Vonage/Skype Killer

[SonicVanguard]

Been using it for two weeks now: MagicJack

Only negative is number portability (should be cleared up by January 2008). Not that I care - I only have a land line for DSL. But it is nice at times to have something other than my cellphone. Was sitting in the Detroit Metro airport last week and I thought a guy was going to have a heart attack when I plugged a standard telephone into my laptop. Funnier still is when it rang five minutes later.

[Force Flow]

Looks interesting

However...

A license to use the magicJack to call the US and Canada for FREE during your first year of use.

What happens after the first year?

Answer:

By purchasing a license for your 2nd year of use - available now for $19.95.

...and does this apply for any/all subsequent years?

In any case, I'm sure by then there will be something bigger and better, pushing this to the wayside. It does look promising, though.

[SonicVanguard]

Originally Posted by Force Flow Looks interesting However... What happens after the first year? Answer: ...and does this apply for any/all subsequent years? In any case, I'm sure by then there will be something bigger and better, pushing this to the wayside. It does look promising, though.

Let's see...$20 license for unlimited LD calling for an entire year. Considering one month of Vonage is $30+ and skype is only free PC to PC, I'd say not bad at all.

And BTW, it works to call from anywhere in the world (to the US and Canada) - made a call from London without issue. And a professor here at MSU who hooked me up with the MagicJack has placed calls from Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the Middle East. Beats having to have a global ready cellphone.

[Floppyman]

Originally Posted by SonicVanguard Let's see...$20 license for unlimited LD calling for an entire year. Considering one month of Vonage is $30+ and skype is only free PC to PC, I'd say not bad at all. And BTW, it works to call from anywhere in the world (to the US and Canada) - made a call from London without issue. And a professor here at MSU who hooked me up with the MagicJack has placed calls from Japan, Sweden, Switzerland and the Middle East. Beats having to have a global ready cellphone.

Looks very interesting Dave. I don't know if I were to go as far as to say that this will be a Skype killer though. I believe it was just last year when you could make unlimited long distance calls with Skype to PC's AND landline/cellphones for a period of time (then the promo ended). If this catches on, I wonder what Skype's response will be. Nonetheless, I'm starting to like this little device, especially since I have been looking at Blackberry World phones as of late. The only prerequisites for using it are what, a phone, a computer, and an internet connection?

[SonicVanguard]

Originally Posted by Floppyman The only prerequisites for using it are what, a phone, a computer, and an internet connection?

To be specific, a broadband connection, but I think you've got the gist of the device.

[backithink]

that is very nice, all i have right now is my cell phone and sometimes it gets annoying, but the only local provider where i live is sprint and well they are crooks so i wont use them, and time warners internet phone is crazy expensive for as little as i use it, i think i could handle $40 for the first year and $20 for the second lol that would be two months billing anywhere else, but will it let you set a phone number for any town in the us, i live in ohio and most of my family lives in texas, and except for my mom no one has long distance or amazingly a cell phone, and it would be great if i could set a local number for them so they could call with no hassles with like a calling card or borrowing a cell phone from a friend

[Stuey]

Hmm. Sounds pretty cool actually. I'm gonna look into it!

[SonicVanguard]

Originally Posted by backithink but will it let you set a phone number for any town in the us, i live in ohio and most of my family lives in texas, and except for my mom no one has long distance or amazingly a cell phone, and it would be great if i could set a local number for them so they could call with no hassles with like a calling card or borrowing a cell phone from a friend

At this point your number is assigned to you - I only use it for out bound calling so I personally don't care about the number. They expect to have number portability worked out by December/January.

[glc]

If they work it like eFax, you will not be able to get a local number without paying a surcharge - the basic plan will give you a number in some other state.

[SonicVanguard]

Originally Posted by glc If they work it like eFax, you will not be able to get a local number without paying a surcharge - the basic plan will give you a number in some other state.

That's what they are doing for now - they fully plan on allowing for number portability when they get that all hashed out - don't know if it will be an additional expense or not. But as I said, I'm more interested in this to replace my cellphone under certain circumstances - not to replace a landline I don't have.