VOIP etc > Voice Over IP - VOIP > MagicJack > Help I am confused

Help I am confused

I will give you my experience so far, I have the unit that does not need to be plugged into the PC. So far so good, only issue I have is that caller ID is not working all I get are the 10 digits. But you get what you pay for. I think issues some may have at times could be caused by an unstable internet connection, and this would cause issues with any voip provider.

Your Caller ID is working just fine. All MJ shows are the phone numbers, NOT the name...
You need a 3rd party program for you to get the name ( MagicFeatures). BUT you need to have the MJ plugged into the USB port of the PC for it to work. Of course you could have the name and number in your phones directory so when you get a call, and it is listed in your directory, you will also get the name assoicated with the number. Every time you get a call form someone who is not in your phones directory, just add it and the next time they call, you will get the name and number. At least that is how it works with my DECT 6.0 Uniden cordless.
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Joe Sica

reply to rcky
I bought and installed a MJ+ last year around xmas.

After using it for 6 months I'd say it's ok as a second line long distance phone but I kept my primary Bell line with minimal service for 911 emergency and local service.

I would definitely NOT consider it to be the only phone in my home with an 88 year old senior living in my house.

I've had to reset it after it locked up perhaps 2 or 3 times in the past 6 months. Also calls are somewhat noisier than Bell but acceptable quality considering the LD savings. Also I've had about 1 in 10 calls terminate on me unexpectedly in the middle requiring calling back.

On the plus side however, North American LD calls are free of charge and we call relatives in Austria and Germany two or three times a month and have half hour conversations. So far that's cost me about $8 in International Credit.

Since I've installed by removing the LD plans from our Bell Phone we've saved about $30 a month.

It's also nice having a second line when the other phone is occupied.

All in all I don't regret getting it. As long as you realize it's not a "real" phone in terms of reliability and quality and that you get what you pay for, it is quite serviceable at what it does accomplish and what it's intended to do.

If you are planning to get one to save on long distance calls, then by all means I say go ahead and buy one. If you intend to replace your home phone entirely however, I'd say look around for a better alternative. Bell's 99.99999% uptime is hard to beat, and if you are dealing with someone stroking out on your kitchen floor, I'd NEVER want to have to deal with MagicJack's 911 service.

I second the above post.

reply to bitstopjoe

reply to lugnut
Pretty well agree with Lugnut. I have the original unit I got in early '09. Use it for all my LD. Call quality cannot be argued about - about as good as the POTS. Certainly better than a cell.

All you get with their Caller ID are the 10 digits. Good enough for me. Doesn't matter, as I use it as outgoing calls only.

I would NOT consider it as my primary phone, NOR would I think of porting my phone # to MJ, NOR would I consider the Canadian # offering. The last 2 items are additional charges/year. Just have my simple US phone #, and that's it.

Had occasion 16 months ago to call 911 due to a cardiac arrest. With POTS, no problem. Help was there in minutes. Last thing you need is a screw-up in a VOIP system when they try to figure out just exactly where you are on the continent. The clock is ticking for the patient at this point....

Yep in fact some landlines used to, and some still do, charge extra for Caller ID with Name....
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Joe Sica

Bell charges for 911 service access, as well as "Touchtone Service". When's the last time anyone's used a pulse dial or rotary dial phone??

Naturally, call display, waiting, forwarding, are all extras at a significant additional cost.

reply to Sr Tech
You have to do little research. The Panasonic KX series cordless phones work with MJ+ very well. I get caller ID with the names. We use MJ+ as main line in the house and have no problem. We all have cell phones as well so there are enough phones to go around.

reply to Nailgunner
Like I said, I've had to crawl down to the basement router and reset my MJ+ three times in the six months that I've had it after it locked up for no reason.

For 911 calls if my old man was having a heart attack never mind the quality of MJ+'s 911 service, that is still far from an acceptable failure rate for any sort of primary home phone service.

Lots of people have their own personal grudges against Bell for whatever reason, but for general phone service reliability and 911 response there simply isn't anything better out there.

reply to rcky