A new VOIP player

MagicJack is a new VOIP service that looks very interesting.  Priced well under the other VOIP providers and works with any analog phone or a headset over any broadband connection.

That's a pretty cost-effective phone!  We recently switched our second/work line to Vonage and have been happy with it.  I'm not sure if we'd have considered magicJack had we been aware of it - with Vonage we were able to just transfer the existing phone number, plus it rings whether or not the computer is on.  We'll keep using Skype to call our daughter though - she's in Mauritania (Peace Corps), where she has no electricity but does have a cellphone signal.  And a solar battery charger.  ;D    ...  Steve

The only downside I could see to the MagicJack is it doesn't support satellite internet connections.  I believe you can port an existing telephone number to the service too.  As the inventor of the MagicJack is the president of a major CLEC, they don't have to worry about dealing with the other telcos.

I will stick with Skype it does everything I want it to do including video.  They even have skype phones that do not need a computer to use just an open wireless connection.

Being on HughesNet, Ron, you don't have any choice.  Others with DSL or cable can use the MagicJack.  It doesn't install anything to the computer so you can plug it in to a public internet computer and use it as easily as at home.  We could use to when on a WiFi internet connection, just not on satellite.

Ned, I don't understand why HughesNet works with Skype but would not with magicJack.  Different flavors of VoIP?  ...  Steve

I'm just repeating what the MagicJack web site says about satellite connections.  Also, HughesNet has blocked Vonage and that may also block MagicJack.  Skype works with HughesNet because they use a different protocol (different flavor ) than Vonage, I don't know what protocols MagicJack is using.  I may buy one just to see if does work with HughesNet.  For $40, it isn't much of a gamble and we can use it with WiFi internet connections.

Sometimes it's a different port, Sometimes it's lag times that it don't like, I do know SKYPE works with Hughes, I've used it. There is a new player InteleFone, I'm looking at
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You can port your existing home number
It uses a "hard phone" (plugs into the router, no computer needed)

Might be interesting.  30/month more or less depending on your plan

Please 'splain this VOIP to me. If I have a Majicjack, or skype, etc, can I call any number or does the person I'm calling also need a Majicjack, etc?

VOIP (Voice Over IP) uses the internet to carry a phone call.  The called party can be at another identical VOIP using computer, in which case the call is free, or at a regular land line phone, in which case the call will cost something.  For domestic calls, the charge is around $.02/minute, more for international.  You can call any telephone number in the world, just like with a land line phone.

Ned said:

VOIP (Voice Over IP) uses the internet to carry a phone call.  The called party can be at another identical VOIP using computer, in which case the call is free, or at a regular land line phone, in which case the call will cost something.  For domestic calls, the charge is around $.02/minute, more for international.  You can call any telephone number in the world, just like with a land line phone.

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Can I call a cell phone with VOIP?

Bruce, cell phones too.    For many countries outside the US, incoming cell phone calls are free, much like land line calls in the US.  It's the only way our daughter can afford to talk with us.    ...  Steve

Like I said, you can call any telephone number in the world, including cell phones.

I've been reading up on Magicjack and it looks too good to be true!    I'll probably give it a try when we get back on the road in April - seems like it should be great for use in the RV, either in parks with decent wifi or even when using the cell phone for internet (assuming EVDO is available in the area).


We will keep our Vonage service for the home phone too. Vonage has the advantage of not requiring the computer to be powered up and we ported our old land line number to it already anyway. And Magicjack does not offer local numbers in our home base area either.

Ned said:

Like I said, you can call any telephone number in the world, including cell phones.

Click to expand...

You can do that with the Skype wifi phones too.  No computer needed just a good wifi connection.

I ordered one to see if it will work at all with HughesNet.  We can always use it when we have access to terrestrial broadband via WiFi if it doesn't work with satellite.

Received the MagicJack on Monday.  The installation consists of plugging it into a USB port and waiting for the dialer window.  Initial install took about 2 minutes, subsequent uses take about a minute.  Tried it first over HughesNet.  Reception was fine, but transmission was reported as clipped words, probably due to dropped packets.  It may be usable with voice response menus, but I haven't tried that yet.  The next test was with Fred's cable broadband internet connection.  Again, the initial install took about 2 minutes while the builtin firmware setup the devices on the computer.  It apparently doesn't install any software to the host computer, the program is contained on the MagicJack itself and the device appears as a removable drive.  Made several calls with it over the cable internet and all were very good quality, at least as good a cellular.

For the price, it's an excellent alternative to cellular or land lines when you have a terrestrial broadband internet connection available.  We will use it when we have WiFi connections available in the campgrounds.  My next test will be to see if it can update my Tivo.

Thanks for the report, Ned. We will probably pick one up when we get back on the road again in April. For $20, it makes a handy alternative to the cell and Magicjack is easier/quicker to hook to campground wifi than my Vonage set-up.

Someone asked for an explanation of VoIP

Basically there are two options... Several players

First a short explanation of "how it works"  NOTE: this is also how traditional land line phones work now days in most cases for long distance (Local may still be analog)

Your voice is picked up by the mic in the phone, and then run through a digitizer (Analog to Digital converter) this is then sent via Internet Protocol to the telephone device on the other end where it is converted back to analog (Digital to analog) and sent to the speaker... The sound card in your computer is most likely both an DA and AD converter and may be used by the VoIP service

The internet is the same internet that you use to read this post

Now, the plans and players

most VoIP players, including IntellaPhone (See my sig for a link) offer free customer to customer. and a per minute or per month or in the case of Magic Jack per year fee for calling non-customers

Customer means if you have Intella-phone, and I have intella-phone we are "local" to each other (no charge)

Non-customer means if I have Intella-phone (Which by the way I do not, yet) and you have AT&T land line, or Magic Jack, or Skype or Vonage (yuck) or _______. I pay the fee.  It is that simple

I have used Skype, it worked well over the Hughes 2-way sat internet.  I have no problem suggesting it to RVers.  Once I'm able I will test Intella-phone, I did ask them but they were not sure.  Till then I list a link in my sig but that is all.

Magic Jack is a very interesting service. again I've not tested it though.

Other comments:

Some services will sell you a "hard phone" or phone adapter. This plugs into your router, and either IS a phone, or you plug phones into it, and it works.  From the end user's point it's no different than a land line.

Other services only have software phones or USB phones, these require you have a computer to use the phone.  SKYPE, IIRC has a wi-fi phone, (works with a wi-fi router)  Intella-phone has a hard phone (Cat-5 or cat-6 cable)  Magic Jack is a USB device Both Skype and Intella-phone have USB solutions as well.