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romantico

(5,062 posts)
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:22 PM Apr 2013

Vonage or Magic Jack? Need Some Advice

I currently have Comcast voicemail. I have it in a bundle package. Well, over the past 6-8 months my bill has gone up each month and is now just INSANE! I NEED to make some changes and am starting with my phone. I'm looking into Vonage and Magic Jack. Just curious if anyone has had any experience(pro or con) and would mind sharing. Could really use some advice. I'm paying right now for cable,internet,and voice.Use to pay around $120-130 a month and ma currently paying $178.I did take advantage and get HBO and a package deal,but that was only an extra $10 a month. I can't read or make sense out of my bill. When I am willing to take the time,and it does take time,I am gonna have to call,be on hold for a while, eventually get a person and ask about my bill. Hopefully starting with removing my phone/voice mail it will come down some.

Any suggestions?

14 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Vonage or Magic Jack? Need Some Advice (Original Post) romantico Apr 2013 OP
I have had Magic Jack twice. First time it 'quit' after a yr. altho I snappyturtle Apr 2013 #1
I've had both and a landline from AT&T... Sekhmets Daughter Apr 2013 #2
Thanks romantico Apr 2013 #3
Another choice is Skype... TreasonousBastard Apr 2013 #4
Call Comcast and politely demand a better rate. onehandle Apr 2013 #5
Before using either of those two, i'd resort to smoke signals or two cans/string...... lastlib Apr 2013 #6
A sound philosophy! Sekhmets Daughter Apr 2013 #8
I had somewhat better luck with Vonage Sedona Apr 2013 #7
Yeah romantico Apr 2013 #9
I'm pretty happy with Vonage Ron Obvious Apr 2013 #10
ooma. seriously, ooma Matariki Apr 2013 #11
here Matariki Apr 2013 #12
Thanks! romantico Apr 2013 #13
I had a similar experience. LiberalAndProud Apr 2013 #14

snappyturtle

(14,656 posts)
1. I have had Magic Jack twice. First time it 'quit' after a yr. altho I
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:27 PM
Apr 2013

had a 2 yr. contract MJ people ran me around for over eight hrs.
on the phone from one tech to another to no avail. Two yrs. later
I guess I had forgotten the misery and tried again. Worked for some
locations I called, well initially it worked, and then was worthless
again. It's cheap so it may be worth a shot but doesn't work
well everywhere. That's my 2 cents worth....imho

Sekhmets Daughter

(7,515 posts)
2. I've had both and a landline from AT&T...
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:32 PM
Apr 2013

Took a page out of the younger generation's book and now just have my cell phone. If you need a phone for foreign calls, I'd go with Vonage.

romantico

(5,062 posts)
3. Thanks
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:43 PM
Apr 2013

No, I don't call outside the country and only call out of state once in a while.The plan I think that would suit me best on Vonage is $25 a month(which does not include tax) IMO,that's a little pricey for the little amount of calls I make.

TreasonousBastard

(43,049 posts)
4. Another choice is Skype...
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:44 PM
Apr 2013

I pay annually for a local number (I forget how much, but it's maybe 30 bucks) and bought a gadget (another 20 bucks) to hook up a phone to my router. Then I throw 10 bucks in the pot every so often for calls at around 2 cents a minute.

It's free if you just want to call computer to computer, but the way I have it set up it works just like a regular phone. Just no bills and pay for only what I use.

There are various subscription deals, but it all depends on how much you call and where you call to.

www.skype.com

onehandle

(51,122 posts)
5. Call Comcast and politely demand a better rate.
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:44 PM
Apr 2013

We had Comcast before we moved. Our promo rate was about $125 for a couple of years. Then it shot up to about $170. I called them and they dropped it to about $135.

Tell them they either cut the rate or drop the land line out of your package and you will use your cell phone.

They will balk.

lastlib

(22,981 posts)
6. Before using either of those two, i'd resort to smoke signals or two cans/string......
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:46 PM
Apr 2013

My grandfather once told me to remember two things in life: 1) you get what you pay for; 2) you pay for what you get.

Sedona

(3,769 posts)
7. I had somewhat better luck with Vonage
Thu Apr 25, 2013, 10:48 PM
Apr 2013

but their customer service sucks big time if you have a problem. The first batch of equipment they sent me was defective and it took weeks to get it straightened out. Heavily accented overseas customer service reps couldn't understand me nor I them.

Once that was straightened out I used Vonage successfully for 2-3 years until it got to the point I wasn't using it anymore so i tossed it. Call quality was reasonable.

My adult daughter had two unsuccessful goes at Magic Jack. Never worked worth a damn ever.

 

Ron Obvious

(6,261 posts)
10. I'm pretty happy with Vonage
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 12:47 AM
Apr 2013

Sound quality is excellent, free calls to Europe and you can take your vonage box with you. Doesn't matter where you are in the world, plug it into your router and you have your local US phone there receiving and making calls as usual for free. Nobody knows you might on the other side of the world instead of in your own home.

Matariki

(18,775 posts)
11. ooma. seriously, ooma
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 12:49 AM
Apr 2013

My phone bill is zero dollars and it works great. I've had it for years now and very happy. You need an internet connection but it's not dependent on your computer being on.

romantico

(5,062 posts)
13. Thanks!
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 01:49 AM
Apr 2013

Thanks for the info and the links. Never heard of it before. Do I need a router for Vonage or any of these? Thanks again!

LiberalAndProud

(12,799 posts)
14. I had a similar experience.
Fri Apr 26, 2013, 02:07 AM
Apr 2013

When I called to cancel phone service, they asked me if I'd stay for a lower rate (different company, but same scam). I declined, but I'm betting you'll get the same offer. If they do offer, tell them you'll stay if they'll adjust the last bill as well. Good luck.

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