The company behind the magicJack, the cheap Internet phone gadget that’s been heavily promoted on TV, has made a new version of the device that allows free calls from cell phones in the home, in a fashion that’s sure to draw protest from cellular carriers.
The new magicJack uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses.
YMax Corp., which is based in Palm Beach, Fla., said this week at the International Consumers Electronics Show that it plans to start selling the device in about four months for $40, the same price as the original magicJack. As before, it will provide free calls to the U.S. and Canada for one year.
The device is, in essence, a very small cellular tower for the home.
The size of a deck of cards, it plugs into a PC, which needs a broadband Internet connection. The device then detects when a compatible cell phone comes within 8 feet, and places a call to it. The user enters a short code on the phone. The phone is then linked to the magicJack, and as long as it’s within range (YMax said it will cover a 3,000-square-foot home) magicJack routes the call itself, over the Internet, rather than going through the carrier’s cellular tower. No minutes are subtracted from the user’s account with the carrier. Any extra fees for international calls are subtracted from the user’s account with magicJack, not the carrier.
According to YMax CEO Dan Borislow, the device will connect to any phone that uses the GSM standard, which in the U.S. includes phones from AT&T Inc. and T-Mobile USA. At a demonstration at CES, a visitor’s phone with a T-Mobile account successfully placed and received calls through the magicJack. Most phones from Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. won’t connect to the device.
Borislow said the device is legal because wireless spectrum licenses don’t extend into the home.
AT&T, T-Mobile and the Federal Communications Commission had no immediate comment on whether they believe the device is legal, but said they were looking into the issue. CTIA — The Wireless Association, a trade group, said it was declining comment for now. None of them had heard of YMax’s plans.
Borislow said YMax has sold 5 million magicJacks for landline phones in the last two years, and that roughly 3 million are in active use. That would give YMax a bigger customer base than Internet phone pioneer Vonage Holdings Corp., which has been selling service for $25 per month for the better part of a decade. Privately held YMax had revenue of $110 million last year, it says.
U.S. carriers have been selling and experimenting with devices that act similarly to the wireless magicJack. They’re called “femtocells.” Like the magicJack, they use the carrier’s licensed spectrum to connect to a phone, then route the calls over a home broadband connection. They improve coverage inside the home and offload capacity from the carrier’s towers.
But femtocells are complex products, because they’re designed to mesh with the carrier’s external network. They cost the carriers more than $200, though some sell them cheaper, recouping the cost through added service fees. YMax’s magicJack is a much smaller, simpler design.
T-mobile has UMA, and both service providers' Android phones have apps for Vonage (free calling in the US, no minutes used..and no you don't have to have active service..my 3g phone calls now..canceled my acct in October)
cud it make to cell phones in the us or only landlines?
I have a Majic Jack Plus, Bought a IPod Touch for $99.00, Pay $30.00 A month for 4 gigs of data. Bought a cable that converts Cat5 to Usb2, for $10.99 [Cables Unlimited], Majic Plus, allowed me to port my home phone number for free,you Don’t need a computer to use Majic Jack plus, I have a USB port built into my Car.
I got rid of my home Phone, 69.65 a month bill, Ditched my Local TV Cable company, $107.85 a month. Ditched my cell Phone Company, $218,85 per month with a 21% discount. So all I have is a Majic Jack Plus, Paid for five years, $79.95Paid once see them in 2016, I own the IPod Touch so no bill there, it gives me 5 WiFi connections, you can port TV programs from it to, the new flat screen TV’s great picture, Rent Streaming Movies from Netflix and Block Buster, with the Cat5 to Usb2 Cable, you port from the IPod Touch Dock to Usb to Cat5 plugs ino Majic Jack Plus, In my Car I had saved my old Bag Phone, all you need is the head part, plugs into the Majic Jack Plus Perfect, which is attached to my Car Sterro unit, hands free.
So no home cable or DSL crap or bill, for a Lan connection, No Cable TV bill, No Home Phone Bill no Cell Phone bill, when done this way in auto Any place I go, I have acts lke Feels like Cell phone service, Have any movie I want, any TV stations I want, The WiFi come from the IPod Touch, for my computers, when at home or on road, I use a old StarTec phone when walking any place make calls to anywhere from anywhere I want, have voicemail, Alot of stuff the Majic Jack Plus fits in my pocket, the cell phone and IPod Touch connect to my belt, small not heavy at al, ost important is, What I use to pay for home phone cell phone cabe Tv and Cable land connection and Cell phone, together was $486.37 a month with no over minutes, Now my Monthly cost is 30/bucks a month thats replaces everything! Savings $456 a month, works like a cell phone, uses like a cell phone, looks like a cell phone can go anywhere plus 411 is free, Yes I am a MIT Grad PHd in Eng., what I save a month from before is more than a car payment plus, Love my Majic jack Plus and my IPod Touch, oh yes can play games with others on line like a play station too, I feel like I was reborn back into the 60′s when a single home phone party line was about 15 bucks, TV was free, and it cost a 1,50 to go to a local movie house, with popcorn and a drink per person, except I get to go any time of day!
