Magic Jack (like voip) on sprint unlimited ?

matt10099 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 15

Will the new "Magic Jack" claiming $19.00 year unlimited long/local calling (except international) Work on the sprint PCS network without any additional charges ?
Does anyone have any experience with this product ? Thanks

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

Had a friend with Rev A who tried it and said it was great. Just like a land line with only a few burps here and there. they do make claim to fame it works with evdo. I'm gonna be a guinea pig here. I ordered it and will come back in a week or so and do a review on it. When you order it you get a free 30 day trial. They don't charge your card until the 31st day so what do I have to lose. $40 something dollars initial costs then $19.95 a year.

I have an opportunity to host one of our campgrounds, but it is remote. A gorgeous place to spend 6 months. I've never gone up there because there is horrible cell service. Now get this thr Sprint evdo map shows evdo in the campground so I drove up there and my Sprint evdo works great with a -66 dBi. Cell phone (Verizon) would not even show a bar. Sooo this MagicJack would be the ice breaker for me if it works like they and my friend say. My biddy was really skeptical, but says he's had no problems with it it so far and has had it 2 months.

What the heck, I'm a sucker for gadgets. I'll try it and do a review. If it doesn't do what they say it goes back and didn't cost me anything.

Tony

Glenn7500 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject:

Works for me 98% of the time. About 80kbps up and down to push the call.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

The buddy I stated that had it did a review somewhere, but told me he was sitting in a Starbuck's and pulled out his charged phone and made a call and people about fell out of their chairs lol. One thing he did tell me it wasn't the ideal thing obviously for a primary line as your computer has to be on and mine is most waking hours, If nothing else it will keep the minutes down off my cell phone. If there was a way to have it run on the backside of the MBR1000 than that would be great, but ya need the usb port.

My buddy said the one thing he noted as well as Glenn is that the bandwidth requirements are not near as demanding as Vonage and others making it work better for us on evdo. If it works $19.95 a YEAR is about, $1.66 a month for unlimited calls, both local and long distance in the US AND Canada.

it would be great for those days my bro and I are on our cells doing tech stuff. Sure would keep the cell time down so for a secondary line it would be great for the price

matt10099 · EVDO Fledgling Joined: 09 Dec 2007 Posts: 15

But is there any additional charges from sprint for using this device ?

I read somewhere on sprint.com that said $.20 a minute for voice over data. It would be best to call sprint & find out for sure IMO.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

gregh2000 · EVDO User Joined: 24 Oct 2007 Posts: 40

you could also use a t-mobile @home phone that has built in wifi with the router. not sure about the TOS of sprint letting you use tons of data for voice calls though.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

Alex or Michael your take on this from a reseller point of view?

Seems I know several who have used Vonage, Skype and other VOIP and never a mention of additional charges I've ever read anyway. In my My Sprint account page it does mention under plan details the following...

* $59.99 Connection Card Data Plan
* Unlimited Mb Of Data
* Calls Made On Connection Cards with
* Voice Capability Will Incur a Charge
* Of $.20 Per Minute

I guess another question would be is the specific rev a device you're using like my U727 VOIP capable which I believe so?

Glenn7500 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject:

Glenn7500 · Posted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 10:57 pm Post subject:

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

well Glenn I just canceled the order for MagicJack as Sprint told me there was a charge for voip. I think the rep I talked to is not clear what I was talking about but did quote the above info from my plan details to me. I'll follow up in the morning with someone else who knows more as it seems you aren't being charged. Some of the customer service reps don't really know anything at all! One reason I asked for 3G's input since they should know as resellers. I have to say though LOL it was easy to cancel with MagicJack talking with a live chat person! Wish it was all that easy.

mhtyler · EVDO Heavy User Joined: 01 Jul 2007 Posts: 143

Firedude, I would not take the word of any Sprint rep, strange as that sounds. These people are so stupid they couldn't draw their own names in the dirt with a stick. I've spoken to them a number of times, and they haven't been right yet.

If you have an unlimited data plan, how in the world are they going to know its voip anyway???

I tested my MagicJack when I was still on Rev 0. It worked, but the outgoing (upload) just wasn't enough to carry the signal dependably. I realized after that test, that it was the amount of bandwidth even more than a latency issue. In fact, pings of 200 or so were just fine as long as jitter was held to a minimum. BTW, I never saw any 20 cent charges come up on my bill after those tests.

I'm outstation and don't have magicjack with me, but now that my Mogul has Rev A, I'm certain that voip will work pretty well.
mark
_________________
Mostly Harmless

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435

Thanks Mark.
I reordered the MagicJack and will have it by early next week. I did speak to my buddy who had it a while back and said he never saw any charges on his data plan bill and used it fairly often for quick calls. I definitely know what is meant about the customer service reps not knowing much of anything. I learned through a very expensive less that one with Verizon.

Anyway I'll give it a try. I'll call today and try to talk with one of the actual data folks for input on the subject. I hope Michael or Alex chimes in as well as resellers with their input. They should know being resellers. Don't worry Alex or Michael I won't send you my bill for the calls if it's true lol! Laughing

I really have to wonder if there is ANY validity to this charge issue as I have known several who tried Vonage and Skype when it was free and never got separate by the minute charges. Damn tendinitis in my left shoulder has me up at some weird time with pain. Glad the forum is here for some reading whi8le everyone else is in a coma. Laughing

Tony

socksbb · Posted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:01 am Post subject:

You guys are mis-understanding the voice charges...

If you use a VOIP product, like Magic Jack, Vonage, etc then you will not be charged, as it is a data connection. To sprint it is the same as downloading a webpage.

What they are talking about is some of the enterprise EVDO cards and devices that can make voice calls over CDMA and data. If you only have a data plan, but start calling someone then you are charged the set rates.

firedude · EVDO Junkie Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 435