Magic Jack a USB device allowing you to send and receive phone calls through your computer's broadband connection. The Magic Jack device is plugged into your computer's usb port and the other end into your phone.
Selling for an initial fee of $39.95 plus shipping and handling. The first year of phone service is included with the purchase price. Thereafter,it is renewed each year for only $19.95. You can purchase up to four additional years at a time for $59.95.
Some of the more well known voip providers may require additional equipment plus activation and/or cancelation fees. Magic Jack does not require additional equipment or any contracts. If unsatisfied with the service you may cancel at anytime.
Its nearest competitor in-terms of price may be Skype,But Skype does not offer 911 service. Another problem with Skype is that security may be a big issue. Upon browsing Skype user forums there are a number of instances where users that have had their Skype accounts hacked into.
If you do a lot of long distance calling voip services tend to be cheaper than traditional landlines even with unlimited calling plans. The savings are even greater if you pay per minute charges for long distance calling. Many of the more well known voip providers like Vonage, Verizon, Packet8, Net2Phone and At&T will run upwards of $200 yearly. Magic Jack is just a pittance when compared to these services. Installation is relatively simple. The usb device will install itself. Select the phone number of your choice. Setup 911 service and call forwarding if desired.
When traveling internationally you can still enjoy the convenience of unlimited free calling from your Magic Jack phone number to all locations in the US and Canada.
Although Magic Jack maybe newer than some of the older voip providers, it is a technology well worth looking into.
David Borislow inventor of the Magic Jack device and founder of Ymax communications corporation a U.S based competitive local exchange carrier(CLEC). Borislow has over 20 years in the telecommunications industry and winner of the J.D Power and Associates Award.
It is reported that David Borislow provided most of the the funding for Magic Jack by investing $17 million from his own pockets.
Having tested Magic Jack, I found the clarity of incoming and outgoing calls were amazingly clear on both headset and house phone.
At this time Magic Jack is only available online. But, there are plans to make it available in retail stores.
With the commitment of its inventor and continual upgrades, this company appears to have plans to be around for the long haul.
As with any new service there may be imperfections that will improve as system upgrades continue. But for the price, Magic Jack may turn out to be a tough competitor for some of the more expensive voip providers.