Anyone ever try Magic Jack?

[crandc]

My telecommunications bills are insane. I never use my landline phone but I have DSL for home internet so have to keep it open. The cheapest rate from at&t is around $28 per month. That's just for the phone line. The internet service is extra. I just don't make many phone calls so I did not want a cell phone contract - all of them were for vastly more than I need. I got a so called pay as you go but actually it's pay in advance. It took $50 to activate. I need to add $25 every 3 months. I have only once used $25 in a month, that was when my father was in the hospital. I have around $70 left but need to add another $25 on 9/19 or lose all the money. Basic DirecTV, no premium sports or movie channels, is close to $80 a month. I called them and said if we can't work something out I have to cancel as that's just too much. The woman gave me a one-time $20 off and said I'd get NBA League Pass free this year.

So, I thought, if I could at least get rid of the $28 a month that would help. Anyone ever try to use Magic Jack for DSL? Does it work? I tried to upgrade my Internet connection but the wiring in my house turned out to be too old, it wouldn't work.

Thanks for any feedback.

Go Blazers.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Two people at work tried it. One said ot was very spotty and both didn't like the fact it only works when the computer is on.

 

[maxiep]

My mom bought it and said it sucked. Sorry. I wish I could provide a better review. Good luck with your phone bill.

 

[jlprk]

When I finally dumped Comcast for jimmying their price up and up, I dumped all TV. PHONE: I tried Vonage. It works when your computer is on and e-mails you recordings of received calls when it's off. $18 per month, not terrible, not good enough. I switched to the cheapest internet mobile phone service, Cricket at $25 per month including tax. I don't use it for internet, way too slow. Go with that or Virgin, $35. Or with a noninternet phone, $20.

INTERNET: I tried DSL via Qwest, too spotty, $30 per month including tax the first year. I switched to Clear, not available in every city. It's excellent. $35 per month including tax, $100 startup for the hardware.

My post-Comcast adventures, all in the last 15 months.

 

[mobes23]

I had vonage a couple years ago and didn't need to leave my computer on -- it had a box connected to the modem and I plugged the phone line into the box. It worked fine, except that the Comcast cable was erratic and obviously the phone went down whenever the internet went down (which happened frequently.)

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

You can't use Magic Jack for DSL. It is a phone service that uses Voice over IP meaning you need an internet connection for it to work.

Your only solution is to get Cable Modem if you want internet service without a phone line. However ,your direct TV receiver probably needs to be hooked up to a phone line and I doubt it will work with Magic Jack (I have mine hooked up through a vonage line but its an older box that works with their daily call).

 

[jlprk]

Your only solution is to get Cable Modem if you want internet service without a phone line.

Clear works great at my house with no TV service. Crandc, it's in most of the Bay Area, but you'll have to type in your address to find out specifically.

http://www.clear.com/coverage

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

can you stream HD content? that's basically the same as using your cell phone as a wifi hotspot.

 

[jlprk]

If you mean me, I don't know because I don't have TV, though Clear sells a hotspot. I looked it up and this guy says they stream HD.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r23925184-Clearwire-4G-and-video-streamingNetflix-etc

 

[crandc]

So, jlprk, you have no TV at all? How do you watch Blazers games?

 

[jlprk]

Either online, or I peek through Spud's window while she's watching.

 

[Denny Crane]

If you never use your land line, don't get a land line.

Cable modem for internet doesn't require a bundle with phone or anything else. With a surfboard modem, you get everything via WiFi within your house, so the wiring doesn't matter.

Use your cell phone or skype for voice calls.

 

[Da Bears Oregon]

I've been using it for about a year and it works great. I would highly recommend it to anyone.