MagicJack → HELP- Magic Jack can't call local ISP area code

Nice. I'll probably have some time to add the updated info one I get the foot and a half of snow out of the driveway.

Back with excess time. Todays test were now all unblocked:

207-635
207-639
207-643
207-652
207-667

I added Nailgunner 's updates to the list.

Confirmed still blocked 1/18/2010:

812-383-xxxx = SMITHVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY in Hymera, IN
812-936-xxxx = SMITHVILLE TELEPHONE COMPANY in French Lick, IN

217-226-xxxx = ILLINOIS CONSOLIDATED TELEPHONE CO. in Assumption, IL
217-227-xxxx = ILLINOIS CONSOLIDATED TELEPHONE CO. in Farmersville, IL
217-229-xxxx = ILLINOIS CONSOLIDATED TELEPHONE CO. in Raymond, IL

Getting a new message on the blocked calls.

"Your call cannot be completed as dialed. The terminating carrier in that area has not done an interconnect agreement with MagicJack. There is a legal requirement for all companies to interconnect if one carrier requests do to so from the other carrier. We hope to be successful in doing that". Or something close to that statement. And a nice pleasant reassuring voice on the other end too. Apparently no more beep.beep.beep.

So perhaps callers will now know if they are being blocked or there is another issue. I guess it's a small step forward.

Only tried one from the list...it was blocked with the new message..so dialed it a couple of times to get the full "transcript". I did try an Alaska # and received the new message.

So my only update is 217-324 is still blocked. Not sure if the 5 calls to the one blocked counts against my daily "excessive" use, so more soon.

Makes me wonder what MJ is asking for in this interconnect agreement with other companies. Or maybe I just don't understand and an interconnect agreement means neither side has to pay a connection fee?

The voice message is a step in the right direction. The logical next step would be to have MJ/YMax/VocalTec/whatever publish a list of phone companies who don't have an interconnect agreement with them [this is a moral imperative more than anything else, since their customers have already published such a list ].

If they wanted to be nice, they'd also include a list of NPA-NXX affected, since they obviously needed to compile one to implement blocking.

Somehow I don't expect either of these things will happen at any time in the near future.

This is the same thing MJ told customers who complained about MJ's call blocking. There's nothing new about this except their now saying it at the time a specific call is blocked.

I think it's typical MJ double-talk. They advertise their self as providing long-distance service. Long-distance providers are required to interconnect all customer calls.

MJ doesn't want to pay those termination fees and is submitting an agreement specifying fees the destination telco doesn't want to receive (or pay, if their customers call an MJ user).

MJ has the advantage of being sorta long-distance, sorta local, sorta nothing (VoIP). They can play whichever color of service suits them at the moment. One minute they're long-distance. But, when they don't like the long-distance regulations, they're local. When they don't like being treated as a local phone company (paying local 911 fees), they're a "multimedia experience" ("really, our customers agreed to it when they accepted our Terms of Service.").

If you really want to understand what the dispute involves (the position of the ILEC, YMAX the CLEC with points of presence but not switches?, and magicJack the "multimedia experience") ask on the VoIP Chat forum (one level back from this one). Someone like Nitzan could shed light on how the different parties are trying to get one over on each other.

I imagine the ILEC wants desirable long-distance fees. YMAX wants to be treated as a local phone company even though it's a point of presence (an example of it wanting to be treated like a phone company when it's not -- but when regulations apply, it says it's not a phone company). And, YMAX wants to collect higher "not-a-phone-company" fees while paying fees like a local peer.

And, then if anyone puts all this together to see how MJ is playing games, there's the nuclear option: "it's just a multimedia experience!!!"

If you start a topic on the other forum, please post back here. It would be good to understand this better.

I think there is little doubt this is part of their continuing CYA effort.

It does appear that they are doing less blocking based on the recent decline in postings here and on magicjacksupport.com.

It would also appear that based on the rate of blocked number reversals that there is some form of negotiating taking place at some level.

Edit: Moving down the list:

Not Blocked
217-725
218-238
218-243
218-332

Blocked
217-824

907586####
907465####
907581####
- all no interconnect agreement (Alaska)

All of Alaska (907-XXX-xxxx) is blocked, as far as we know. Thanks for the info.

Weekend boredom.

All still blocked:

218-334
218-335
218-346
218-356
218-363

The interesting (depends on your definition) thing is that of the 5, 3 still used the 3 beep method of terminating and the other 2 had the new recording. Who knows what that means. Some they are negotiating with, some they aren't, some they have given up on?

