Dianne-TX Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 We currently only use our cell phones because it seemed pointless to us to pay for a landline and a cell phone. However, we are seeing the benefits of having a landline phone again. We've seen the advertisements for Magic Jack phone and the price seems reasonable. Is anyone familiar with this service or another one like it that makes having a landline not so expensive? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 We have Ooma phone service and for the most part, we are VERY happy. We switched from Vonage about 2 years ago. Vonage was running $30/mo with taxes. Ooma was $199 for the box from Costco, but we only pay $11/year for taxes now. We see very little difference between the services in terms of quality. Ooma.com http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11646479&search=ooma&topnav=&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode%20matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=ooma&Ntt=ooma&No=0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetBean Posted August 4, 2011 Share Posted August 4, 2011 We dropped our land line in April, and got a Google voice number. It rings on my cell phone, as well as through the computer when my G-mail account is open. Calls can be made out through the computer as well. No charge for calls within the U.S. No charge for the service. I love the way voice mail messages are transcribed and sent to my e-mail. You can also have them sent to your cell phone via SMS. I also like being able to have a personal greeting for individuals, call screening, block nuisance #s... I could just go on and on. It's free! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tressa Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 My uncle uses Magic Jack. I think it is fine except that they just give him a number and his area code is not in our area code which makes it a long distance call to call him. My dad doesn't have long distance so let me tell you that I haven't heard the end of it from my dad. Can't even call his brother who lives down the street. :tongue_smilie: With most people having long distance on their phones I don't know if it would be a problem, but it is something that my dad finds frustrating. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lea1 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We have Ooma phone service and for the most part, we are VERY happy. We switched from Vonage about 2 years ago. Vonage was running $30/mo with taxes. Ooma was $199 for the box from Costco, but we only pay $11/year for taxes now. We see very little difference between the services in terms of quality. Ooma.com http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11646479&search=ooma&topnav=&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode%20matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=ooma&Ntt=ooma&No=0&Nty=1&Ntx=mode%20matchallpartial Dawn Yep, we have Ooma also and it seems to be working out well for us. Before that we had 8x8 for quite a while and we had issues with it off and on. We tried Magic Jack but did not care for it because the computer it is on has to be running all the time if you want your phone to work. Also, we put it on an older model computer and it was too slow to run it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mosaicmind Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We dropped our land line in April, and got a Google voice number. It rings on my cell phone, as well as through the computer when my G-mail account is open. Calls can be made out through the computer as well. No charge for calls within the U.S. No charge for the service. I love the way voice mail messages are transcribed and sent to my e-mail. You can also have them sent to your cell phone via SMS. I also like being able to have a personal greeting for individuals, call screening, block nuisance #s... I could just go on and on. It's free! Ok, call me dumb but I have no idea how this works. How do you talk on the phone through your computer? Who do you have your internet through for your computer? Right now we have Frontier, used to be Verizon. So our landline and internet are through Frontier. We would have to drop Frontier as our internet service provider if we dropped our landline. We don't use a cable service cuz we have Direct TV. What would we do for an ISP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaughs_times_three Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 I hated Magic Jack! We used it to save $$, but changed back to AT & T. The hassles weren't worth it. I'm trying to remember all the things we didn't like (it's been a few years - so who knows, maybe it's better). But there was a delay on the phone that made it very aggravating and aggitating to have a conversation. It was also "staticky" , if I remember right. There were other issues that I can not remember now. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend it. We decided you get what you pay for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Yeah, you have to have cable. In my area DSL without landline is more expensive than both! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stansclan89 Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We have Ooma and love it. To use Voip (any phone service through the internet--Ooma, Magic Jack, Vonage...) you really should have some pretty fast internet or you get problems with static, cutting out, or sometimes delayed voice. We have DSL through Qwest (8mbps I think) for $15 a month with nothing bundled with it. It was a special going on a couple of months ago. The phone companies don't like to sell you internet without phone, but they will. Sometimes you have to ask specifically. I would never recommend qwest--their customer service is horrible. But I couldn't pass up the price. As soon as my trial period is over I'm switching back to cable internet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Magic Jack was the worst phone system we've ever had. There was a delay so you would speak and then hear your echo. Half the time it would start to buzz in the middle of the phone call. My relatives refused to answer the phone if it was me after a while because of the horrible sound quality (not because it was me!). We got rid of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apond Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Another Vote for Ooma. We have had no problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 That is funny, we had 8x8 for a while too. I think we did a "pay for a whole year upfront" for the best deal. Of course, after I paid I freaked out wondering if they might go out of business like some other company called Sun something or other, and then I would be out of $$. Are they still in business? Dawn Yep, we have Ooma also and it seems to be working out well for us. Before that we had 8x8 for quite a while and we had issues with it off and on. We tried Magic Jack but did not care for it because the computer it is on has to be running all the time if you want your phone to work. Also, we put it on an older model computer and it was too slow to run it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovelaughs_times_three Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 Magic Jack was the worst phone system we've ever had. There was a delay so you would speak and then hear your echo. Half the time it would start to buzz in the middle of the phone call. My relatives refused to answer the phone if it was me after a while because of the horrible sound quality (not because it was me!). We got rid of it. That's what it was!!! I couldn't remember the other thing that Magic Jack did that we hated so much! It was that horrible ECHO!!! Ack!!!! :tongue_smilie: I'm with you Jean. We ditched it too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianne-TX Posted August 5, 2011 Author Share Posted August 5, 2011 SO glad I asked! Thanks, everyone. No Magic Jack for us! I hadn't heard of the others, so I'll be researching. I guess I could always go back with AT&T and get the bundle for phone/tv/DSL or just phone/DSL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We've had Magic Jack for a year or so now. I don't have issues with echo, but it can be glitchy sometimes. I don't plan on replacing it, but I wouldn't really recommend it either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoo_keeper Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We tried MagicJack for all of 3 days, I think, a few years ago. The connections were awful, people couldn't understand me, and maybe I'm an idiot but the software interface wasn't intuitive either. Total thumbs down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted August 5, 2011 Share Posted August 5, 2011 We used magic jack for a year or so. For what we use our land line for it was fine. There was an echo, though and that could be annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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