Cheap Phone

[snusgetter]

Don't listen to PP, the last time telephone technology got him excited was with the Magic Jack. $19.99 a year! Magic Jack.

A friend of mine, whose wife has family in Peru, got tired of paying the charges she incurred monthly calling family members. Evidently he had some kind of bundle through Comcast that included 300 minutes a month for international calls. His wife is not known as a 'talker' ... but I guess there's a lot to talk about when calling madre & padre! Myself, I think it takes longer to convey thoughts in Spanish, which is probably why she talks so fast (like a woman possessed).

Anyway, he got some kind of Magic Jack trial offer online. After 2 months he's canceled his Comcast International Plan and won't look back. The calls are clear; he calls me on the 'Jack Line' and I can't tell the difference from his regular landline.

I've considered getting one but I need to find out more about how well it works over DSL.



Oh yeah ... he decided to really save a bundle so he outfitted her parents with their own Magic Jack... Evidently there are no fees involved when talking Jack-to-Jack. Nothing like FREE!!

[precious007]

Yes I did say that 'cause I don't give out the number except to select friends and family members.

If a number pops up that I'm not familiar with, I just ignore the call. Just like my landline has an answering machine; people who don't identify themselves are ignored. No telemarketers and no BS calls ... and I don't have to pay an extra fee to the telecoms.

I learned a long time ago that I didn't need/want the aggravation and won't pay extra for the so-called advantages. I can then spend my $$ in other ways.

So in essence, I guess you can say I don't have a cell phone!!

Awesome...

Just like I gave my number out on a 4Life conference last week
And one of their managers gave me a set of CD's ... Now they're bothering me all day to come and discuss more /and/or give them back the CD's .... What the hell was in my head when I gave out my cell phone number... just can't figure out

[WickedKitchen]

The Military officers under Hitlers command used Sprint. With a two year contract.


just sayin

Zig Heil!

[teeotee]

WK, you thought about getting an unlocked GSM phone from Ebay? You can get one real cheap especially if you don't care about getting a newer phones with all the fancy stuff on it. Then buy a Sim card and recharge when you want, no contract.
I was just looking at a T-Mobile Sim card, $140 for the card, starts with 1000 minutes. Card is initially valid for for 12 months but extend-able with recharges, only have to do one recharge in 12 months, recharges are $25.00 or $50.00. Don't know how minutes are in the recharge though.

Something to think about

[devilock76]

I've considered getting one but I need to find out more about how well it works over DSL.

I know many DSL providers block voip services such as vonage, cable modems tend to be better suited for VOIP.

I will say the magic jack doesn't appeal to me. I like vonage because there is no need to keep a computer running the whole time, just a router for it. However that being said if you are considering magic jack you should look into skype and or Google voice.

This is all getting off the subject of cell phones though.

Ken

[lxskllr]

I've heard mixed reports on MagicJack, but they tend to be favorable. It's cheap as hell to get, so it's a mall gamble for a potentially large payoff if you use a phone lot. If I were looking for a cheap phone, MagicJack would b first on my list to try.

[snusgetter]

... This is all getting off the subject of cell phones though.
Ken

YES and NO...

I've seen mention of smartphone apps for Skype and Google Voice.

And now there's evidently a low-bandwidth version of Skype available:

Skype trims software for aid workers


Skype announced a bare-bones version of its software designed
to work over very low bandwidth connections.

GENEVA - INTERNET phone company Skype announced a bare-bones version of its software on Monday designed to work over very low bandwidth connections that often are the only links aid workers in far flung places have to the outside world.

Skype S.A. chief executive Tony Bates said the company redesigned its application after being approached by the UN refugee agency to help staff working in remote locations communicate with loved ones back home.

Such calls have previously been a rare treat for aid workers, who in addition to enduring harsh climates and the threat of violence also struggle with loneliness when they are catapulted at short notice into emergency situations where regular cell phone networks, let alone landlines, don't reach.

'It's a technology breakthrough in terms of what we can do with Skype, because we're doing this at a very low bandwidth,' Mr Bates told The Associated Press.

The regular version of Skype is banned from some of UNHCR's field stations because it is too data hungry, competing with mission-critical applications for bandwidth over precious satellite and microwave connections.

The new version - actually based on an older incarnation of Skype that is now obsolete - can carry voice calls over Internet hookups no faster than the dial-up connections used in the early 1990s. -- AP




I would imagine this app should work anywhere, not just in the afore-mentioned locations.

[devilock76]

Yes but such applications still require a cell phone data service to work. See that is the thing there are a lot of VOIP options that can be mobile but full mobile voip requires smartphones with data plans so they don't come in as a replacement solution really. They can be used in tandem though in a way that get you more use from a lower cost plan. For example 99% of my texting goes through google voice and I am slowly switching my calling to it so I get free voice to text voicemail transcriptions. The call screening is nice as well.

Ken

[snusgetter]

Yes but such applications still require a cell phone data service to work. See that is the thing there are a lot of VOIP options that can be mobile but full mobile voip requires smartphones with data plans so they don't come in as a replacement solution really. They can be used in tandem though in a way that get you more use from a lower cost plan. For example 99% of my texting goes through google voice and I am slowly switching my calling to it so I get free voice to text voicemail transcriptions. The call screening is nice as well.

Ken

See ... all the stuff one has to contend with!! I just want(ed) a phone for occasional use with
no hassle. The Tracfone has more than served that purpose.

I started with what was referred to as a 'banana phone' ... ugly and bulky. About 5-6 years
ago I got a Motorola flip-phone for about $50 and my only expense about 6 months ago
was for a new battery for ~$10.

No muss .. no fuss. Perfect!!

[devilock76]

See ... all the stuff one has to contend with!! I just want(ed) a phone for occasional use with
no hassle. The Tracfone has more than served that purpose.

I started with what was referred to as a 'banana phone' ... ugly and bulky. About 5-6 years
ago I got a Motorola flip-phone for about $50 and my only expense about 6 months ago
was for a new battery for ~$10.

No muss .. no fuss. Perfect!!

I hear you. For me the phone and in this case the iphone is a productivity device. Of course there are days were I wonder just how much less productive I would actually be without it.

Ken

[ChaoticGemini]

I have a virgin pre-pay that I pay on a monthly plan. I have had it for a number of years and it's $12/month for 200 minutes.