These nifty land line replacements use your Internet connection to make and receive phone calls. You can forget about your monthly phone bill as these tiny devices, only need a fraction of what you are paying now. But would you make the leap of relying on a voice over internet option...or have you already?
Magic Jack
For only $40 you will get the small device, plus a year of unlimited long distance and local calling. After that, just $20 per year will keep you going. The service even covers voice mail, call waiting, caller ID and free 411. The service can even deliver your voice mails to your email inbox. You can plug the device to any computer as the account stays with the device
NetTalk Duo
This device works the same as the Magic Jack, with the exception that you can plug it to your computer or even directly to your router. The cost is $70 for the hardware and the first year of service. After that, it will set you back $30 per year. Offering some unique features, like 3 way calling, Google Voice style call forwarding. You will get clear, loud calls and drop free service.
We haven't tested either device personally yet (but have been tempted), but we'd love to hear from our readers what their experiences with Magic Jack, NetTalk Duo or any internet-voice service has been like. Some of our team has cut the land line completely, others keep an old fashioned landline for emergency situations and call quality purposes. Of course, cell phones are now becoming the real dominant mode of communication, so it's arguable the devices above are just for communication/tech holdouts.
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Comments (18)
I HAVE said goodbye to my landline and I love it.
I've said goodbye to my landline for the past 6 years. Started with vonage and currently with ViaTalk, and I'm never going back to landlines.
I use Magic Jack. It works great most of the time, where every once in a while, it won't work (just hang up the phone and try again and it's usually fine). Two things that I wonder about: (1) It seems processor hungry, so my old laptop is constantly at 50% cpu usage when MJ is running (usually 24/7), and the computer freezes up one every couple of weeks, and (2) I don't know how well it works on a 1.5Mbps internet connection; we use 12Mbps and the calls are smooth, clear and loud.
My wife and I have been cellular only for about 13 years. I just don't see the need for a "home" phone.
I have had an Ooma for 2 years now, and it is far superior to MagicJack!
www.ooma.com
Now that the kids are older, we've all got cell phones in our family. It's on my 'to do' list to ditch the landline. My husband's family know the number from the 1960's! Personally, it will not be missed.
Cell Only for about 4 years now. Haven't looked back, but also don't see a need for any of these devices. The only time these days I see a need for land line would be for the unfortunate souls that have to rely on DSL for their internet.
I wouldn't. My internet connection crashes at speeds of 6-7Mbps so it isn't reliable.
When I bought my home eight years ago, I took it as an opportunity to ditch the land line. I actually don't know if the telephone wiring in my house even works!
I killed off my land-line years ago via Vonage. I did get a magicJack when it first came out and like it.
we have a combo of random internet loss & moderate to poor cell reception in our apartment. We only have the most basic landline package right now, and only use it to place locals or receive calls.
Plus last time my husband called 911, from a nearby restaurant, his cell phone dropped the call halfway through. Nice.
ditched the land line several years ago. best thing we've done in years.
My wife and I haven't had a land line since 2006. Seemed silly to have a landline while owning cellphones. Especially now with all the options to communicate (Magic Jack, video chat, Skype) there really isn't any reason to own one anymore.
no landline here since 2003. Haven't missed it a bit!
No land line and no fancy internet phone either. I guess I don't talk on the phone much because just my cell phone has been fine for the past 4 or 5 years. Everyone I know has Verizon and they have free Verizon to Verizon calls. Also, you don't need a land line for DSL. We have DSL and it does plug into an old unused phone jack, but we don't have a land line phone number or account.
Cellular only for about 8 years now.
I've found a better solution to being able to cut my phone bill in half via globalinx .. my bill is $24.99 unlimite calling , long distance & to 75 countries caller id call waiting ... love it , my digital telephone adapter box can go everywhere with me. Check it out www.5linx.net/nsavage Under products VOIP .. IT's TRULY AWESOME!!!
I'm about to move to a new home where there's no landline. With two businesses (one being an ISP) to run from home and on the road, we've converted all our fixed landlines at the old location into an internet-based PABX rackmount system - routed through to our IP, cell and smartphones to reach us anywhere we can pick up wireless service on our own network. We've put it into practice ahead of the move already to test - works fantastically, even though in this country we don't get more than a 4MB internet connection.