Reviews for Magicjack - Consumers speak out and take action

Ratings

Posted: 01/27/2009

Magicjack is not "Magic" for Everyone

Reviewed by: eaesch (xxx.xxx.154.74)

The Magicjack advertisements all say how easy it is to use their USB plug-in module right out of the box to obtain voice over IP (Internet). In fact the device "IS" easy to install providing you have a dedicated modem and a single workstation or laptop configuration. If you want to configure the device for multi-users using a router, forget it.  I spent many hours over a 3 day period until midnight working with technical support and could not get the unit to work with my Linksys router (using Windows XP). Magicjack Support stepped me to procedures to turn off my Windows firewall and establish ports 5060 and 5070, turn off my Linksys firewall and establish ports 5060 and 5070, make adjustments to my wireless connection, upgrade their product many times, updated my Windows Registry many times, and all with the same result ... Every time I dialed the Lan phone using Magicjack (plugged into my laptop), the wireless connection dropped and the call could not go through.  The wireless connection resumed each time I placed the phone back in the charge caddy. The dropped connection was the inital problem reported to Tech Support and after many hours on the phone, the symtom remained. Tech Support could not get the jack working with a router.I chatted with about 7-8 support associates which is an extreme shortfall trying to solve a single symptom. Associates insist chat is their only allowable method of communication to the public which is frustrating the longer you sit in chat and has other drawbacks. Multiple clients are serviced at the same time by a single associate which if very evident with long wait times for each chat response. Also, there is no transition from 1 chat to the next, so each time you start a chat, you end up explaining everything you tried before only to be have the next associate ask you to repeat steps you know you already performed before. When I asked an associate if comprehensive procedures existed for configuring a router using a wireless modem and if those procedure could be e-mailed, the associate stated communication via e-mail is disallowed ... and so is phone support. I have a router in my household to support 4 wireless laptops for college age children.  If Magicjack cannot work successfully using a router, the value of the device is comprimized.  From my experience, the unit requires a dedicated modem which I did test successfully. But I got nowhere with Technical Support when I added a router into the mix.  And if I did not have an exhaustive e-mail crumb trail of everything I was asked to try, I'd never be able to revert back to my original settings now that I decided to return the 2 devices plus the 5-year usage plan at a mere cost of $160 dollars. If 8 Tech Support associates can't figure it out, maybe more development hours are required? At minimum, configuration procedures or a user manual is needed for more complex configurations as for using a router with a wireless modem.  The firm should also consider adding e-mail and phone support.  In summary, an apparent requirement of a dedicated modem to support Magicjack in order to achieve call savings may be of little to no "value" to a multi-user, multi-device family.

Ratings

Posted: 01/18/2009

MagicJack not so Magic

Reviewed by: rosewoodsteel (xxx.xxx.233.90)

We bought MagicJack, hoping to replace our expensive land line service.   When it works, which is very infrequently, the sound is crystal clear.  Unfortunately, 9 times out of 10 (and I'm being liberal here), the caller can hear us but we can't understand them (or visa versa).  The word that best discribes this service, in my experience, is UNRELIABLE.    We've had it for around 8 months now and, if anything, phone service has gotten worse.  Service is so bad, we use our cell phones and don't even bother with the MagicJack anymore  

Ratings

Posted: 01/14/2009

Reviewed by: hardline (xxx.xxx.44.164)

Stay Away from them.  This company has an "F" rating from the Better Business BureauBigger issue - The MagicJack dongle that I was sent had a virus infection on it.  The Virus was identified as "w32.fakerecy" and is a worm that travels via mapped and removable drives masquerading itself as the recycle bin.  Symantec Antivirus caught it within 10 seconds of plugging it in to my system.   

Ratings

Posted: 11/20/2008

didn't work as I would like

Reviewed by: boviac (xxx.xxx.223.122)

Tried it under the 30 day trial version and am glad I didn't accept any of the multiple pages of additional purchase plans or additional magicJacks.  Didn't pay extra for expidited shipping either.First call was to my cell phone next to me.  There was a huge, annoying delay of about 1 second and a very wierd echo.  Second call was to my wife's cell in the other room.  Same delay and echo.  Hard to have a real time conversation with a 1 sec delay.  I suppose I could get used to this but why?  It isn't worth it.Third call was my wife calling her friend about 20 miles away on a land line.  Caller complained she sounded far away and faint.  Plus, there was that delay.   Disconnected, and had to google how to uninstall this crap and its software, signed up for an RMA and returned it.  Out of pocket ~$10 for shipping both ways and an evening of frustration.  Promising technology but it certainly isn't up to acceptable quality and service yet. 

