Feb. 3, 2009 - Saving Money in the New Year - magicJack & Internet Faxing

While it is always a good idea to try to save money, I have found that these times really dictated the necessity for me to analyze my expenses. Key to any business is communications including phone, fax and Internet. Years ago I untied the lines from the local phone company and went to Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) for my phone and faxing needs. VOIP never did a good job with faxing and was very frustrating to me. Recently when a loved one moved out of state, I knew I would need to increase either my cell phone plan or my VOIP plan. magicJack Then along came Jack---magicJack that is. I am in no way associated with magicJack other than as a customer. I ordered magicJack online via their 30-day free trial and have been pleased with the results. MagicJack is $39.95 plus shipping and handling for the first year and then $19.95 per year thereafter. That's $19.95 PER YEAR for unlimited local and long distance calling in addition to free directory assistance, call waiting, voicemail and caller ID. You can also get MagicJack at Radio Shack for $39.99. I ordered online via http://magicjack.com so I could try it out first. Yes, you have to have your computer up for magicJack to work. But you can forward magicJack or have it go to voicemail when the computer is off. You will get an e-mail when you have a voice message. My VOIP provider charged 3.9 cents a minute to forward calls. Not true with majicJack---no charge to forward calls. No matter where you go, if you have an Internet connection (supports Wi-Fi), you have phone service. The main drawback for me is the inability to port numbers. I had to get a new phone number (free local number) when I went to magicJack. As many customers, family and friends knew my home number and I used that same number for work, I needed the ability to keep that number. So, I ported my home number to my cell phone.  MagicJack says they will be allowing porting sometime in 2009, but I could not wait. Faxing MagicJack might support faxing, but I wanted to make sure I had a reliable method for use anywhere. That is why I finally made the move to Internet faxing. There are some free services, but they either provide advertising along with your fax or have a limited amount of faxing capability. I choose Ringcentral (http://ringcentral.com) at $9.99/month, but there are many good companies out there.  I have been less than pleased with their customer service (too long on hold), but their service is great. I ported my fax number to Ringcentral. It took 27 calendar days, which was 24 more days than porting my number to my cell phone. I scan documents and e-mail them instead of faxing (but I can fax them) and incoming faxes go directly to my computer (or I can have them print directly, but why?). It is then easy to forward faxes on via e-mail. Again, wherever I am with my computer and an Internet connection, I can receive faxes. I think the days of the old fashioned fax machines are numbered. Soon we won't need Internet faxing either. Everyone will just scan and e-mail. Comments? Questions? Advice? Please share!

Feb. 4, 2009 - RE: Saving Money in the New Year - magicJack & Internet Faxing

Thank you for all your E-mails

Mar. 16, 2009 - RE: Saving Money in the New Year - magicJack & Internet Faxing

Frank,

I use to have Verizon service for home landline, Vonage service for home office business line and Verizon for fax machine.  I got rid of all of those phone services, and completely use Magicjack for home, business and fax machine.  Instead of paying over $120 per month, I am paying $60 per year.  Now that is a great saving.  I also have cell phone, so if internet goes down, I can still pick up message with dial in the Magicjack number to retrieve it, and got email from Magicjack voice msg.

Issues with Magicjack use on your Desktop (DT) or Laptop (LT), (1) Infomercial will track you on every call you make, website you visiting and create profile to send you ads. (2) When MJ connects to your DT or LT, your machine will be busy timesharing the other tasks with MJ task, which you will notice sometime the voice drop-off or are distorted for few seconds and then back to normal. (3) DT and LT have moving parts hard drives, Fans, and heat up when it run for long time. (4) DT and LT drawn about 45 to 60 Watts of energy usages. (5) I have few other sites and see that people reporting having problem with the MJ phone quality, and not realize that the LT or PC is one of the major factor on MJ voice quality (by no means that  MJ phone can match the quality of analog landline). (6) There are more issues to list, but I think is enough to convey across what are some of the culprits that degraded MJ benefits, due to that lack of incomplete solution

In finding the solutions to solve above issues,  I have a create the system that addresses some of those issues and support Magicjack phone to stay up 24/7, and it does not have to use or bogged down your desktop or laptop.  Plus to minimize the infomercial marketing company from tracking your every move on your computer when you access the web.

I call this Internet Phone Server (IPS), please check it out on my eStore as I am selling the IPS system that is preconfigured as Plug-N-Use with Magicjack module.  This will free up your Desktop or Laptop from having to be on all the time, and the IPS is optimized and dedicated for Magicjack module.   Other benefit of IPS is that it have no moving parts (is a Solid State Flash memory system) so it is less likely to fail due to mechanical moving parts.  In addition, it is running cool and only draw about 8~10Watts (in dollars & cents - it is mean about $5 ~ $8 per year in energy usages).  IPS is a small form factor Thin Client roughly about the size of your Router, and it really run much cooler than the Router/Switch unit.  (See my eStore for details)

On the Faxing capability, I have one of MJ phone hooked directly to my fax machine, which I have tested on sending and receiving the fax via MJ phone Server, and it turns out great.  However, Faxing over VoIP required you to slow down the fax machine baudrate to 14.4Kpbs, and it would be very reliable.

In supporting Go-Green program, we have bought these unit from off-lease and/or refurbished to recycle the hardware use, and reinstall a fresh new firmware image with optimized and preconfigured to use with Magicjack module. 

Bottom line, I have many customers that have bought the IPS system, and very happy with their investment.  If you worry about the internet might goes down and having no phone, then lower your landline phone to minimal package (nowadays phone company offer that at $9.99, please check with your company phone service for details).  In addition, most people have cell phone so that is another backup if the internet phone goes down.

Custom Design & Services: www.aesusmd.com, and eStore: aesllc.auctivacommerce.com