Magic Jack Review – The setup

This first post will be going over my initial experience with Magic Jack. I had been hearing good things (actually it was just about price) about Magic Jack so I decided to take the plunge.

Magic Jack’s support SUCKS!

Let me say it again, Magic Jack’s support SUCKS!

Why do I say Magic Jack’s support sucks? Well, for one… finding a way to talk to somebody. You can only “Chat” with a customer support representative and may I add you can only chat with them AFTER you have searched their knowledgebase first.

I did some searching around and while I haven’t tried calling it myself I believe I have found the actual phone number for Magic Jack here: “How to contact Magic Jack by Telephone” . Here’s the info I got from that website:

 

MagicJack’s contact information:

MagicJack LP/Ymax Corp, 5700 Georgia Ave., Palm Beach, FL 33405

Telephone: 561-586-3380

Fax: 561-586-2328

 

*NOTE* – You will soon see how Magic Jack continuously forgets or leaves major details out of their communications:

First off when I contacted Magic Jack I asked a few questions. The first one was asking how much it costs for getting started with Magic Jack. I told them I was a Canadian citizen looking to get a number. You’d think they’d be upfront and tell you that they charge you $10 more a year for a Canadian number. Here’s the conversation from the chat:

• Please wait for a site operator to respond.
• You are now chatting with ‘Desmond’
• Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK4190117532477X
• Desmond: Hello, how may I help you?
• Jared Heinrichs: Hi, I was wondering how the "Risk Free trial" works?
• Desmond: Okay, let me explain this to you clearly.
• Jared Heinrichs: Do you have to pay for the Magic Trial device? I don’t want to fill out all my info before I find out how it works
• Jared Heinrichs: I Live in Winnipeg MB Canada
• Desmond: You can use magicJack for 30-days for free and it’s up to you if you will continue or not.
• Desmond: And the amount is only put on hold, but if you decide to discontinue the 30-days trial, we will release the on hold amount.
• Desmond: We will release the on hold amount back to your account.
• Desmond: But if you decide to discontinue the 30-days trial make sure, that you will return the magicJack device before 30-days so that the amount that is put on hold will be release.
• Jared Heinrichs: So is the first 30 days free?
• Jared Heinrichs: even if you continue on
• Jared Heinrichs: How much is device and monthly/yearly cost?
• Jared Heinrichs: Can I get the device online and have it shipped…
• Desmond: Yes, it is free.
• Desmond: The magicJack device cost is $39.95 with a free 1 year of service.
• Desmond: There is no monthly fee for magicJack.
• Desmond: After the free 1 year of service, you can renew your service on below extension plan.
• Desmond: The gold plan or the 1 year additional year of service which only cost $19.95 and the Platinum plan or the five years additional year of service which only cost $69.95.
• Jared Heinrichs: 39.95 is that in Canadian or American?
• Desmond: it’s American rate, US dollar.
• Jared Heinrichs: Once last question…
• Desmond: Sure, what is it?
• Jared Heinrichs: one sec…
• Jared Heinrichs: Call forwarding and voicemail is included in all plans right?
• Desmond: Yes, it is.
• Desmond: It is the one of the free feature of magicJack.
• Jared Heinrichs: Perfect. THank you.
• Jared Heinrichs: Have a good day.
• Desmond: Is there anything else I may help you with today?
• Jared Heinrichs: Nope. You’ve been very helpfull
• Jared Heinrichs: later
• Desmond: Thank you for stopping by to chat, I hope I did a good job at addressing your concerns. Please take a second to answer a one question survey about the service I provided. Please click the "close" button on the top right of this screen and the survey will appear. Thanks again!

That was the first conversation.

I figured I would now buy the device from a local store ie. Memory Express. I went home at lunch. I was excite to open up my Magic Jack. I inserted the Magic Jack into my computer. It seems to startup pretty easy. The first part was pretty easy. Fill out your name. The second screen came up and I saw “To get your Canadian number click here for $10.00” more per year. I checked that off. Of course Magic Jack now wants you to type in your credit card info:

On the screen it is a very basic form. Basically they want you to fill out the information for the credit card. I fill out all required info.

