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The Pitch
Every once in a while a product comes along that is truly revolutionary. MagicJack promises to be just such a product. For only $19.95 a YEAR (initially $39.95 which includes the first year of service plus the Magic Jack), you can completely eliminate your monthly phone bill, saving $500 or more per year in the process. Plus, you’ll enjoy free unlimited local and long distance calling and a host of other free features. And as if that’s not enough, you get to try it free for 30 days before you are charged a penny! But before you rush off to purchase it, read our review first to be sure that you will not be disappointed.
Computers and Internet Service Used for Testing
We tested the MagicJack on Dell, Hewlett Packard (HP) and Toshiba computers running Windows Vista, Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition respectively. The Dell and HP both have 2Gb of RAM, while the Toshiba has 256Mb. We also tested the Magic Jack with different Internet connection speeds to see what effect that had on the product’s performance. For our tests we used our ISP, Mediacom. We tested using their “High Speed” service, with download speeds averaging 7Mbps and upload speeds averaging 400Kbps. We also tested using Mediacom’s “Maxonline” service, with download speeds averaging 15Mbps+ and upload speeds consistently between 700Kbps-1Mbps.
Internet Connection Speed
The MagicJack performed perfectly on all 3 computer systems we tested it on with the Maxonline service (faster up and download speeds). This was the case even on the Toshiba with only 256Mb of RAM while simultaneously playing online games while talking on the phone. When tested using the slower “High Speed” service, call quality was hit and miss. Some calls would be perfect. Others would be choppy (For example, you might only hear every other word the person on the other end of the line said). Upload speed seemed to be the most important factor “speed-wise” affecting call quality during our testing. Based on our tests we suggest at least 500Kbps+ upload speeds to ensure optimum call quality. Call quality at these speeds is comparable to traditional landline call quality. In fact, there was no discernible difference in call quality when using the Magic Jack versus a traditional phone company service, when tested with at least 500Kbps upload speed.
Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality of Service (QoS) is another very important factor affecting the call quality of any Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phone service (All digital phone services – Vonage, that offered by the cable companies etc. are VOIP phone services). Our QoS was consistently 60% or better during testing, so you might use this as a benchmark in determining if the QoS of your Internet connection is high enough to handle VOIP phone calls.
Test Your Internet Connection Speeds & Quality of Service
VOIP call quality is determined by a combination of Internet connection speed and Quality of Service. When both are sufficient, call quality comparable to that produced by traditional phone companies results. This is true of any digital phone service, MagicJack included. To be sure that you will not be disappointed with your purchase, we suggest testing your Internet connection speeds and call quality here. The test available at this site is designed specifically to determine if your internet connection will support a high quality VOIP phone call. The caveat here is that sometimes the site produced inaccurate results when compared to this test. So we suggest testing repeatedly and verifying speed test results independently.
MagicJack Pros & Cons
Pros
You cannot beat the price and associated cost savings. Compare $19.95 a YEAR to the $24.99 a MONTH charged by Vonage or $29.99 or more per per MONTH by your cable or phone company. Save $500 a year or more and get rid of your monthly phone bill! It’s portable. Take it with you when you travel and use it as a “cell” phone anywhere you have a high speed Internet connection. There are even companies selling phones specifically to be used with the magicJack for this purpose. Ease of installation. We plugged the Magic Jack in and it installed itself flawlessly under Windows Vista, Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional. Free Unlimited Local & Long Distance Calling.
Cons
When your power or Internet connection are down, you will be without phone service. Of course this is not a shortcoming of the magicJack alone. This is true of any VOIP digital phone service. Magic Jack reportedly will NOT work with Satellite based Internet connections.
Conclusion
The magicJack delivers on its promise of crystal clear calls, provided your Internet connection is the right combination of speed and quality. To test your Internet connection speed and quality, visit the links provided in this article. Of course, the real test is to try the product. Fortunately MagicJack has a free 30-day trial offer. You can try the product before you buy. They do take your credit or debit card information when you order, but you are not charged for 30 days. Return the product any time during the 30 day test run, and you are not charged. So really nothing to lose.
Try it before you buy it. We recommend taking advantage of the FREE 30-Day Trial of the Magic Jack.
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