, scans, copy (MFC Brother unit)that has phone/fax setupas well. Not a computer geek, just 70 year old person who knows how to use a screw driver and what a USB port is.Cons: Only if Internet service goes out and much less expensive than using the Comcast VoIP service. Ordered MagicJack Go online with a full year free.
In the setting up process I was never issued a number and check to see if my oldnumber could be used. Their online checker said the number was good so I paid the 19.95 to have it ported. Then I received an emailstating that they could not port the number. I called to ask them what am I to do about a phone number and all they could tell mewas to pay ten dollars to have it changed, but I never received one in the first place.
Now I have a phone service I can only callout and not receive calls. They ripped me off for $22.00 for the porting that they did not do and now they want another $10 for anumber. I have been with them for over 10 years and my adapter broke - the USB connection finally pulled out of the circuit board adapter. Customer service were of no help. They got me so annoyed and I still have a year to go with them. Five year plan for $100 is great value! I will switch.The service has always been good - replaced my AT@T landline in 2006 and have been very happy with it.
Typing this now I mayreconsider but I have no phone. No cell, no landline and I need to call my 82 year old mom and I can't. So I'm a little frustrated. That's my problem but customer service did not understand what went wrong. Poorly trained.
MagicJack Customer Service SupportMagicJack phone service hasreceivedsome mixed feedback regarding customer service, from users who havesubmitted feedback to WhichVoIP. The table below summarizes theexisting options for MagicJack users to get either self help fromthe MagicJack website, or support from the customer servicedepartment.Pleaseif there is any information in the table below that you believeshould be updated. Customer Service FeatureAvailabilityDetailsLive ChatMon-Sat (9am-11pm EST)Sun (10am-7pm EST)via24x7 Phone SupportNot Available on WebsiteTry 561-594-9925(Billing only)Talk to a real personNot AvailableUSA based phone supportNo details availableOnline form / Email SupportNo details availableTry [email protected] Help Articles / TutorialsSelf Help VideosSupport ForumsNot AvailableTwitter/Facebook SupportContact number for CancelationReturns Possible within 30daysvia pageRequest a call backNot AvailableMoney back guaranteeNo but there is a 30 day Free Trial. WhichVoIP Visitor Comments#84: Posted by Danny CzapskiMy MagicJack Plusdevice has workedwell for over 3+years. For the lastfew months voicemail has been aproblem.
MJ recordsincoming calls butwon't let meretrieve them. Nomatter what numberon my cordless phoneI press there is noresponse, justcontinuing MJmessage to 'press 1for messages, or 2to change folders,or 3 for advancedoptions, etc, etc,etc' for othernumbers. Werecently moved andchanged internetproviders. MJ custservice told me todisconnecteverything frommodem, cell phoneand MJ USB adapterand power supply,wait 10 minutes andthen reboot modemand reconnect MJdevice and cordlessphone: Still no fix.Can you help?- Response: Just to be clear, all calls work yes? It's just answering accessing voicemails that are problematic?Two things that come to mind:1) Can you use voicemail to email so you get every voicemail in your inbox?2) It sounds like the issue is the DTMF tones when trying to access voicemail.Make sure MJ has your adapter configured for RFC2833 as this is the most popular standard for DTMF (i.e.
For understanding your key presses).#83: Posted by Robert FrankWill magic jack come with a phone number?- Response: Yes you can pick a new phone number in your designated area code (assuming they have inventory for that area code).#82: Posted by Louise GettsI have been aresidential andoffice MagicJacksubscriber (2 sets)since 2007 and havebeen well-served theentire time. Wefound soundquality/clearnesssuperior to ourprevious AT&T landline and have neverregretted thechange. For asingle person officeor residential line,Magic Jack has providedevery serviceneeded. My onlydisappointment isthat they havediscontinued the5-year blockpurchase. Themaximum is now 3years. I haveused Ring Centraland it truly offersan amazing array offeatures, but isextremelycumbersome, in myopinion.#81: Posted by NenaI've been using MagicJackfor a full 6 years andnow I want to renewfor the 7th time butat same time I want to getMagic Jack GO. Can Iuse it on computerand mobile too orjust a mobile?
Can Isend text messageswith GO? I have torenew in 7 days Ithink - will MJGOarrive before oldone expire? Andthank you again.you helped me a lotfor the last 6years.- Response: Yes you can use it on a PC and use the app on a mobile and yes text messaging is available too but only from the mobile App.I can't answer regarding shipping time, maybe if through Amazon.#80: Posted by Sandra FinlinI read that Magic Jack does not have to beconnected to a computer. Is this true?- Response: Yes that is true. The old MagicJack device had to be connected to a PC but the newer ones can be connected to a PC or used standalone.#79: Posted by Gary HartInstalled magicjack 3 months ago, and havesporadic 'breaking up' of conversations. Have purchasednew cordless phone set with all new handsets, andupload bandwith is 782 kbps, which is 5 times required.All connections are secure and snug fitting, and device ishooked directly to wireless modem.
Please help.- Response: When it breaks up is it both directions or just 1 way e.g. Uplink to the other person? Please run our voip test and let us know the results. Also ensure nothing else is running on your Internet at the time, as a test. Limited bandwidth by the sounds of things which may be causing issues if other devices using your Internet at the same time.#78: Posted by PatI want to use theMagic Jack forincoming Fax. Fax iscurrently on a LANline. Can I justplug in the MagicJack into the Routerand Fax into theMagic Jack?- Response: You should be able to connect the MJ to your fax machine instead of your analog phone and it will receive your fax.
Faxing over the Internet is not as reliable as landlines and MJ does not officially support this but usually it is successful.#77: Posted by MartyDo I have connect my router and answering machine tothe Magic Jack?- Response: You need to connect the MagicJack to your Internet (could be direct to a modem or through a switch or router). Magic Jack has voicemail and voicemail to email so no need to use your answering machine.#76: Posted by MartyIf I purchase the newest MagicJack, can I use multiplephones?- Response: Yes you can. The easiest way is to use cordless phones.
Alternatively connect to your home internal phone wiring and use phones throughout the house. You just have to be careful with the landline coming into the house in the second case as it is powered by the old landline provider so really should be disconnected at the side of the house.#75: Posted by Renee Sigleyi currently have a MAGIC JACK device and the quality isTERRIBLE!!!! The people on the other end ALWAYS tell methere is a beeping sound like I am pressing the buttons.Also they tell me the calls fade in and out. So as you cansee I am VERY leary in purchasing another VOIP service but I cannot stand to use this MAGIC JACK one more day!!! I am ona limited budget and sometimes it will be days before myphone rings.
I also don't use it much to make outgoingcalls either nut I still want piece of mind in having a landline phone. Please advise me as to what plan would bebest for me. Also, if it ends up being the quality of theMAGIC JACK I now have will I be able to return it if I amnot satisfied?- Response: Try running our to see if there is an issue with your Internet connection. This may be the issue rather than MagicJack so worth trying this before looking at any other provider.
Many providers offer 30 day cancellation. We normally advise running the VoIP test, then choose a provider that has the option to cancel and when you order, choose a new phone number. Test the service and if happy port any existing numbers over.
This tends to ensure a hassle-free approach.Ask us your question or add a comment:Use the form below to add your comments/thoughts and to interact with us. All comments will be moderated by WhichVoIP.com before going live. We try to answer all questions within 24 hours. Name:Email: (ONLY used for responding)Comment:Enter code below:By submitting you agree to our site.