Voice Over IP Phone Service with No Monthly Phone Bills

Here is a interesting new VoIP service making some headlines. It is called magicJack.

magicJack is a device that you plug into an internet enabled PC that allows you to make phone calls to anywhere. It uses your original home phone. The draw here is that there are no monthly fees unlike other VoIP phone services. Here, you pay an initial $40 for the device and reveive unlimited calls for the first year, after that you’ll get unlimited calls for only $20 for the following years. You also get a phone number and a list of included features (see below). majicJack supports Windows PCs with XP and Visita as well as Macs.

Personally I haven’t tried majicJack, but the cost does look enticing. After doing some research there are reports that the sound quality is good. There is no 911 feature, so I DO NOT reccomend replacing your current service with this. You could however use it just for long distance while paring down your current home service. This is also great if you have a child on college or relatives that you talk to frequently.

Here is a quick list of the pros and cons as I see them:

Pros:

• Unlimited calls for only $40 the first year then $20 thereafter
• Use your current home phone
• FREE FEATURES: Phone Number, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail, Directory Assitance

Cons:

• You must plug this adapter into a PC with a broadband connection
• You need to plug in a regular analog phone, so if you travel you may need to take a phone with you

Overall this looks like a good deal. They are offering a 30-day risk free trial. I am thinking on giving this a whirl and see how it goes. I am always on the lookout for a good long distance deal!