I got the Magic Jack in large part with the thought of using it while at client sites. Unfortunately, it didn't work inside the corporate firewall at my current client. I did test it out on long distance calls and found it to have very good quality.

I've also uses Skype and had better results with Magic Jack than Skype. I think Magic Jack also makes a better landline replacement because of the 911 feature that it has and Skype doesn't.

I used both with a headset and have never tried the phone jack on the Magic Jack.

My connection speeds are faster than yours, but I seem to recall the bandwidth needs were much smaller than what you're getting.

Thanks!

I just went and saw they had some FAQ.

Here is one.
Q What type of internet service do I need?
A Any of the following: Broadband, high-speed internet, cable internet, DSL, WiFi or WiMax.
magicJack does not work over Dial-up or satellite internet.

I get my ISP service from Citizens Communications Corporation
I get my signal from a local tower, and I guess then I have Broadband.

Hmmm...maybe I will proceed then. My ISP does have a faster 'package' so I might upgrade, if need be due to the savings I anticipate from dropping the Phone Long Distance package.

Sue

One word of warning is that the support isn't great. I think the only option is chat and one of their first responses is to disable your firewall. What they don't explain is that they only want you to disable it permanently and that once you get it working, you can enable the firewall again.

Note for Canadians

Any Canadians considering using this should be aware that any phone number you are allocated will be from the U.S. therefore the 911 item bpgreen wrote about will perhaps be of little use to you.

Who knows in the future, perhaps we will get Canadian numbers allocated.

Well, I ordered it, and have a 30 day free trial b4 they bill me the $39.95 plus shipping. We shall see.

I also did some checking and found a much cheaper Verizon package, and a long distance provider that charges just 4.5 ¢ a minute with no per month fee....in the event Magic Jack doesn't perform to my liking. It's always nice to have a back up plan, as I don't want to be out of touch.

Sue

Well it arrived today, and is hooked up. I placed one test call out, and it was cutting in and out quite bad, (like a lot of my friend's cell phones do) and I ended up calling her back on the land line and long distance.

I called time and temp, and the sound was fine. I'm thinking that it might be better at some times of the day than at other times. My ISP tech told me that I would naturally get slower speed when the school kids get home in the afternoon and all start gaming.

I'll report back in a few days about it when I have had more chances to make more calls at different times.

Sue

Sue, check out usadatanet.com too while you're at it. Its especially great if you're inclined to have really long LD conversations. I never pay more than 99¢ even if we talk a couple of hrs. Or $1.99 total when I call AZ (out of my NE zone). Plus no monthly fees. No calls? No bill.

I do have to dial their access code first, but I've programmed that into all my LD speed-dial settings and programmed speed 0 to go directly there for misc. LD calls. Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: usadatanet

I tried it a couple of times last night, and just now to a neighbor. It is so crappy I would never want to use it.

Thanks Breen/Sandy...but about all my calls are LD. The folks I am closest to (family/loved ones) are all LD, so I make a lot of calls, often getting answering machines, and leaving a message, and then still calling them numerous times after that and getting the answering machine. I'm can be a persistent cuss when the need arises. I probably call BF at least 15 times a month, considering many times I just get his answering machine. It's the same with another BF, besides all the others I might decide to have coffee with (a visit via phone).

I have a friend who has Vonage and relies on it for all her calling needs and doesn't have a landline.

I see has a $14.99 plan, so I may try that next.

* Unlimited incoming calls (minutes)
* 500 outgoing minutes anywhere in US (including Puerto Rico) and Canada at any time
* Each additional minute is 3.9 cents
* Free phone adapter
* No contract
* 30-day money back guarantee

Depending upon my usage, and the quality, I may then upgrade to their unlimited plan for $24.99 sometime later.

I have grown accustomed to calling friends/family back now when they call me long distance, rather than them having to pay by the minute or use up their daytime minutes if they are calling from a cell phone. (I call them back then on their land line). It has been a nice saving to others who readily call me for an extended visit.

Having worked for the 'phone' company for 30 years, I am quite loquacious....(wordy...lol) A friend remarked recently that we had 'visited' 2 1/2 hours. We had a lot of catching up to do, and both had the free time to talk.

Sue

You might also check into the plans your phone company has. I pay less for unlimited long distance through the phone company than I would through Vonage. I originally only had that plan on my home phone, but added it to my office phone when I started working from home more. As I was ordering, they told me about a different plan that was available if I got a bundle. I ended up getting a couple of extra features (voicemail and caller ID added to the second line) to qualify for the bundle and with the extra features and the second unlimited LD plan, my monthly bill actually dropped.