Gadget to Save on Phone Bills

[Julie Samford]

This is nothing really shiny and pretty, but it will save you a ton of money on phone bills so that you can buy more shiny, pretty things!

I bought one of those Magic Jack voice-over-IP phone thingies. You can find them everywhere now, like at Best Buy. Their website is www.magicjack.com.

Anyway, it really does work. The last I checked, you still aren't able to keep your same phone number, but other than that it is a really great deal. You use your regular phones for calls. Local and long distance with voice mail and everything is included for $40 for the entire first year. I think it's around $20 for the next year.

One thing to be aware of is that if you need to send a fax, this type of internet line won't work. Bummer. But you can use efax for documents on your computer or just scan and email documents that need a signature.

I used to spend almost $100 a month with the phone company, and it was really nice to fire them and switch to Magic Jack.

If you need to keep your same phone number, and you have T-Mobile as your cell phone carrier, they also have a $10 per month add on for this same type of service. I use this one as well so that I could keep my phone number. I wouldn't want the bill collectors to have to google me or anything.

:) Julie

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Oh, Julie, well that sucks! We bought one specifically for faxing! We moved a couple weeks ago and got rid of the landline, so Dick was hoping that this would be easy to use for faxing. I HATE scanning stuff in and then faxing ... it just takes so long. I fax a lot of stuff, so again, bummer.

M.A.

[Kyung]

We decided to go the Vonage route. I too hate having to scan everything in to fax. It is a bummer.

If we hadn't done Vonage, I probably would have done Magic Jack next.

[April McMillan, CRR, RPR, CSR]

I bought one a year ago for my son. He's never used it. I thought I would end up using it, but got rid of the phone co. instead and signed up for phone service w/the cable co. and got a bundle price: phone, cable TV, hi-speed internet. My hubby and I send/receive a lot of faxes so Magic Jack didn't work for us. Still new in the box.
I think it's a great idea for someone with No/Limited cell service.

[Julie Samford]

Hmmm, sounds like you guys might want to have a little Magic Jack garage sale. I don't like scanning either!

[Kyung]

The problem with scanning to fax is it feels like you've added an extra step to the whole process. Before you just put it in the machine and voila, it goes.

Now, you have to scan. Then upload. Things should be easier, fewer steps.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

[Julie Samford]

Good morning! I'm trying to find a good VOIP fax solution. Man, if you want to feel like a big dummy, read some VOIP protocol literature! HUH?!