Are MagicJack Problems unique to the MagicJack?

Not all MagicJack problems are MagicJacks alo ne, but problems that fallows all VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) systems. All VoIP services and systems use the same basic technology to receive/deliver phone calls using the internet. How they do this is where some services differ. MagicJack problems may differ from Vonage because of the hardware or VoIP adaptors used to connect and allow voice calls over the internet. But once the call is on the network it is subject to the same possible problems all VoIP services share.

Remember customers who experience little to no MacicJack problems run around 80 % range.

What else makes Magic Jack problems differ from other VoIP phone services?

MagicJack uses a dongle that has a circuit board within that carries the software needed to change analog signal into digital packets that allows use of any standard telephone to place calls over the internet. Vonage uses a VoIP adaptor that connects to your modem and by-pass’s your computer. Skype downloads software directly to your computer and uses your speakers and a microphone to place calls. Special Skype phones can be purchased that you can plug into your computer so that you can have a regular headset for calls.

MagicJack problems can be computer caused.

MagicJack problems can be different then Vonage because computer issues can directly affect its operations.  Here are some of the main MagicJack problems that have been known to cause VoIP issues with the device.

1.      If you are running software that uses a fair amount of cpu will cause MagicJack problems in call quality and may even cause the call to drop all together. Believe it or not some people do not understand this and blame MagicJack problems Solely on the device . The thing you have to understand is that if you use the same computer that you use to play games, download music or any other activity like this and a call comes in or you try and make a call the call quality is going to suffer. Just make sure you stop what you are doing while you are on a call and it will go a lot better for you.

MagicJack problems can also occur if your virus program starts running a scan while you are on the phone or trying to call out. My phone call became choppy and I coudnt understand what the person on the other end was saying at all. I had my Magic Jack VoIP phone service about 3 weeks and had not had a problem like this at all. After trying to call back my party to no avail, I noticed the MacAfee virus icon running a scan. I shut it down and tried the call again and no problem, the call was as clear a regular land line.

2.      Spyware infected computers will cause MagcJack problems also. You will get the same type of symptoms as if a large software or download is running. Essentially that is what is happening. Computer spyware can sap a lot of CPU and cause it to run slow. I believe that this is the major contributor to MagicJack problems because it is affecting the unit without the owner’s knowledge so they naturally blame the MagicJack VoIP service.

I tried my MagicJack on a computer that I knew to be badly affected with spyware and malware. I could hardly complete a call.

Here is the MagicJack problems I experienced:

a.      I would dial a number and I would hear one or two rings then nothing

b.      I would hear my party pickup and say hello and I would start talking and wait for their answer – there was nothing, they were gone.

c.      Choppiness so bad I could not understand one word.

d.      I could hear them but they could not hear me or vice versa.

e.      The soft phone would freeze or not come up on the screen without a reboot of the computer.

There were more little annoyances but you get the picture – Spyware and malware are bad and can cause a host o MagicJack problems.

 After that little experiment I took this old computer and reformatted it, totally scrubbed the hard drive with a hard drive eraser for 20 hours then reinstalled the operating system (windows XP) installed McAfee virus protection and ran all of my security updates. Then I reinstalled the MagicJack.

The MagicJack problems were gone – 95 of the next 100 calls went through from start to end without a problem, most were as clear as my old landline phone service but a few had slightly detectable call quality issues. Three times I could hear a very low eco of myself and several other times it was maybe a little pop sound or a slight static.

Five times the call dropped before it was over. I don’t blame the MagicJack though because it was to a cell phone each time and we all know the annoying cell phone call drop.

 CBS News Report - Company Behind Magic Jack