Telephone Tech: Magic Jack May Eliminate Phone Bills

A new, low-cost device could mean the end to your phone bill. Years ago, in the first ever video to air on MTV, a generation learned that video killed the radio star. Today, a new broadband-driven technology appears poised to push the phone company dinosaur one step closer to the brink of extinction.

The device is called Magic Jack. Roughly the size of a cell phone, the small box plugs directly into your computer via the USB port. Your home telephone is then plugged into the device. Once connected, unlimited local and long distance calling await.

Magic-Jack customers receive a new telephone number and phone service along with a compliment of features including Caller ID, Call Forwarding and Voice Mail. There is no additional equipment needed. What Skype and Vonage once promised, this technology delivers.

At $39.95, Magic Jack costs about the same as one month's service from your local phone company. The device can be used anywhere there's a computer with broadband access. Once connected, you simply use your phone as you normally would.

After 12 months, you can renew and enjoy another year of service for $19.95. There are no monthly phone bills or fees. Looking forward, the low costs associated with the Magic Jack service may prove to open a host of convenient and cost-saving possibilities for consumers.

For maximum savings, Magic Jack can be used to completely replace your current phone service. Simply call the phone company, close your account and pocket the savings. Should you prefer to keep your current service and phone number, a Magic Jack could serve as an inexpensive second line for your home or business. Calls made over the internet using this technology are crystal clear and virtually indistinguishable from a land-line.

Take your Magic Jack with you on vacation or a business trip and make toll-free calls to anywhere in the United States or Canada. Parents can buy one exclusively for the kids. They'll enjoy having their own private number and the service could easily result in fewer overage fees on the family cell phone bill.

With nearly all colleges and universities now providing broadband service to their students, Magic Jack will enable homesick students to keep in touch with family and friends. Small businesses can use the voice mail feature to record outgoing messages with announcements and information for their customers. Magic Jack can also be useful for protecting your privacy. For online applications, classified ads and any occasion when you would prefer not to share your private number, Magic Jack provides a viable alternative. The future of phone technology is here and Magic Jack will lead the revolution with cost effective phone service.