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Rule 26. Any topic can be turned into something totally unrelated.
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I have a Skype number that I use mainly when out of the country. It works well on my computers and android phone. Clients call me easily, leave messages, etc. It works fine for a $30/year solution, but requires the hardware to access it, i.e. computer, laptop, smart phone, or whatever.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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Whom can you call for $30 ?
How long can you talk ?
=======UPDATE===============
Just checked their site, they say they have unlimited USA calls for $3 a month. Do you have such a plan ?
modified 21-Aug-14 18:20pm.
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Yes, that sounds like it. It's unlimited calls to the US and Canada. I've called US clients from hotels in Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Ecuador, Colombia, Suriname, and probably a few other places. Clients also call me when I'm in places with internet, but no cell phone coverage (i.e. inside one of the labs where I work). It works fine if the internet connection is OK.
I got the number because I needed a business number in a specific US area code and didn't want to get another phone line or cell phone. I think it's a little cheaper if you pay by the year instead of by the month.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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Second big question about skype and phones: If needed, can you speak with a living human who works there ? If so, does that human speak an understandable variant of the American version of English ?
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C-P-User-3 wrote: If needed, can you speak with a living human who works there ?
It was bought out my MS, so they've all been infected with the zombie virus.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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Ah, technically accurate answers which don't help ?
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Mark_Wallace wrote: so they've all been infected with the zombie virus.
Well, that is just a bullfact.
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Upvoted for perfect English usage.
I wanna be a eunuchs developer! Pass me a bread knife!
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I don't know, since I've never needed to speak with anyone about Skype itself. It has just always worked fine. Even my non-tech wife routinely uses it to call friends' and relatives' phones in South America. Microsoft does have their normal tech support, though, FWIW.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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Cool.
Thanks a ton for the first hand report.
I am just finishing a simultaneous text chat with a Magic Jack agent.
I get this idea for the moment.
Six year plan with magic jack is a total of about $195, or about $2.70 per month
One year plan with Skype is about $3 per month.
The agent left a hint in my mind that I may be able to purchase the physical device at a retailer for less than the website price.
Ugh,,,,,,, Search engines,,,, I can see the results already.
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BTW, I don't have Majic Jack, but know several people who use it to call US phones from elsewhere. Half the time the calls are unintelligible, but that may be because of their poor internet connections.
My daughter has Vonage and it works well.
CQ de W5ALT
Walt Fair, Jr., P. E.
Comport Computing
Specializing in Technical Engineering Software
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I got the magic jack 5 year plan for $80 I got to use it 2 months the 3 years I even bothered messing with it.
Google magic jack problems....there's a zillion of em.
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
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During those few months when you did use it, how was it ?
Again, my purpose is for my subterranean apartment, a backup number for my cellphone.
How did you get an $80 deal ?
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They had a special early on.
Main problem when it was was working was loud clicking on the line, so bad sometimes had to call the person 3-4 times before could even understand them. That was the old magic jack though, I understand the new one is a little better my BIL has it and when he first got it he called me and it was clear but he hasn't called me in a long time so don't know now.
Have you ever just looked at someone and knew the wheel was turning but the hamster was dead?
Trying to understand the behavior of some people is like trying to smell the color 9.
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The only one on your list I know to be effective and reliable is Vonage. I have friends who use it exclusively as their only phones, and never have experienced a problem with it. None of them have particularly great Internet connections, either, so it seems to use some efficient algorithms that work better than the competition.
Will Rogers never met me.
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We have Magic Jack Plus at home and are very satisfied with it. About the only issues I've got with it is that for some reason some of the calls will go to their voice mail system without ringing the phone in the house then they'll e-mail the message to me. We had Vonage for a while and it worked pretty much trouble-free as well but the price for Magic Jack is so much better. I've never called either company for customer service but I have on a couple occasions been able to use Magic Jack's chat mode to contact them and it seemed to work really well. As the saying goes, your mileage may vary.
Scott
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If you google "*any-voip-solution* + problems" you're going to get results. First, because everything has problems at some point, second because anyone with problems now posts it, and third because too many voip users have no clue that using their magic jack on a 56k dial-up connection while watching lolcats on youtube may not work well. Since you're on CP I know that you know the quality of your internet (my inlaws had Magic Jack and couldn't understand why it wasn't working on a public internet connection at a campground - any ideas?).
