now that's a deal

[novapsyche]

MagicJack's next act: disappearing cell phone fees

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[.]

The new magicJack uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses. [...]

YMax Corp. [...] plans to start selling the device in about four months for $40[.] 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.

This may shake things up.

Edit: Of course, buyer beware. Thanks, fadedpaladin.

Comments

[kittenkissies.livejournal.com]

I would just like a way to improve my cellphone coverage in my house. I live in a dead zone.

[fadedpaladin.livejournal.com]

oh magicjack. friend of mine had one and said it installed oceans of spyware when he tried to install its software.

[novapsyche.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. Oceans, you say. Alrighty then.

[fadedpaladin.livejournal.com]

*shrug* I dunno, he's not a friend whose digital expertise I put much faith in. But that was much of my reasoning against getting one. If I want to talk over my computer, I'll get a new headset from radioshack, and reinstall Skype.

[fadedpaladin.livejournal.com]

(there are >0 google hits on magicjack spyware. that's as far as I'll poke at this for now..)