I put together a video that shows how to install your MagicJack, download the software and get your new MagicJack phone service up and working.
Archive for the ‘Companies’ Category
MagicJack Installation Video
Friday, January 8th, 2010MagicJack
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009I’ve used MagicJack in the office for the last couple of years, and even though I’v pulled my telephone number off of the website, and don’t answer the phone any more, MagicJack still emails me my voicemails. While lots of people use MagicJack as a second phone line, more and more small office/home office guys like me are starting to use it as an office phone. With mine, I even have a toll free number from a regular phone company that rings into my MagicJack number. And the really cool thing about that is that I live in Washington state, but my MagicJack phone number is for Wisconsin, which has the cheapest instate toll free service from my toll free company. I did this so that no matter where people live, if they call my toll free number, I’m paying less than 3 cents per minute for the call.
Another cool thing about MagicJack is that since it’s a SIP service, if you plug the MagicJack box into a computer, anywhere in the world with high speed internet access, you can plug a phone into it, and it will work just like you’re in the states. I can be sitting in McDonalds in Mexico City, using their free WiFi through my laptop, and answering toll free customer service calls from the states for the same 3 cents per minute it would cost me if I were in Washington, Oregon, California, Florida, Texas, New York or Timbuktu.
If you want to compare the price of MagicJack to the price of other VoIP and landline services, use the Rate Search Tool at the top of www.Calling-Plans.com main page.
Callvantage and Voicewing Quit Selling VoIP
Wednesday, April 29th, 2009AT&T and Verizon are both getting out of the residential VoIP game. They have both announced that they will no longer sign up new customers, and their current customers should be looking for new providers. Callvantate belongs to AT&T, and Voicewing is Verizon’s failed VoIP attempt.
Current customers of Callvantage or Voicewing, who are going to need new internet phone service, or who are switching back to land line service, should visit Calling-Plans.com’s Internet Phone Service and Local Phone Service pages.
Yoomba VoIP Goes Out Of Business
Monday, February 2nd, 2009According to Venturebeat.com, Yoomba has gone out of business, shut it’s doors and ran away. Just like Yoomba, there are lot’s of other VoIP companies currently on their way out of business, so if you’re interested in switching to VoIP from your land line system, or you are a Yoomba customer looking for a new way to make phone calls, make sure you do your reseach first.
Companies that have been around a long time, and have enough money and customers to stay afloat, are companies like Lingo, Packet8 and even Vonage; though they still make me nervous. Like I said, do your research, see who has enough operating capital for the next year, and only sign up for a month to month plan. (You don’t want to end up paying $199.00 for a year’s worth of service, only to have the company go bankrupt the next week)
PhonePower VoIP Special
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009Phonepower is running a special right now, where you can get unlimited residential local and long distance phone service for only $9.95 per month for three months. After three months, the rate goes up to $19.95 per month.
If you’ve been thinking about trying VoIP to save money on your phone bill, then this is a great deal for you. Just sign up for Phonepower VoIP service and try it out without cancelling your current land line sevice. If you like it, then around month two, you can fill out the paperwork to have your current phone number transfered to your Phonepower account. You will then be able to cancel your expensive local and long distance plans and just keep the phone service from Phonepower.
Remember, you can hook your VoIP router from your high speed modem to your home telephone wiring system. Just plug the phone line from the router into a phone jack in the wall, and then plug your regular telephones into the phone jacks in your house. (If you plug into the house system though, the one thing you need to remember to do is go out to the grey box on the side of your house and disconect the wires that run into your house from the pole or phone box.)
Verizon VoIP
Tuesday, January 13th, 2009PRNewswire ran a PR news release for Verizon today that says that Verizon is in the process of installing voice over internet phone services to 12 schools in the Sherman School District in Texas. The reason that I find this article, and others like it, interesting is that it shows a snapshot of what is happening all across the country; landlines are being replaced by VoIP in a wholesale fashion.
If you think about this small school district in Texas, bringing in the technology to replace the phone service to 12 schools, serving 6,100 students, think of what’s happening around the country in larger metropolitian areas. I remember seeing a small piece in the Oregonian a few years back that said that Oregon has lost 3% of their land lines in 2002 alone. Those kinds of numbers really make you sit up and pay attention.
Check out Verizon’s Internet Phone Service if you live in one of the areas they service and would like to get rid of your land line and start saving money too.