MagicJack Review
With the magicJack being advertised heavily throughout
our site, we
wanted to be sure that our site visitors are getting what
they pay for
when purchasing the product. So we bought a MagicJack and
researched and
tested it for 2 months under a variety of computer and
internet
configurations. This is an unbiased, objective review
based on the
results of our research and testing.
The Pitch
Every once in a while a product comes along that is
truly revolutionary.
MagicJack
promises to be just such a product. For only $19.95 a
YEAR
(initially $39.95 which includes the first year of service
plus the
magicJack), you can completely eliminate your monthly
phone bill,
saving $500 or more per year in the process. Plus, you'll
enjoy free
unlimited local and long distance calling and a host of
other free
features. And as if that's not enough, you get to try it
free for
30 days before you are charged a penny! But before you
rush off to
purchase it, read our review first to be sure that you
will not be
disappointed.
Computers and Internet Service Used for Testing
We tested the magicJack on Dell, Hewlett Packard (HP)
and Toshiba
computers running Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional
and
Windows XP Home Edition respectively. The Dell and HP both
have 2Gb
of RAM, while the Toshiba has 256Mb.
We also tested the magicJack with different Internet
connection speeds
to see what effect that had on the product's performance.
For our tests
we used our ISP, Mediacom. We tested using their "High
Speed" service,
with download speeds averaging 7Mbps and upload speeds
averaging 400Kbps.
We also tested using Mediacom's "Maxonline" service, with
download
speeds averaging 15Mbps+ and upload speeds consistently
between
700Kbps-1Mbps.
Internet Connection Speed
The magicJack performed perfectly on all 3 computer
systems we tested it
on with the Maxonline service (faster up and download
speeds). This was
the case even on the Toshiba with only 256Mb of RAM while
simultaneously
playing online games while talking on the phone. When
tested using the
slower "High Speed" service, call quality was hit and
miss. Some calls
would be perfect. Others would be choppy (For example, you
might only
hear every other word the person on the other end of the
line said).
Upload speed seemed to be the most important factor
"speed-wise"
affecting call quality during our testing. Based on our
tests we suggest
at least 500Kbps+ upload speeds to ensure optimum call
quality. Call
quality at these speeds is comparable to traditional
landline call
quality. In fact, there was no discernible difference in
call quality
when using the magicJack versus a traditional phone
company service,
when tested with at least 500Kbps upload speed.
Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality of Service (QoS) is another very important
factor affecting the
call quality of any Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP)
phone service
(All digital phone services - Vonage, that offered by the
cable
companies etc. are VOIP phone services). Our QoS was
consistently 60% or
better during testing, so you might use this as a
benchmark in
determining if the QoS of your Internet connection is high
enough to
handle VOIP phone calls.
Test Your Internet Connection Speeds & Quality of
Service
VOIP call quality is determined by a combination of
Internet connection
speed and Quality of Service. When both are sufficient,
call quality
comparable to that produced by traditional phone companies
results.
This is true of any digital phone service, magicJack
included.
To be sure that you will not be disappointed with your
purchase, we
suggest testing your Internet connection speed and call
quality
here.
The test available at this site is designed specifically
to determine
if your internet connection will support a high quality
VOIP phone call.
The caveat here is that sometimes the site produced
inaccurate results
when compared to this
test. So
we suggest testing repeatedly and
verifying speed test results independently.
Sample Test Result:
MagicJack Pros & Cons
Pros
You cannot beat the price and associated cost savings.
Compare $19.95 a
YEAR to the $24.99 a MONTH charged by
Vonage or $29.99 or more per
MONTH by your cable or phone company. Save $500 a year or
more and get
rid of your monthly phone bill.
It's portable. Take it with you when you travel and use
it as a "cell"
phone anywhere you have a high speed Internet connection.
There are even
companies selling phones specifically to be used with the
magicJack for
this purpose.
Ease of installation. We plugged the magicJack in and
it installed
itself flawlessly under Windows Vista, Windows XP Home
Edition and
Windows XP Professional.
FREE Unlimited Local & Long Distance Calling
Cons
When your power or Internet connection are down, you
will be without
phone service. Of course this is not a shortcoming of the
magicJack
alone. This is true of any digital phone service.
MagicJack reportedly will NOT work with Satellite based
Internet
connections.
You will be assigned a new phone number in the area
code of your choice
when installing the magicJack and setting up service. Not
all area codes
are available. Check
this list to see if the area code you prefer/are
located in is available.
Conclusion
The magicJack delivers on its promise of crystal clear
calls, provided
your Internet connection is the right combination of speed
and quality.
We suggest at least 500kbps upload speed and 60% Quality
of Service
(QOS) for excellent call quality. (To test your Internet
connection
speed and quality, visit the links provided in this
article.) Of course,
the real test is to try the product. Fortunately MagicJack
has a free
30-day trial offer. You can try the product before you
buy. They do take
your credit or debit card information when you order, but
you are not
charged for 30 days. Return the product any time during
the 30 day test
run and you are not charged. So really nothing to lose;
try it before
you buy it. We recommend taking advantage of the
FREE
30-Day Trial of
the MagicJack.
If you have any questions or comments about this review
or the magicJack
product, please feel free to
contact us.
About The Author:
TelemarketingFromHome.com is a leading Internet
provider of current work
from home job listings, information and resources. If you
are interested
in finding
work from home stop by their website today.
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