Cheapest Phone Service in America 2009 is Called MagicJack
I think the MagicJack deal is an entirely new kind of amazing pricing structure-nearly free. I’ll tell you something; if you’ve heard about MagicJack and you haven’t tried MagicJack yet, then I think you should. Seriously. You should CLICK THIS LINK and head right over and take the free trial. It’ll be easy for you to set up since you’re a person who
A) Has a computer
B) Has an internet connection
C) Probably has a phone line in your house that you pay $40, $60 or even a $100 and more for-every MONTH!
By now you’ve heard that the MagicJack is 20 dollars a year. But that’s NOT the whole story. I took the 5 year deal. So, do you know how much I’m paying? 14 dollars a year,that’s the best deal price. That’s a little over ONE DOLLAR A MONTH. For a regular phone. It sounds and works like a regular house phone. It’s not a toy, it’s not a joke, it’s not fake, and it doesn’t work some of the time. It works ALL the time. On top of that I save even more money because I use A T & T Dry Loop, which is DSL without phone service.
So let’s review; you’re not like one of my aging relatives, who at 83 years old, barely knows how to use a computer. You’re probably younger than 83 and pretty comfortable with computers and you pay a regular, GIANT, phone bill every month. Why? If that old guy was able to connect a MagicJack and finally “get over” on the phone companies (since he loves getting deals when and wherever he can) then why haven’t you tried it?
Here’s Why
As I said, the only thing I can think of that might be preventing you from trying the MagicJack is their so-so website. Their site is kind of simple looking and all the details are deep in the site and most people just don’t do the digging. So I tell what I’m going to do; I’m going to make a BETTER MagicJack page right here. I’m going to lay out why I think you should try it.
And I’m going to tell you right up front, that I not only have one myself, I’ve got FIVE between myself and people I know. And 6 or 7 years ago I did the same thing when Vonage came out. When Vonage came out it was a good deal. No question! But my bill kept going up a couple of dollars every few months. And that made me mad because they weren’t adding any new and amazing features to justify it. So I switched. And I had my mother, my grandfather, the old uncle I mentioned, and other people switch too. We don’t have money to waste. Do you?
Let me Explain it to You
So I’m going to try to cover all the important things I think you should know. Like how it works. See, first of all EVERY phone service is about to be crushed by VoIP, because VoIP means the cheapest long distance calls AND the cheapest international calls available (VoIP means Voice Over Internet Protocol and that means your conversation is being “transmitted” through the internet instead of a telephone line. For example, like video chat). But even VoIP companies like Vonage, Sunrocket, Packet8 and Lingo (a few popular internet based phone services) will be totally defeated by MagicJack. It’s the ultimate cheap phone system.
VoIP, internet based telephone service, uses a high speed internet connection like DSL or cable. The crucial difference is that you connect this dongle right up to the computer’s USB port and then plug your traditional phone line right into that. That’s including long distance and low cost international. For FULL PHONE SERVICE
The Price
You buy the thing for about 40 dollars, and it includes your first year’s phone service. Your second year you pay 20 dollars. Did you catch that? You initially get the hardware and service for 40 bucks. And since you OWN the hardware, after your first year it’s 20 a year. Let’s do some math.
12 months of a non-MagicJack regular phone
$40 x 12 = $480
12 months of MagicJack
$40 ÷ 12 = $3.33
You follow me? $40 times 12 months versus $40 DIVIDED by 12 months. MJ cost is three dollars and thirty-three cents!
But do you want to have your mind blown? Check this out
If we do some more math, we get
$14 a year
12 months in a year, so $1.16 dollar a month. By the way, that image is from my computer. When you have MagicJack that’s the little screen you’ll see on your computer. But that brings up a good point…
Let’s Talk About the Functions and Features
When you looked at the MagicJack advertisement above, then you saw all the things it does. Basically, all the stuff you would expect with a “normal phone.”
So all of that stuff in the ad is great but it’s obvious, you should really think about what a phone that only cost a dollar a month really means.
If you’ve got kids or just young people around who want their own line and you don’t want to go the cell phone route. MagicJack is a good idea.
If you just want a second line that’s not just a voicemail but that you can call out with then this is a good idea.
If you don’t want people to know where you are OR IF YOU DON’T WANT LONG DISTANCE CHARGES MagicJack is perfect. Did I mention that the device will plug into ANY computer with a USB port and high speed internet and your Magicjack phone number will still work. So if you live in Detroit and you go to San Diego and plug it in people on the other end will see the same phone number and there’s no extra charge for you.
Yes You Can Have MagicJack in Your Whole House
Not a big deal or a lot of trouble. You take a splitter and stick it in the wall. Then you take one phone line and stick it in your phone and you take another phone line and stick it in the MagicJack. 5 minutes and 99 cents and your whole house or apartment would be wired. Any phone you plug in the wall would work (that’s IF you don’t have another phone service connected at the same time).
Yes You Can Block Calls with PhoneTray
PhoneTray is a FREE piece of software that lets you do a lot of little tricks, and one of those tricks is to block calls. Ask your current phone company how much they want for this feature and then prepare yourself for the shock!
