Best VOIP Anybody with real experience? Suggestions?

[O2HeN2]

Was it Magic Jack that had the cheesy "As seen on TV" commercials decades ago?

Yep.

I thought so. Which, unfortunately was why I initially rejected it. I figured it was junk.

Once I saw a couple positive reviews I took a harder look at it and went that route. Immediate gratification from Best Buy had a little to do with it, too.

ObiTalk looks promising too, just a step up in complexity since you have a device, then you choose a VoIP provider. Not bad, just another step.

So for the record:

https://www.magicjack.com/ (Available at Best Buy)
https://www.obitalk.com/ (Needs a VoIP provider, like Google Voice)
https://www.ooma.com/ (a bit more expensive, but more features - figure out if you need them)

I will say that looking at MagicJack reviews, good luck if you need technical support.
For Ooma, good luck if you try and cancel. Sounds like most people have to contact their bank and block the charge in order to stop them from withdrawing fees.

O2

[StagLefty]

What is "landline"?

$40 a year option to bajillion dollar cell phones

[00tec]

$40 a year option to bajillion dollar cell phones

I actually have a landline number, since my ISP requires it. It isnt even wired into the house. Ends at the demarcation box.

[brutal]

Late to the party. Love our Ooma Telo and remote handset and have had it for longer than I can remember. I pay the extra annual fee for the spam call filtering and it's worth it. I can blacklist numbers that sneak through. The Lynx remote WiFi telco adapter is also handy to use an old $5 POTS phone remotely.

[Gman]

What is "landline"?

A phone that works at your home when you have crappy cell coverage.

[O2HeN2]

Ok, something to be aware of with MagicJack. If you want to port your existing phone number to MagicJack, the name on the existing phone account must match EXACTLY with the name on the MagicJack account.

If it doesn't, it won't port.

There is no way to change the name of the account online.

In order to change the name on the account, you must send a NOTARIZED change of name form to MagicJack.

So make sure you get the name right when you signup. I signed up, but the phone is in the GF's name.

O2

[Ah Pook]

I tried Magicjack before Ooma. Ported the number and everything. Didn't work. Pulling teeth to port the # to Ooma. Big thumbs down on MJ.

Up front, Ooma costs but it's $5(ish) for "tele" taxes a month after that.

[O2HeN2]

I tried Magicjack before Ooma. Ported the number and everything. Didn't work.

How long ago?

Could you expand on "Didn't work". The number didn't port or the service didn't work? Details?

O2

[StagLefty]

I tried Magicjack before Ooma. Ported the number and everything. Didn't work. Pulling teeth to port the # to Ooma. Big thumbs down on MJ.

When I got the MJ and requested my same phone number, the day Century turned off my service the MJ kicked on and I had my same number. This was quite a few years ago and transition was smooth then.

[brutal]

For anyone reading.

DO NOT cancel your prior service until that number is ported over to a new provider, you will lose it.

P.S. if not already mentioned, when I did mine it was only a $25 (or maybe it was free?) port cost because I bought the ooma enhanced service bundle. $120/year.

There used to be a way to port it to google for free first using a cell phone, but I honestly don't recall all the gyrations required.