Geoffrey S. Mendelson wrote:
> George Shirley wrote:
>> I'm in the process of getting rid of the landline, moving to MagicJack,
>> works good for only $19.95 a year versus $60 a month for AT&T.
>
> Before you waste the money on the Magic Jack, I suggest that you check out
> the various forums and articles that have sprung up with unsatisfied customers.
>
> Be aware that they "astroturf". That's hiring professional reports to post
> messages on local mailing lists, bulletin boards, etc, with homey, friendly,
> "look what I found" messages, which are just advertisements.
>
> One journalist as he called himself did that on a local mailing list, and
> when I asked him some details told me to look at their website. I asked what
> his experience was and he told me the truth, they paid him to write the
> article, and he never really used the thing, nor was it used in this country.
>
> If you want to save money, there really are good VoIP companies out there,
> which have low volume plans (unlimited incoming calls and 500 minutes a
> month to anywhere in the US) for under $15, I can recommend the one I use
> if you ask in email.
>
> Be aware that no matter what you buy, it requires a stable Internet connection
> with decent throughput. If you buy something like a MagicJack, which plugs
> into your computer, it requires that the computer be on all the time you
> want to receive or make phone calls, and as it pops a "telephone" on the
> screen, you may have trouble using it for other things while you or
> someone else is "on the phone".
>
> The company I use has several options. I use both a "box" which lets me
> connect telephones in my home, and a "softphone" which runs on my laptop,
> so I can make calls if my laptop and I go out as long as I can find an
> Internet connection. I can even call my own number and reach my home.
>
> Geoff.


Would it work with an old laptop with a broken screen that still runs
OK? It could be set-up on top of the upright freezer and dedicated to
the MagicJack, and its aging battery would even provide a half-hour or
so of uninterruptible power supply.

I have a Virgin Mobile cellphone that I don't use much. It costs me $5
per month for more minutes than I use so they just accumulate.

The land-line bill has so many taxes and surcharges added on (no matter
who the carrier) it costs more for that than the actual phone service.
I'm currently getting phone service from the cable company -- doesn't
seem any better or worse than the phone company except now the phone
goes out when we lose power -- and I can't dial out with my old rotary
phones.

Bob