Ratings

Posted: 11/14/2008

keeps droping calls!

Reviewed by: Brandy89815 (xxx.xxx.95.243)

Ratings

Posted: 09/11/2008

Magic Jack

Reviewed by: sickofit (xxx.xxx.6.4)

Well where does one start with this.First of all anybody looking into this Magic Jack be warned if you experience any troubles expect to get little help at all, when we first got ours it worked for a day then nothing, so we used the help chat and after 5 hours yes 5 hours of them telling me to do this and do that time after time (they didnt understand the term yes i just did what you asked) i gave up.The next day the same thing.The day after that after 3 hours i got them to get it through their heads that maybe we got a lemon, they said they would send out a new one.....goodie at last something, so i gave them the new address as we had shifted and i was asked now is this the address we send the new one to, i said yes please with a smile on my dial.Well as of today i looked at the tracker they sent me so i could follow the route taken and guess what, its been sent to my old address. So after a week without a phone im still at a loss.Also what others have said about the 30 days trial is correct if paying via card it was taken from my account right away, you dont do this that is not a 30 day free trail at all, and more the point is it takes them how long to give the money back, sorry you take my money right away i want mine back right away.

Ratings

Posted: 09/11/2008

Rip Off!

Reviewed by: Dolly Dagger (xxx.xxx.134.82)

Ratings

Posted: 09/10/2008

Magicjack does't work

Reviewed by: screech (xxx.xxx.86.152)

 Several months ago I saw Magic Jack on TV and I bit,  I gave them my Credit card # and they sent me the thing.  I tried to get it to work for weeks.  I tried to use their horrible customer service several times, no luck. I gave up, thinking I had wasted $40.  At the 30 day point they e-mailed me to say the bank refused the Credit Card charge.  Even though I never called the bank to refuse the charge, it happened anyway.  As they say, God works in mysterious ways.

Ratings

Posted: 09/08/2008

You get what you pay for...

Reviewed by: vikram17

When I first saw MagicJack commercials on the 'net I thought "cool!".. then after looking at their site the red fags came up with all the infomercial-like "buy now!.. buy now!.." feel to it. I figured - what the hell.. I'll get it for the trial, and see what's the hype all about...Three weeks later, I FINALLY got the device. Plugged it in and installed the software.. and like Magic.. ...it didn't work!After a few days of tweaking my computer settings, I'm not sure what changed but it started to work. Support was unhelpful at best...Maybe I'm running a slow computer or something, but when I do heavy surfing and talk at the same time, the call cuts off, and some days it just doesn't work at all for several hours (mostly evening when I do most of my calling!)I decided finally to return the device.. when I tried to contact support I was first ignored, then told that I'm outside the trial window (at 1 month and a week!)... very nice of them to give you a "30 day" trial and make sure you don't even get it until 3 weeks into the "trial"...I finally gave up and threw this crap in the trash, and found a real Voice Over IP provider. Now calls work, things don't go down, my computer doesn't freak out, and I don't have a constant source of stress in my life!!! :D

Ratings

Posted: 08/08/2008

Reviewed by: Butterflygirl

The only thing good I can say about the magic jack is the price and ease of setup.  That's where the good ends.  I thought I would try this out because it wasn't that expensive and if I didn't like it I wouldn't be out too much.  First of all, it was a pain that my computer had to be on all the time for it to work.  Second, the person I was talking to couldn't hear me most of the time.  Third, I couldn't have a local number. 4th there was either always an echo or sounded choppy.  Finally, I had to get rid of it because it kept calling 911.  I had the police at my house 8 times in one week for 911 hang ups.  They told me that 911 wasn't going to respond to our calls at all anymore.  That means because of magicjack, even if I call 911, they won't come.  The only solution was to unplug the jack and not plug it in again.  The website is very difficult to use to get to an actual person. And when you do, they are no help what so ever.  In essence, this is a great idea, but magicjack has many many bugs to work out. I wish it would have worked for us.