I am trying to find cheaper phone service. I been using a magicjack the last couple of weeks. It works well when it works. During the day time the phone is very very spotty. Its either not available, busy, or the vmail doesn't pick up. Sound quality is decent and the tech support is not that bad either. Support is just through a web browser chat, but its been decent. But the phone is just not reliable. I have been looking at skype, does anyone know how is their service?
Is Skype any good?
- Thread starter classy
- Start date
Skype's always been pretty hit-or-miss with me. A lot of times the connection would go....robotic or metallic(?)....sounding on both ends for a few seconds and then switch back to normal. This usually happened on my end and on the other end. I don't know if that's common or rare or what, though. I think most users are satisfied with it.
Why not use SIP?
edit: anyone have any news from grand central? I put in for a ph# several weeks ago, but have not gotten any response back yet.
edit: anyone have any news from grand central? I put in for a ph# several weeks ago, but have not gotten any response back yet.
I use Skype and it works really well (voice quality is excellent), especially for the price. Here are two problems with it if you get the full service (Skype In, which is a real number and Skype Out which allows dialing out to real numbers):
1) When you dial out, the number that shows up on the other persons caller id is "Unknown" or random numbers not your own number. This is for certain countries only, with the U.S. being one of them. Many people may be reluctant to answer a call with such a caller id profile.
2) The voicemail service is really basic, i.e. you can't press "1" for more options or "#" when you are done, etc. The rest of the voicemail is good.
1) When you dial out, the number that shows up on the other persons caller id is "Unknown" or random numbers not your own number. This is for certain countries only, with the U.S. being one of them. Many people may be reluctant to answer a call with such a caller id profile.
2) The voicemail service is really basic, i.e. you can't press "1" for more options or "#" when you are done, etc. The rest of the voicemail is good.
My problem with using skype (and other such internet phone services) is that when you start uploading or downloading something large, your phone service is essentially toast unless you have some way of making sure sufficient bandwidth for a conversation is always available......
I still have a stupid landline I'm trying to get rid of, but I haven't found a voip or digital service that is actually as reliable and stable as a plain old landline. I hate paying that much for just the landline though, you'd think the prices on those would drop with everyone going to cell phone plans.
I still have a stupid landline I'm trying to get rid of, but I haven't found a voip or digital service that is actually as reliable and stable as a plain old landline. I hate paying that much for just the landline though, you'd think the prices on those would drop with everyone going to cell phone plans.
funboy6942
Lifer
- Nov 13, 2001
- 15,368
- 418
- 126
I have had skype for going on 2 years, costs me $60 a year with a added phone number so my family in Chicago can call me as a local rather then long distance to my home number, and I have yet to have one single problem at all with it. I use a Linsys portable phone I got off ebay that really makes using skype even easier.
I have never tried magic jack yet, but not really wanting to just because skype is so cheap as it is compared to what it would cost me per month with all I get with skype, I dont feel the need to change a good thing atm.
I should mention I have yet to have a problem with the above stated, only though when I was on a 6mb line, and was downloading games to gametap, at which point the internet line would slow down, but this was not a problem with skype, but bandwith being used. if I tried to use it, I would get garbled sound, but if not downloading games when I was on a 6mb line, it never gave any other problems.
NOW though I am on a 10mb line it doesnt matter if I am downloading game to game tap, or doing what ever the hell I want on the internet, the only time it messes up is when I am over working my pc and try to make a call, thats a big no no, and yet again not a skype problem, but my slow ass single core pc.
I have never tried magic jack yet, but not really wanting to just because skype is so cheap as it is compared to what it would cost me per month with all I get with skype, I dont feel the need to change a good thing atm.
I should mention I have yet to have a problem with the above stated, only though when I was on a 6mb line, and was downloading games to gametap, at which point the internet line would slow down, but this was not a problem with skype, but bandwith being used. if I tried to use it, I would get garbled sound, but if not downloading games when I was on a 6mb line, it never gave any other problems.
NOW though I am on a 10mb line it doesnt matter if I am downloading game to game tap, or doing what ever the hell I want on the internet, the only time it messes up is when I am over working my pc and try to make a call, thats a big no no, and yet again not a skype problem, but my slow ass single core pc.
I use Skype all the time. If both sides have a good Internet connection then it can work wonders.
Really? I got to check this out. Thanks.
Edit: Awesome, I noticed they fixed this issue and you can now display your caller ID as a US customer. Thanks guys!
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