I hit submit after entering my card number and it came back in an error with wrong credit card number. I verified that the card was correct. I deleted the whole number and retyped in the card several times. Each time I got the same issue. I changed my Postal code to have a space thinking maybe that was the issue. I then proceeded to try putting spacing just like the credit card has. That didn’t work. I then tried another credit card and that came back with another error.

Since I was going to be late I didn’t want to spend much more time setting this thing up. I noticed that there was a big button that said something like: I see you’re having troubles. You can always take your FREE phone number right now and after things are setup you can then change to a Canadian number. No where did it say there was going to be an extra charge. I decided to just take the free number and get my Canadian number later.

I went into my.magicjack.com software and went to go change the number. I had my credit card ready. I login no problem and then see the change phone number button. I click that and then it tell me I’m going to be charged an extra 4.95 for my first change, and $10 for each change afterwards. I think to myself there must be some mistake so I contact Magic Jack Technical support. Here’s the log from that conversation:

• Please wait for a site operator to respond.
• You are now chatting with ‘Ethel’
• Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK4190117682280X
• Ethel: Hello, how may I help you?
• Jared Heinrichs: Hi I just bought a Magic Jack today and I haven’t been happy so far… MAybe you can help…
• Jared Heinrichs: I am from Canada
• Jared Heinrichs: looking for a 204 number
• Jared Heinrichs: During the setup of the phone I picked I want a Canadian number
• Jared Heinrichs: I selected a number
• Jared Heinrichs: I chose "Canadian NumbeR" for 10
• Jared Heinrichs: dollar
• Ethel: Sure.
• Jared Heinrichs: I was then prompted to enter my credit card info
• Jared Heinrichs: Both cards have tons of credit
• Ethel: Did you complete the procedure?
• Jared Heinrichs: Yes.. Let me finish
• Ethel: Sure, yo umay.
• Jared Heinrichs: I tried entering MAster Card (Said there was something wrong with) I re entered the info several times and the apps still said there was something wrong
• Jared Heinrichs: I then tried my American Express
• Jared Heinrichs: Again
• Jared Heinrichs: it said it was wrong
• Ethel: Okay.
• Jared Heinrichs: In a Window it said "Click here to get a FREE number.. You can always change back to a Canadian number later by logging into my.magicjack.com later
• Jared Heinrichs: I went and finished the setup. I picked a number in North Dekota
• Jared Heinrichs: I then logged into Magic Jack and it now says there is a charge to change number
• Jared Heinrichs: How do I get my Canadian numbeR?
• Ethel: Okay, I see.
• Jared Heinrichs: I am at my.magicjack.com right now
• Ethel: Since you have picked a phone number already.
• Jared Heinrichs: yes
• Ethel: You will be charged for the change.
• Ethel: US to Canadian (first time change) = $4.95(one time charge) + $10.00 (annual fee).
• Jared Heinrichs: Look above… In the install of the phone it wouldn’t take my credit card… THere WAS NO MENTION There would be an extra charge!!!
• Jared Heinrichs: It said… If it doesn’t go through there will be an extra charge!
• Jared Heinrichs: It siad pick one now to finish the setup… You can easily change the FREE number to the Canadian number at any time!
• Ethel: Yes, you change, Jared.
• Ethel: however, you will pay for it.
• Jared Heinrichs: I understand I will pay $10.00 for Canadian line
• Jared Heinrichs: number
• Ethel: Canadian phone number will cost you $10 and the change would be $4.95.
• Jared Heinrichs: Come on.. THere is no mention of that and it was your service that wasn’t working
• Jared Heinrichs: I want to talk with a Manager
• Jared Heinrichs: To top things off there was no mention about Canadian number costing more either
• Jared Heinrichs: I’m pre-paired to pay the 10
• Jared Heinrichs: but not for the switch since it was YOUR companies fault
• Ethel: One moment please…
• Ethel: I am transferring you to one of our top 10% agents as rated by our customers. Please hold while I transfer you.
• Please wait while I transfer the chat to the best suited site operator.
• You are now chatting with ‘Ashton’
