MagicJack plus Review

My wife works from home and ends up making a ton of long distance calls. We've abandoned the old land line so she's racking up a hefty bill on her cell phone. Enter voip phone...


Cost:
I did an online search to compare MagicJack plus vs Skype vs other.  MagicJack came out on top when it for price (skype can be cheaper but if you want a phone number or call id it ends up being more expensive).  I paid 79.99 for the MagicJack plus - this includes one year of unlimited calls in North America and a free number in the USA. Add 10$ for a Canadian or custom number.

Don't get roped into a big shipping charge - you can find it in a store near you, I got mine at Walmart.


Convenience:
Next I was interested in a device that didn't need to be plugged into the computer. MagicJack plus can plug directly into the router and doesn't need a computer to be on to function. Similarly an accessory is available for Skype to do the same thing.

It includes a 30 day return policy.


Function:
The MagicJack plus works right out of the box... sortof... You need to go through a registration process to get your number and in doing so they try to upsell you on multiyear plans, or custom numbers etc.

Once you get it configured, it works like a charm. Plug into your router - or into your computer and start making and receiving calls. The audio quality is about as good as any landline. Likewise there is no obvious delay to speak of.

It is possible to make 911 calls from the MJ (not that I tested this out). MJ uses the address you input at registration to route the 911 call.


Areas for improvement:
1 - the website is awful. Feels like a scam.
2 - Faxing? people have had variable results with MagicJack, I suspect MagicJack plus is better in this regard.
3 - I ran into a little trouble using it when you need to input a number during a call to navigate an automated phone menu. Occasionally, I needed to reinput the number to get it to work.


Conclusion:
Our MagicJack plus will pay for itself very shortly. My above complaints are relatively mild. Most importantly the call quality seems to good - this was my biggest worry. So far, I would recommend the MJP to anyone who is looking to save a little cash on their phone bill.