Edit: Dr. Strange, I just noticed the chat area on the list. In the future, unless I have something wonderful to share with the world, I'll just post my test calls there.

You can PM me updates to the blocklist if you want, but posting them to the thread keeps the it alive. That's important to the original intent of the thread [putting a spotlight on MJ's call blocking].

Here is good, I just noticed the chat area and thought you might prefer there. Will continue here until someone begs me to stop.

1-23-11

Not Blocked:
218-439

Blocked:
218-367
218-375
218-385
218-444
(again with a mix of recorded message and 3 beeps)

Edit:

1-25-11/1-26-11

Not Blocked:
218-473
218-483
218-573

218-583
218-596
218-631

Blocked:
218-462
218-547

218-584
218-652

Number being blocked:
920-228-XXXX

1-27-11

Not Blocked:
218-681
218-683
218-689

Blocked:
218-675
218-694

920-228-xxxxxx Union Telephone Co. Plainfield, Wisconsin

1-29-11

Unblocked:
218-732
218-751
218-758

Blocked:
218-776
218-844
218-846
218-847

And today's twist. The 776 produced the "old" 3 beeps. The 844,846 and 847 produced a different recorded message. Something like "Important Announcement. Please pay attention to this entire short announcement. The number you called cannot be accessed through your MagicJack. For free conference calling please..."

So I assume they belong in the "still blocked" category. But I'm beginning to wonder if these guys are starting to lose it. Or maybe I am. Would using conference calling be a way around the blocked exchanges?

Edit:
Anyone interested in hearing the message call:

218-844-5860 or
218-847-5611

One is a flower shop, the other is a Doctors office.

I did test call Alaska and that produced the other recorded message about inter-connect agreements.

Somebody at MJ/Ymax/whatever thinks that some of those prefixes are used by traffic-pumping 'free conference call' companies.

So maybe those exchanges are being blocked for that reason and not the connect agreement?

Yes, but they'll be added to the list with a special note anyway.

I assumed you would add them to the list, and I will note them as such in future tests, but I was just curious about their handling of it. It makes you wonder how many reasons they are using to justify blocking.

Not to sound too ignorant, but if they are directing you to a free conference calling set-up number, can people calling these blocked exchanges use that process to get around the blockage?

No. Magicjack simply suggests that its customers use their conference call line instead of the traffic-pumpers' lines [which are blocked by many VOIP services].

Again, please ignore my ignorance because I'm still a little confused.

I have a basic understanding of what is going on with the traffic-pumping schemes. So MJ is blocking calls to known traffic-pumping exchanges. Which makes sense (not saying it's right). And they include a recording to use their conference call line to MJ customers on the assumption that most were making a conference call being routed to that exchange as opposed to just calling the flower shop?

I guess it makes sense if they don't have many actual users in those exchanges. Otherwise it sure would confuse Aunt Martha. They included an option in the message to hit "1" (maybe 2) to get directed directly to the conference call set-up "department"

Maybe the next time I come across it on a test call I will connect and use a fake accent and tell them I was ordering flowers and you told me to hit the "1" to complete my call. I'm finding some interesting businesses listed in the blocked exchanges. Seems like lots of funeral homes. I'll ask them how to make a conference call so I can send flowers to Aunt Martha. The possibilities are endless.

1-31-2011:

Not Blocked:
218-894
219-345

Blocked:
218-863
218-924

Blocked - traffic pumper:
218-864
218-983

As is becoming usual, there is an aberration. 218-935 had two results. A call to 218-935-5025 (school) was blocked with the traffic pumper message. 218-935-2701 (casino) went through. There was a notation that the 218-935- 1,3,and 7 had different companies than Qwest, so am assuming either 2 or 5 does as well, either that or Dan has a separate agreement with the Indian casinos.

The good news is that Minnesota is done, and that was one of the states being used a lot by the pumpers, so maybe things will be more black & white in Alabama.

2-1-2011

All Unblocked:
251-540
251-945
251-942
251-946
251-947

2-2-2011

All Unblocked:

251-948
251-949
251-955
251-960
251-964

Edit:
2-3-11

All Unblocked:
251-965
251-967 (still)
251-968
251-974
251-980

Edit:
2-4-11

All Unblocked:
251-981
251-986
251-987
251-988
251-989

Apparently Alabama got back on Dan's good side.

Blocked

563-586-xxxx

Harpers Ferry, IA (Ace Telephone Association)

Some nonsense about an interconnect agreement not being in place. This is actually the first blocked one I've come across.