www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I used my skype to make several calls yesterday and think I was paying about 2 cents per minute. The other day I picked up a magic jack from one friend to take to another. Got me wondering if there are any advantages of one over the other. Maybe the number is cheaper. I do pay about $60? bucks a year for a Miami number. Not gonna change, just curious. I prefer not having the little appendage to deal with.

Don't know, Skype, have had Magic for about 9 months, I think it was $35 for the year, yep you have the appendage and phone, but it works great to CR at I think 6 cents a minute, and when I am there calls back are free, have no clue why. And it has voicemail which sends the message in a WAV file to your email, a dedicated tel number with the area code of your choice, so I am happy with it.

That's what I thought, they are looking fairly equal. I already have skype and don't want to change. And if I had Magic Jack, I don't think I would change either. Thanks for the confirmation DGD.

Love my MagicJack. I use it at my office. I have 5 years of service for $60. And, I can call to CR for 6 cents a minute or so. Can't beat it.

I have my magicjack in SJ. It has a 206 area code in the states. anyone with that area code, or unlimited cell phones, can call free from the states. I can call any number free in the states from CR. $20 a year. Next year I will probably get the 5 year deal for for $60.

I use both everyday and Skype is almost 100% reliable and clear without dropped calls. Sucks to be on a very important call and get disconnected. Magic Jack often gives me static, disconnects calls, one of the callers cant hear the other, etc. Other times Magic Jack is perfect and crystal clear for a two hour call. When the call matters, I use Skype. I use Magic Jack for USA callers to call me and the calls always come through but about half the time, it is staticy and I have to say, "hang up and let me call you right back".

The best is Skype to Skype for free. Amazingly scary clarity.

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* These are the "Good Ole Days". Enjoy Them.

* RENT but, "Don't Buy a Home in Costa Rica" until you have lived here for THREE years.

Magic Jack I believe requires a strong Internet or Wireless connection to sound good.

As long as you have a good connection, MJ is awesome! I have noticed that it works better with a hardwired connection than wifi. With CR wifi, it droops calls sometimes. I have given a MJ to my family in CR, so we can call each other at will for FREE. Their internet connection is pretty good (even by US standards), so call quality is very good and no dropped calls.

We easily call 1000 minutes among each way. That 12,000 minutes calling US to CR and CR to US per year. Before MJ, I used to pay $20/month to my telephone/cable company for 1000 int'l minute plan. That was about 2 years ago. In those 2 years, MJ has cost me $60. The int'l plan would have been $480 and that's only for call from the US to CR. They could not call me.

I would estimate that MJ has saved me at least $2000, including the calls I make and receive when I travel abroad.

BTW-the MJ 5 year plan is now $69.99, about $74 with taxes.

+1 !!!
I agree 100 % with what Orange said above. I've had my Magic Jack for 4 years now, and I can't even imagine how much money it's saved me on calls. And yes - it works fine with a high speed wi-fi connection, but if the system "burps", you'll lose the call. No big deal, just re-dial the number. But if you have a direct connection to the internet (via an ethernet cord) it's much better!

MG

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

There is a new magic jack app for iphone that works FLAWLESSLY and it is free. It dosen't work that great off the 3G but either does skype, but works perfectly off WIFI. Free calling from CR to anywhere I have tried so far.

Why not GOOGLEPHONE?

Can you call cell phones also from CR with the magic Jack? With my skype app on my Iphone I can call anywhere as long as I have a wi fi connection. I can call costa rica from costa rica or CR to USA for pennies a minute.

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I am NOT a Cien Boy!!

I use MJ for free calls to the States from Colombia ($19.95 per year), and SKYPE to call everywhere else. MJ does need at least a "good" level connection to work as advertised. I have excellent internet in Colombia, so Magic Jack works well here, and I use a LAN connection to make calls on MJ.

I know this is an old thread, but just wanted to add....Just get a sip account and you can call for $0.005 per min in north america (usa/canada)

did you meant 0.05 ?
now thats 5 cents......

just my 2 cents