I've been researching phone solutions recently as well and my two cents would be to go with something like Skype for your needs. Messing around with Magic Jack and others is likely just a waste of time - you're not likely going to find something that costs you less than $3/month that is any good and (even if you can) do you want to be spending hours searching for this solution versus spending that whopping $3? Skype (and others) offer you a really low risk trial - shell out a few bucks and try it for a month. If you don't like it, then move on to the next option. Some of the key advantages of Skype are pay-by-minute credits and unlimited options, no additional hardware requirements, recognized name (you won't likely get any raised eyebrows by asking someone to call you on Skype vs. MyCheapVOIPLine123), and used by millions (though I will admit number of users does not necessarily make something great).
Good luck.
Let us know which way you choose to go and how it works out for you.
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I use both Skype (incoming number + outgoing calls to phones) and Magic Jack (MJ). Skype works well except the caller ID is usually some random number so your call recipient will always be pleasantly surprised that you are calling from Thailand or wherever. Skype has a Windows, Android, and Windows Phone version (don't know about Mac stuff).
Skype on Windows Phone + WIFI: has excellent sound quality, but you cannot listen to voicemail. That is funny considering who owns Skype, eh? The Android version has voicemail.
I used to use a USB-to-traditional phone gadget for Skype but its software never got updated from XP. It worked, except for typing numbers from the phone.
Magic Jack on USB works with a slightly slow startup on Windows 8.1 and below. It's nice to use and old fashion heavy phone to speak with someone. You can use MJ for 911, unlike Skype. Caller ID is correct with MJ. MJ has an Android version. MJ has a hardware version for traditional phone set that does not require a separate computer and just plugs into ethernet. MJ voicemail gets emailed to you as a WAV file, which Skype does not do -- Skype only emails that there you've received a voicemail but you cannot hear it without Skype.
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Check out voip.ms. .99 per month per line plus 1.99 for E911 (if you need it). Calls cost 1/2 a cent per minute and you have all the features that the phone companies have. Also many additional features such as IVR (digital receptionist, SMS messages on home phone). Requires an ATA (analog telephone adapter) which I bought on EBay for around $20. I ran it side by side with my cable providers phone solution (VOIP) for almost a year and then cancelled my home phone service, saving about $30 per month). Any software or hardware VOIP solution (including Magic Jack) will require setting up QOS rules on your router (reserving space for the voip solution). If you use QOS your phone system will be just as good as your home telephone supplier. You can even connect a VOIP solution to your home phone wiring (just remember to disconnect the wiring from the outside line).
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I had magic jack, the 2014 version. Used it for a month or two but stopped because every call was spent saying hello...hello... are you there. Dropped calls, unintelligible noise, it was a very frustrating experience. On the other hand, I have a slightly used Magic Jack for sale if you are interested 
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We had Vonage for 3+ years and had no problems at all. We had a few minor hiccups after it was first installed, but they got those issues resolved very quickly. After that, it was smooth sailing. When the missus got a "real" cell phone, we discontinued the service. We recently got a Magic Jack for the mother-in-law, mostly for incoming calls using a standard desk phone. Her tremors are so bad she can't even hold a cell phone, let alone dial a number. If someone hasn't already, I can call you from our MJ line this evening, Friday 22 August. PM me your number. I'm in the 615 area code.
One other thing, if you decide on the MJ, do not buy a used one from Amazon or eBay. Once a MJ device is registered, it cannot be re-registered. Which means the number cannot be changed nor can you register the device in your name using your address. In that event, forget about ever using 911. Spend the extra few bucks and buy a new, unopened one.
HTH
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I've been using Oooma on Comcast for about six months and it is dependable. No real problems.
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I primarily use Skype because it seems to have the largest world-wide reach and can be used on a desktop, tablet, smartphone and even with a dedicated Skype phone, if needed.
Overall, I would say Skype is the most reliable with a decent Internet connection (200Kb or better). I have a premium account at $60 a year and I pay $30 a year for a dedicated phone number and even another number I can call to make Skype calls from anywhere to anywhere at Skype prices. It's less than $10 a month overall.
The only WEIRD thing is that Skype has no process to convert from a Personal to Business account which I thought was incredibly stupid so I didn't use them for my business phones, not to mention that their business setup is confusing as hell.
I went with Nextiva for my business phones but I am not happy with that choice so I would not recommend them.
An alternative that works really well is Google Voice but that product is confusing as it WAS a standalone app but now also seems to be merged with Google Hangouts so I don't know the long term availability or how it will end up.
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