I just learned from it I can use my (already cheap on Ting) android phone with the MJ app to use the MJ to make calls when the android phone has a WiFi connection … gotta look into that.
Another nice feature is the voice mail on MJ emails an .MP3 of the voice message … listen to messages anywhere you can get email.
And with a headset you can make calls on your tablet or laptop, too.
Oh yeah … with a headset you can make calls on your tablet or laptop, too.
And if you travel, take it with you almost anywhere in the world (not Irag, Afganistan, etc.) and make and receive calls on your local number.
I’m afraid I’m sounding like an infommercial but the thing is too cheap to not try … under $40 and you can find out today whether it is the right thing for you. Several months of service are included when you buy the gadget, so … no commitment, no contract, no bills until the yearly $35 comes due.
So does Google Voice have a high probability of not being able to port my current number?
Speaking of which, is there a standard procedure for porting a current number to a new revive? Might I be able to get rid of Comcast without dealing with their customer retention people no matter who I pick? God, I hope so.
So MagicJack requires me to do the disconnection. Still not sure that’s worth the initial cost with Ooma, though. To those who recommended it in this thread: what’s worth the initial outlay to you?
Oh, and how much more will I pay for my Comcast services if I break up the bundle? Trying to search for this info online is incredibly annoying because of new deal savings, and I obviously don’t have a new deal.
It can’t possibly be more than I’d save switching to VoIP…
Wait, they could refuse to allow me to port my number? So if I just go through MagicJack’s web process, they could tell me, sorry, the company won’t allow you to keep this number? They could essentially hold my number hostage to make me make a choice between keeping both the number and their service, or losing the number entirely? I tried looking this up on Google, but all the problems seemed to be with porting the number TO Comcast, not from.
Does it matter that I had this number before my phone service was with Comcast?
Oho… Further research indicates that MagicJack tacks on an extra annual cost to keep a ported phone number, and a charge to get the number back if you switch. That’s definitely a strike in their direction. Some of my search results prefer it over Ooma, but others say that the customer service and reliability isn’t as good.
So I looked it up, and it seems like it’s against the law for a company to keep your phone number, even if you owe them money.
But now I’m back looking at the above mentioned generic phone modem and Google Voice, on the logic that Google knows most of what they could find out about me through the phone anyway. But it tells me I can only use a mobile number to connect to it…? It’s hard to find info on how it works, because looking it up just brings me to the Google Voice account page. Do I need to log out of Google to find this info at all?
I was on Ooma Premium last year, because they were running a special. This year, it renewed in February, but I didn’t notice as they didn’t send me any notice. I called Ooma last week and told them I no longer wanted the premium service, and hadn’t intended to auto-renew, and could they refund a prorated amount. They said they were unable to prorate it, so instead they refunded the entire amount.
Yes, I’ve read good things about their customer service, and they’re well reviewed on Amazon.
And it looks like it’s possible to get a home phone number onto Google Voice, but it requires porting to a cell phone and a LOT of keeping track and crossing fingers and possible inconvenience, so looks like Ooma is ahead for me. (There are smaller VoIP providers that use generic equipment, yes, but God, I have no idea how to research them.)
I think I’ll bite the bullet on Ooma soon if I don’t read anything to the contrary. At least I can buy the generic equipment anytime if I find a good, reliable provider that uses it.
Kismet on the timing of this thread. I looked into VoIP to port / drop my land line and decided to go with Ooma. This thread confirms my choice.
I was going to buy the unit (there are a couple places on line that sell them refurbished) this month but the two tires on my car that I thought would make it to fall didn’t agree.
Just wanted to thank everyone for their input on this thread, and pointing me to Ooma. The quality seems good, and the 24/7 online customer service is cool. I just got my first “real” Comcast bill post-switch, and I’m paying over $100 less a month now, which immediately pays for almost all of my outlay on equipment. Now all I have to do to sustain this state is threaten to cancel my bundle whenever it expires, and I think I’ll be good (although I think it’d STILL save me money even if I didn’t, all things considered).