MagicJack Plus vs. netTalk Duo

If there’s been one particular sign of how research has changed the way businesses of all sizes work, it’s the evolution of the telephone. In a world where landlines have given way to mobile phones and software like Skype, communication and telecommuting has never been the same.

And that’s what Voice over Internet Protocol in point of fact is — game-changing telephony that has brought the world closer to our fingertips — and at a much cheaper cost than could’ve ever been imagined. Skype may be immensely popular, however it’s products like the netTalk Duo and magicJack Plus that make VoIP a more interesting landline alternative.

Both are USB dongles that plug in to a telephone, a router and a power outlet. The key to that combination is that there is no computer involved. Unlike previous models or services, a PC or Mac is only needed to set up your phone number, however isn’t needed to make or take calls. That is, your home or office phone will act like any regular landline finally.

Both services offer voice mail, caller ID, call forwarding, call waiting, your own phone number and free calls to anywhere in the U.S. and Canada. Long distance calls to other countries are as well at pretty competitive rates compared to other vendors.

To make all this work, you must have a broadband connection, so those who are stuck using dialup or satellite service for rural communities won’t be able to make use of either product because a minimum 128kbps upload rate is required.

Ethernet port

Each dongle has an Ethernet port, a phone jack and a USB port or plug. These two differ in that the netTalk Duo has a mini-USB port that its power adapter plugs into, during the magicJack Plus has a regular USB plug that pops out, which can either be plugged into a USB extension cable or directly into the power adapter.