Magic Jack provides limited but unlimited long-distance phone access

The kids of this generation who were weaned on Skype – shortly to fall in accordance with big bad Microsoft’s umbrella – or YM or Google Chat will probably not remember my generation’s travails on the subject of long distance calls. Back at the time, phone monopolies were the norm, and by nature, they charged an arm and a leg for international calls. A bit furthermore back, we did not even have the pleasure of direct dialing, and had to pass through telephone operators who would make the connections for us and, I strongly suspect, listen in to hear if you were saying anything subversive or salacious.

Now, nearly anyone can make an international phone call at a fraction of the cost back at that time. However for places like the Philippines, the rates are however relatively steep compared to what our counterparts pay if calls emanate from their jurisdictions. As a result, we have seen the Internet medium take the lead and, with the introduction of many VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) models, provide free or inexpensive calls that pass through one’s computer. With portability now increasingly the norm, and with the or rather flexible and more powerful products on the market today, we see people calling, posting, sending email, or tweeting through their portable units.

I guess the use of the device is legal because it uses VOIP as a medium, something that the other offerings on the market already do. Nevertheless this does not mean that the phone companies like the idea of a device that poaches on their traditional hold on the long distance market.

The use of the device seems to be limited to calls only to and from the two North American countries, USA and Canada. Nevertheless since many Asians likely have kith and kin spread all over the North American continent, this device should be popular with local users. To tell the truth, I have already seen advertisements offering magic-Jack in traditional vending outlets like Sulit.com.

The product is not as magical as we think

The product is not as magical as we think, nevertheless it serves its purpose for those willing to accept certain limitations. For instance, one can only use it to call friends who as well have magic-Jacks installed in their communications devices. And calls can only be made to North America. Yet for people like my life-partner, whose idea of a phone conversation is to chat with her sisters for anywhere from 30 mins to 1 hr, this device would be a godsend.