This device is great, would not trade for the world! Be inventive, it works great! I love the USA!!!!!!!!!!
Great Information here. I’m just wondering who your provider is and don’t you have a problem with being limited to your download Gigs? Also like you I’m tired of what these companies are willing to charge now! Like you I remember those 60′s days all to well!!
MagicJack has worked very well (here in Canada, with a Canadian number). I use it as a primary phone, on a good computer with a good DSL connection with a triple set of normal handsets. Used on a poor computer, with a poor internet connection, it barely functions.
It does not usually have the ability to dial to most 1-800 numbers, and cannot handle massive downloads occuring while a telephone call is occuring – however these are pretty easy to remedy (call the tolled line and don't dload while telephoning). It does drop a call occassionally, but that is simply the Internet failing occassionally, not the device.
USA is cheaper for cell phone data/call plans by about 25 – 40% depending on where you go and how hard you look, in comparison to Canada. Only basic text/phone 'unlimited plans are really in this country. And a time- and data-limited, but reasonable Smartphone package for North American coverage (from Canada) is in the neighborhood of $100 (6 gigs data + 350 minutes, etc.
The magic jack is sweet. It's saved me alot of money. I recommend it to all my friends. Check out: http://www.easymagicjack.org
I really don't like it. I mean it's basically just regular magic jack, but instead of plugging a land line phone into it, it works with cell phones. But, it ONLY works in your home. It doesn't let you take the cell anywhere that's a not a cell phone dead zone and use it there. I thought the whole point of cell phones is you can use them wherever you want. That's why are they called mobile phones. This device only let's you use them in your home, not out and about.
MJ/cell is as "mobile" as the computer it is plugged into.
can be used in the auto if your ride is close to 'hotspot', which is almost everywhere there are people.
on trips, when i make my pitstops i check forra wireless broadband connection. if i find one, i can use the MJ to make calls. toggle switch in MJ program allows use of the built in speaker/mic on my laptop for 'hands free' calling. cell phone not needed AND i'm not paying for the broadband either.
eliminates bogus 'roaming' charges from celly carrier. good vacation strategy as well, broadband avail almost anywhere near hotels.
at home i use simple traditional 'cordless' phone plugged into MJ.
$14.95 a year???
thank you sir, may have another
me parece pero tpero me queda el beneficio de la duda el texto aquí ! Herbert
To see all specs on ur phone u can check out http://www.gsmarena.com, this site will also give u specs to US based and Euro Based phones as well as phones yet to be released.
MagicJack can be used in any country once u know how to configure it, in fact it has been tried, tested and successful.
Just make sure both parties have ample bandwidth any speed higher than 387kbs.
I have been working with the ITU for the past 7yrs, and have extensive knowledge abt wireless devices and cell companies.
Want insider tips, make friends with a telecommunications Pro (Myself), Radioshack employee or a Sales rep for cellphones.
Majic jack couldnt get my MJ to work in Ecuador you need to check it out
GSM has 4 frequencies ranges in which a phone can use at any time; 800,900,1800,1900 MHz . GSM phones are either dual,tri or quad band phones. I know this bcuz I worked in the telecommunications industry for a while, and know the operating frequencies for devices that start using the radio spectrum from 3KHz to 4.5 GHz , that's would include AM radio up to Satellite signals (GPS service). I also have and still use a Motorola v360 (great phone btw). Bluetooth has limited range and even a weaker signal strength freq # under 80Mhz , Using the bluetooth band u have to complete with other devices lik ur hands-free set, car hands-free set and other ppls hands free sets, remember you are all using the same freq. so u will have interference within a scope of 10 -20 ft depending on line of sight. Freq. from 100 -250 range have these; all over-the-air channels and 50 cable channels, police, air force, army, navy, NOAA, civilian and amature bands. (HF – High freq. band ranges from 30Mhz – 300Mhz) CDMA and TDMA use the freq. bands but with their own unique carrier's encryption code (CDMA when tested only goes up to 950MHz) .
TDMA – Time Division Multiple Access, CDMA – Code Division Multiple Access, GSM – Global Service for Mobiles
So plz ppl don't confuse yourself with technical aspects of GSM freq. as well as cellphone carriers freq. There are a lot of free services out there that smart ppl lik cell carriers exploit for money. I know for a fact that a lot of ppl are using the HF band to talk for FREE example: from Russia to Brazil daily, overall equipment costs under -$150 USD, send signals as far as MARS – Priceless.
The gadgets looks cool to me, so no problem. :D
apple could do it, but for now it would work because if you had on in your home, you can simply go to the settings and tap “carrier”, where it will scan and find the magicjack. You tell it to connect and it works! It could happen
nice gadget, that was the technology can do and help us in many ways like improving more machine, invented a device which can repair a things, and also our medicine which is the list in the most person needed to live in this world, and that gadget is a cellphone and you know cellphone help us to give a communication to our relatives around the world