MagicJack VoIP: Strengths weaknesses cost and trade-offs</title>

You"ve probably seen magicJack"s late-night television ads encouraging you to ditch your land-line telephone "and never pay a monthly phone bill again!"

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The pitch is tempting. Just plug the magicJack device into a computer USB port, plug in your phone, and you can make and receive calls within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands for free.

But how reliable is a product that is hawked in the same space as the ShamWow and the Ab Lounge? It turns out that the magicJack works pretty well if you don"t expect it to work exactly like a traditional phone line. And it costs less than other voice-over-Internet systems, such as Skype and Vonage.

Here"s the breakdown:

MagicJack costs $39.95 and includes a year of unlimited domestic service. Each year thereafter is $19.95.

Skype"s unlimited U.S.-Canada plan and incoming SkypeIn number cost $65.40 a year, plus $27 to $170 for a Skype phone if you don"t want to use your Skype-enabled cell phone or the microphone on your PC.

Vonage"s least expensive plan costs $17.99 a month ($215.88 per year) and is limited to 500 minutes of outbound talk time.

So far, 5.4 million people have bought the device via television call-in numbers or in stores such as Best Buy or RadioShack, says company founder and CEO Dan Borislow.

The number of users could grow in a few months as the company switches from its plug-in device to a software-only model that will also allow customers to make international calls as well. (Existing customers will be able to continue using their devices or download a free copy of the new software.)

Borislow plans to release a second plug-in gadget later this year that will allow cell phone users to make calls without using their minutes as long as they"re within range of the device.What magicJack does well There"s little disagreement about what the existing magicJack product does well, and that"s make and receive calls. Most testers reviewing it have been surprised by the clarity of the calls. Though it"s not as clear as a traditional land line, it"s probably better than cell reception for most people.

With magicJack you get a phone number, voice mail, free directory assistance and call waiting. You can even take magicJack with you when you travel.

A review in February"s issue of Consumer Reports magazine said the voice quality was "clear" but that there was "some interference" when its tester downloaded a large file while simultaneously playing an online game and making a call. Overall, the review concluded, if you can live with some limitations, magicJack is "a great deal."Problem areas So what exactly are those limitations?

Your computer must be on and your broadband must be working for your phone to ring when it receives calls rather than send them directly to voice mail. That means no shutting down your computer -- unless you want to be unavailable. Ditto for sleep mode on your computer: If your computer goes to sleep, you can"t make or receive calls.

You can"t transfer your old number to magicJack. The company assigns you a phone number based on your area.

You can"t rely on magicJack to send a fax. Some fax machines work with magicJack, and some do not. (More about my experience with faxing later.)

MagicJack does not work with Mac computers built before Apple switched to Intel chips in 2006.

Its 911 service is not a sure thing.

Emergency calls from land lines automatically display the address of the number you"re calling from on the dispatcher"s computer. With magicJack, you must remember to register your address when you first receive the device and update it if you move or travel. Even then, your service can be disrupted by a power outage or broadband disruption. The company advises you to "maintain an alternate means of dialing 911."

And if you have a security system, be aware that the company does not "endorse or recommend" the use of a magicJack with an alarm system, although it is "aware" that some customers use the device that way.

To be fair, similar restrictions apply to Vonage. And Skype does not support emergency calling at all.

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