Free Phone Calls using Magic Jack USB Phone Jack

In case you don't get the concept, here's a basic explanation. The Magic Jack is a USB (Universal Serial Bus) device that truly makes it SIMPLE to plug virtually ANY analog phone (cordless or not) into it and (after finishing a 2-3 minute installation) you get a Normal DIAL TONE! As a result, you can dial and talk on that phone (or any of its extensions) just as if it was plugged into a phone company wall jack. Yes, you CAN receive calls in normally as well.

Magic Jack needs an Always-On broadband connection. If you only have a dial-up connection to the net, SORRY! This WON'T work for you. But, now you have a GREAT new reason to Upgrade to Broadband! How can it be Free? By bypassing your local phone company and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) providers like Vonage, there are NO monthly fees or taxes to pay. The initial price of Magic Jack ($39.95 + $6.95 for shipping and handling) includes the cost of the Magic Jack USB device ($20.00) AND an entire YEAR of Unlimited calls to the USA and Canada ($19.95 each year thereafter). You also get a Free Phone Number, Free Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forwarding, plus E911 Service based on your current address. Some people have misunderstood, made assumptions and called Magic Jack a Scam. It Is NOT A SCAM! Many just think Magic Jack is Too Good to be True!

First, if YOUR State is missing above or you are not in USA, you can still buy and save money with a Magic Jack! You pick the State and City you want from an updated list. Want a New York City (even "expensive" Manhattan!) or Los Angeles line? No Problem! My installation went VERY smooth! It took me a bit longer because I wanted to make a note of which USA States had an available local exchange prefix (first 3 numbers of a local phone number), save some screen shots, etc. The last four numbers of the new local number you get during the install process will be automatically assigned by Magic Jack.

A key step during the install process is, of course, you MUST agree to the Magic Jack Terms Of Service. When you are so close to trying this amazing little gizmo out, I can't imagine anyone will decide NOT to agree to them. Well, maybe a big phone company lawyer! Here is a Plain Text version of TOS (Terms Of Service - current at time of my install) in case you want to print them out and study them before you buy one. After install is complete, you should Optimize! In general, make SURE to use latest version of Magic Jack software and then click to Optimize Magic Jack again (if you need it).

If you have not ordered a Magic Jack USB VoIP Phone Jack yet, it is wise to preview the install process before you do it for real. Our Magic Jack photos page can really help! The install is NOT quite as fast and simple as you may have seen on the Magic Jack TV infomercial. Take your time and do it right!

UPDATE: Some Magic Jack install problems have been reported. The problem with many of these may be they tried to install Magic Jack using a computer's ADMINISTRATOR account and it won't work. Be SURE to use typical "limited" user account if you have a problem installing Magic Jack!

If the Magic Jack still doesn't work, your router or firewall may be blocking communication ports UDP 5060, TCP 80 and TCP 443 which Magic Jack needs to work properly. Check router or firewall documentation for how to unblock them so Magic Jack can open these ports for outgoing connections.

If your Magic Jack worked well before, but now you are having sporadic quality issues, it could be your USB port does not have enough electrical power. A new page has been added to help resolve this Magic Jack USB electrical power problem. This issue may prove to be more common than was expected!

Here's one more suggestion if your Magic Jack isn't working properly. Remove the USB extension cable that came with Magic Jack (so it's easier to use) and see if that improves Magic Jack reception. Some users report a bad USB extension cable as main reason why their Magic Jack did not work.

There are quite a few Magic Jack troubleshooting tips and lots of other helpful info to be found on this web site. If you have Magic Jack problems, it is a good idea to review ALL of them! The solution to your Magic Jack problem might be found right here. Don't be in such a hurry you overlook these!

Bottom line? It works and the voice quality (unlike Skype) is Excellent! If you have an extra phone around the house, that will probably work. If not, however, I would personally NOT suggest going out and buying the cheapest phone you can buy to use with a Magic Jack. From all of the info I read and research I did, I would AVOID the Emerson brand. I also read where several different people said their cordless Uniden phones sounded "perfect", so that MAY be a safer bet. Using a cordless phone system with one or more handsets will be more convenient compared to just one wired phone.
In any event, there's no need to go spend a fortune on new phones either. It is my hope this Magic Jack info will help others to save money, especially with so many people now facing difficult times due to the current economic downturn. The Magic Jack is a fine example of (Good Old?) American Ingenuity. It's simply a brilliant product and deserved the PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award. I haven't mentioned this info yet. The Magic Jack comes with a 30 Day Money-Back Guarantee! So, what have you got to LOSE? Order yours now and the chances are good YOU will be the first on your block to own one. After 1 year, I renewed my Magic Jack for 5 more years (Only $59.95!). After 2 years, I still LOVE it!

UPDATE: Where to buy Magic Jack? When I went to order mine, there was no choice - buy direct online only. You can now order Magic Jack by phone to buy direct or from other Magic Jack dealers. The "safe" way to order a Magic Jack is direct from manufacturer (not another store). This will insure full manufacturer warranty is in effect. If it doesn't work on your computer, they offer to pay the postage for you to return it. Buying it elsewhere is probably NOT worth the risk!