Yes You Can Use it to Fax
Yeah. Again, no trouble. I did some faxing this week. And I started to fax and then remembered I should take a screenshot, so I stopped in the middle and started over and got this picture right off my computer.
This is a good time to also talk about how much INTERNET SPEED do you need for MagicJack. Technically you’re supposed to have a broadband connection. I guess they want you to have high speed because it’s always on (so you’re phone is always on too). But speed-wise it only takes about 5kb upload and 8kb download so you could probably use dial up-but it wouldn’t make any sense. Why have a phone to use another phone. I had my phone cut off about 2 years ago when I got DSL only (Dry Loop).
Anyway I took another screen shot of my internet usage while I was on the phone (using MagicJack of course). I could be surfing, streaming music or a bunch of stuff and still have a crystal clear connection.
Seriously, look into MagicJack and take the FREE trial! What would your life be like if your phone bill for the YEAR was $20 dollars? And with the 5 year deal it’s only $14 dollars a year. It’s a money back trial. So if you don’t like it, just send it the hell back. But once you hear how it sounds and you realize how much money you can save I don’t think you will. The point I’m trying to make is; the thing has been around for a few years now, I myself have been using it for a solid year, so what could you possibly have to loose by trying it out? Nothing. Nothing at all. But you COULD cut your phone bill WAY down. Keep in mind that this article is a PAID ENDORSEMENT, but I wrote it before they started compensating me. That’s how much I believe this is the wave of the future.
Anyway, I added some additional insights down there in the comments section so you might want to skim through it..
Related posts:
I love Magicjack. Now I love it even more that I got the caller id to work on my phone by getting a fixer.
Here is a question I got today and my reply
“Everything I read- tells of a dream deal. One area of concern is that in order for the system to work-your p/c must be on- versus the vonage modum etc.. Who keeps their computer on 24 hrs a day- and is this correct-or will it work-without the p/c being on. If it needs to stay on- that’s a major drawback-to something that sounds like a dream. Thanks.”
Hi Leon
Thanks for visiting. I actually have an article I’ve been waiting 11 days for approval on ezinearticles.com, should be approved by mid August
I compare
Regular phone
Vonage
MagicJack
But in a nutshell-NONE of the three systems is perfect. Regular phone (called Plain Old Telephone Service POTS) is just crazy expensive in a world where internet phone exist. Because basically when you have a conversation you’re “borrowing” a connection. Internet phone breaks your signal up into packets-the same way the internet works-and sends your message as small cheap pieces. It’s the same principle that a FAX works on.
Vonage WAS great except they wouldn’t (and wont) give call across the board blocking. Plus Vonage prices kept going up and that just made me mad. It didn’t make any sense. Everybody is coming down in price, why the hell were they going up-but at the same time not adding any significant new features. BUT, in terms of ease-of-use I still recommend it compared to regular phone if you’re more or less comfortable with computers. It can AND DOES go out sometimes and you’ve got to get in there and fool around.
Magicjack like Vonage no call blocking-but I have an article on ezinearticles on how to set up PhoneTray or GoogleVoice-which are both free-to get perfect blocking. 5 minute job. But let me repeat that magical price-a DOLLAR a month. And the phone quality is actually better than my old house phone.
But yes YOUR COMPUTER needs to be on. And most heavy computer uses do leave their machine on 24 hours a day-in my case I have TWO machines running around the clock. Because it uses so little power and it’s better for the computer. Turning them on and off is a little bit like a shock to a computer’s system. But DO turn off the monitor when not in use-it does use a lot of juice. Basically what I’m saying is; just because the computer is on you don’t have to use it, or even look at it if the monitor is off. I mean your modem is always on anyway right? And MagicJack will just be running smoothly in the background. Or just turn off the computer and forward calls to the cell phone.
Even if you don’t go for the 5 year deal. I think it’s a very cheap thing to test out for a month. It’s a money back, no questions asked kind of thing. And a second phone line without having to re-wire your house through the phone company can be up and running in 30 minutes. And then you might decide “what the hell I’m paying 60 bucks a month for my regular phone for the basic line, the call waiting package, the long distance package, the city tax, the state tax, the “fees” and it works the same as MJ, I might as well get rid of the regular one.” That’s why I say, this is something I think people should just test and see how easy it is.
OHH! One last thing-you need a high speed connection. Dial-up is actually fast enough in my opinion since MagicJack only takes about
8kb upload
8kb download
during a conversation BUT if you loose your dial up signal the phone would be out, so that’s why people need an “always connected” line.
Is AT&T the cheapest to go with for just the naked DSL? I did see the link, but my friend who just did this with the magicjack said their bill is over $35.00. Any suggestions or info to other places would be great. Oh, we live in California. If you could privately email me that would be great. Thanks.
Hi Carol
You should visit my main ATT DSL article, scan it, then take a look at the comments section with a lady from San Francisco last week.
Option 1
Then you should just type in what you’re looking for at google, but you should read through those comments.
