MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Magic from the Sky
Well, Magic Jack that is, via Satellite.
Not Bad. In fact, pretty good at the lowest (Residential) level. Incoming almost perfect. Outgoing a little less so, but then upload speeds are
quite a bit less than Download. There's always going to be some delay. Can't get around the Physics of that 50K roundtrip. Twice if both are via
Sat.
On DSL, it IS nearly perfect.
$20 bucks for the hardware and $20 bucks a year can't beat it. AND, you can even get a 666 prefix from El Centro. There's a conversation piece.
A BEST Buy.
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mulege marv
Senior Nomad
Posts: 652
Registered: 10-8-2004
Location: san carlos / grass valley, calif.
Member Is Offline
Mood: relaxed
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magic jack
i used skype for about 3 years, then about 4 months ago started having problems. try to get ahold of anyone to help you, good luck 4 months and still
no help from skype. everytime i email them with the problems i get the same automated response. Then MAGIC JACK came along and good bye skype. this is
the greatest thing to hit the market in a long time. its cheaper too ($20 a year !!!) alot clearer, you get a local number, and even have a support
staff to help you if by some chance you do have a problem. i HIGHLY recommend this product !!!!!
[Edited on 5-10-2009 by mulege marv]
[Edited on 5-10-2009 by mulege marv]
Want what you have
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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Good luck to you guys. Have to admit that I haven't researched it, but from the time I first heard their commercials, it reminded me of the old adage
the if something seems too good to be true, it is. Please understand, I'm not trying to jinx you guys. Only that I had to scratch my head wondering
where this vendor was going to generate enough revenue. Time will tell, I guess. Again, for your sake, good luck.
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tunaeater
Senior Nomad
Posts: 616
Registered: 9-3-2003
Location: Chula Vista, CA
Member Is Offline
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Does the Magic Jack work in baja, especially in an internet cafe???
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sourdough
Junior Nomad
Posts: 42
Registered: 11-14-2008
Member Is Offline
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I googled "Magic Jack" and was not impressed. Numerous complaints about service. I think I'll continue with Skype. If you use a headset, it works
well.
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coho
Junior Nomad
Posts: 43
Registered: 5-6-2009
Location: bahia concepcion
Member Is Offline
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MrBillM, Are you connected to the internet with Hughesnet satellite? Have you tried 800 numbers in the States? Have you tried international calls?
What type of a phone are you using? A standard hardline rig? Thanks in advance.
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Trojan
Junior Nomad
Posts: 28
Registered: 12-10-2006
Location: So Cal
Member Is Offline
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Magic Jack works great from my Cabo house
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MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
Member Is Offline
Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Good Luck so far.
Who knows what the future may hold, BUT the up-front cost is so insignificant, why wouldn't you try it ? How long before it's paid for itself ?
As I said, it works well with the lowest level of Hughes service (including Baja) and near perfect with Econo-DSL in the States.
The $19.95 per year is for U.S. and Canada calls. They do offer a prepaid International plan with per minute costs that vary with the country being
called. I make so few Mexico calls that my prepaid Telcel is good with a 100 peso card each 60 days so I don't need the International service.
The adaptor is a USB to RJ11 connection. ANY regular phone works, including Cordless, which a friend of mine uses. Not that it matters, but when you
go off-hook, you actually get a dialtone signifying a connection.
Sometimes things that seem to good to be true are TRUE. Ask anybody watching DISH on FTA. Whether or not, Magic Jack has a longterm business model
that works is impossible to know. It's also possible that the model could be adversely affected by the coming Tier-pricing for Broadband, but
widespread implementation of that isn't coming real soon.
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karenintx
Senior Nomad
Posts: 538
Registered: 3-16-2008
Location: CSL
Member Is Offline
Mood: Living The Dream
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MrBillM...I am with you on this one. We have used Magic Jack in several countries...Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, USA and Canada. We have had a few
problems but that was only if we had a slow connection...hotels mostly.
This is not the first time Magic Jack has been discussed on nomads and I am always surprised how others that have not used a product have so much to
say.
We have also used Skype (which I do not like) and Yahoo messenger...best to a back-up.
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bajamigo
Super Nomad
Posts: 1218
Registered: 6-17-2006
Location: Punta Banda, BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: hubimos llegado
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We use Vonage, which works great with DSL, though it is a lot more expensive than MagicJack. In fact, we have have two Vonage "lines," one for voice
and the other for fax. The fax line is really worth it to me, because it's connected to a device which wirelessly monitors my ICD
(pacemaker/defibrillator) 24/7 and transmits the info to my doctor's office at UCSD, as well as substituting for several office visits a year. Ain't
technology great!
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Fred-o
Junior Nomad
Posts: 84
Registered: 7-6-2008
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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MagicJack
I have had Vonage since I've been in Mexico, over 4 years now. I also now have MagicJack, and they both function equally well. The price of Vonage on
a 1 year pre-paid contract is about 280.00. The MagicJack cost is as stated previously.
The only downside to the M/J is that your computer must be "ON" in order to make or receive phone calls. No so with Vonage. I will probably drop the
Vonage line after my contract expires.
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mulegemichael
Super Nomad
Posts: 2310
Registered: 12-24-2007
Location: sequim,wa. and mulege
Member Is Offline
Mood: up on step
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ok...how does this business, stay in business???.... i mean, i just talked to marv and cathy for 30 minutes, crystal clear, no problems, and it didnt
cost me a dime???....wait a minute???this just isnt right!...i should be watching the turkey hunting channel!....really tho, this might be the "new
deal"...check it out...magicjack...
dyslexia is never having to say you\'re yrros.
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