Option 2
Also if you have any other kind of tv or cell phone you should really look into the mix and match ATT uverse stuff, I’m pretty sure I have a link for that too but that can really cut your cost.
Hey what’s up folks!
I’ve gotten really behind with posting the emails here in the comment section. But here’s one I got this past week. I’m posting this one as a lesson/warning about the up and down nature of dealing with me. Some days good, some days…
===================
HIS MESSAGE
i have wintel xp pro sp2 rig with 2.4G pentium. plug a conairphone into mj and mj into usb 2 port. the mj lights up, i get a little “jingle” sound, and a tray icon for disconnecting a usb device.
i cant open other apps at this point. i have tried all 4 of my usb ports, different phones, rebooting, yada yada.
i have an att dry loop which has always given me good internet. i use firefox 3.6.
ive left the mj in the port for as long as 15 minutes and it still does nothing.
any ideas would be appreciated.
j
MY RESPONSE
Hello John
For the life of me I can’t imagine why you came to me and didn’t go straight to the magicjack site and let the creators help you. But since you’re here and talking AT me like we know each other or I owe you some help I”ll try help despite your strange “this guy owes me a favor” tone.
So to begin with I would try a different computer. Obviously your computer is powerful enough since MJ will work on the most out of date, crappy machines. So it’s not a power issue, it’s something about your configuration. Something is blocking. The good news is that you have XP and not Vista which would be a little more complicated.
I’m not sure what “other apps” you’re trying to open. Some kind of MJ thing or just other USB devices wont work with your computer?
You say you have tried other phones, but that issue is almost a little cart before the horse. Your first goal is going to be getting that MJ softphone on your desktop. It will look like a regular phone -actually there’s an image on my blog. If you’re not seeing that, chances are your MJ hasn’t downloaded the startup software. So that is probably what you need to have happen.
Because right now it’s sounding like your computer doesn’t recognize what was plugged into the USB. The MJ is seeing your computer though, that’s why you’re seeing the lights. MOST of those MJ’s work, but I have heard about some brand new ones that don’t; and that’s why I suggested trying to find ANYbody’s computer just to test the MJ. And I’m also assuming your MJ is new.
However, next, I would go to the MJ “chat help” section on the MJ site or the FAQ section. One or both will probably direct you to a download link, so you can get the software (what a MJ should do on it’s own). Install it and THEN your computer will probably be able to recognize what’s in the USB port. Then your MJ will see the software. You’ll be asked to register your account probably-it’s been a few years since I did it-but the point is once MJ is actually ON your computer and your computer, and it’s online, you’ll get a dial tone.
Helping with a dose of reluctance
Dave
HIS MESSAGE
whoa! sorry man. i probably should have gone to the mj site and tried live chat, but my research showed that tech support wasnt all that good. since i just had a dry loop connected, i googled “dry loop magicjack”. first on google was your site (http://welcomebackrosenthal.com/i-had-att-dsl-dry-loop-installed-today-dsl-with-no-phone-line). it looked like it was made for me. you seemed to be a big fan of mj and others had asked your help and that you were offering to help.
if i came on strong or misread, i apologize. last thing on my mind. i appreciate your response and your honest feedback; thought genuine people like you had faded away.
ill try the “live help” thing on mj site. sorry to have barged in like that.
j
MY RESPONSE
Hahaha
Well, that’s what happens when you reach out to “genuine people.” They might turn out to be an asshole like me! Yeah I’m MOSTLY a nice guy, who’s kind of helpful-but if it’s on the blog. In that format there’s sort of an ongoing conversation going, so if people jump in with a question with zero introduction I’m a little more forgiving. Although I’m still used to “hi my name is X, I was wondering if you…”
But I do get the occasional demanding email, however in those cases it’s some foreign born person and the English a little broken. Even then I’m sort of forgiving; but to a native born guy named John, speaking English since birth person, I find that kind of weird-”Here are some facts now give me some results”-Don’t you? If some guy just walked up to you and did that, wouldn’t you find it weird? AND they didn’t start at the place where they bought the thing? So that’s all I was saying.
Now just a little follow up; you didn’t mention you had dry loop. I think it’s in the comments section of my ATT article, but regarding MJ, you do want to make sure you’ve allocated enough bandwidth. Basic DSL is usually 78kb download/35 upload and MJ needs about 6-8kb upload and download to get a clear sound.
If I were you, I’d do an online speedtest by typing “test dsl speed” into google, and I’d get a free tool like NetLimter so you can see which applications are using bandwidth at any given time. But generally I think the previous email should get you up and running, these tips are just extra
Dave
HIS MESSAGE
hi dave
point well taken. i will be more polite from now on.
took your advice, verified i had a good enough broadband and got to thinking about your comment about the mj download being blocked. i disabled antivirus and firewall, downloaded the update.exe and ran it. my box froze so i d/c mj, rebooted and contacted live help on mj site. after explaining what i had done, they escalated me from tier 1 to tier 3 tech support. they had me download and install “MicrosoftFixit50027″ which cleared up the problem. the registration went off without a hitch and ive made several phone calls with very good results.
thanx for the help. and the kind feedback. live long and prosper.
j