• Your Issue ID for this chat is LTK4190117682280X
• Ashton: Hello Jared. My name is Ashton. To better assist you, let me put you on hold while I read your previous chat/s. Thank you.
• Jared Heinrichs: Hi Ashton please call me at 204-799-7583
• Ashton: Thank you for waiting.
• Jared Heinrichs: BTW – I write a Tech blog @ http://jaredheinrichs.com that I will be writing a review of my experience
• Ashton: We loved to talk you on phone but, we only engaged through this chat.
• Jared Heinrichs: Hopefully you can be a lot more helpfull then the last person
• Ashton: Please be informed that selecting FREE number will only provide you a US number.
• Jared Heinrichs: I understand
• Jared Heinrichs: I wanted a Canadian NUmber.. I tried paying for a Canadian number!
• Ashton: Change of phone number will cost you for $ $4.95. It wasn’t mention that change of free of number is for free.
• Jared Heinrichs: exactly
• Jared Heinrichs: How do I do this .. I was told I would be paying a total of 14.95 after everything is said and done
• Jared Heinrichs: I am only willing to pay the $10 it cost to get a Canadian number
• Jared Heinrichs: I’m at the site … How do I finish the setup
• Ashton: Yes, you can pay the amount for Canadian number for $10 but there’s a charge for changing of number for $4.95.
• Jared Heinrichs: Ashton…
• Jared Heinrichs: Can you please read what has been said..
• Jared Heinrichs: Okay?
• Jared Heinrichs: 1.) I bought the MAgic JAck
• Jared Heinrichs: 2.) I started the setup…
• Jared Heinrichs: 3.) YOUR system wouldn’t except either my MAster Card or my American Express
• Jared Heinrichs: 4.) THe screen said Click here to finish.. You can change your number to a Canadian at any time
• Jared Heinrichs: No where did it say … You’ll have to fork out another 4.95
• Jared Heinrichs: And actually I save the chat from yesterday… I asked how much magic cost for Canadians looking for a number and the person failed to mention that there was an extra fee for Canadians…
• Jared Heinrichs: It seems like Magic JAck is in the bunsiness of forgetting to tell people things!
• Jared Heinrichs: Is all the customer service this way?
• Ashton: I understand but you should not selected a free number for your magicJack device.
• Jared Heinrichs: So if YOUR system wasn’t taking my credit card number
• Jared Heinrichs: what should I have done?
• Ashton: If our system didn’t your card. You should use another card or try again later or contacted us.
• Jared Heinrichs: I did
• Jared Heinrichs: two
• Jared Heinrichs: Master Card
• Jared Heinrichs: American Express
• Jared Heinrichs: Both have TONS of credit left
• Jared Heinrichs: If this isn’t resolved I am getting my master card to reverse my payment of the orginal Magic Jack…
• Jared Heinrichs: I will aslos be calling 561-586-3380 tonight
• Ashton: I apologize for that but there’s way we can waive the amount for changing of phone number.
• Jared Heinrichs: Well why can’t you just say that from the get go
• Jared Heinrichs: I was really pumped about getting a magic jack
• Jared Heinrichs: I am now very not happy
• Jared Heinrichs: Can you please change the setup info to let clients know?
• Jared Heinrichs: That’s absurd of how little info you tell people about things like that
• Ashton: You can only that option once you change number on your account at my.magicjack.com
• Jared Heinrichs: ok I’m there
• Jared Heinrichs: Please walk me though
• Jared Heinrichs: so I am only paying 10.00 and making sure that 4.95 is waived like you said
• Ashton: No, Sir.
• Ashton: What I mean is that you can only the amount for change of phone number for $4.95 once you change your number.
• Jared Heinrichs: Plain english please! THat last sentence did not make sense
• Ashton: If you’re asking  were you can see the amount for change phone number. Then you can only see that on your account at my.magicjack.com. There’s no way we can waive that out.
• Jared Heinrichs: Ashton: I apologize for that but there’s way we can waive the amount for changing of phone number.
• Jared Heinrichs: If you read above you said you CAN waive that amount
• Ashton: My mistake. That’s was wrong. It should be "I apologize for that but there’s no way we can waive the amount for changing of phone number".
• Jared Heinrichs: I’ve never had such crappy support. Please go to http://jaredheinrichs.com for a complete review of Magic Jack in a couple of days. I will make sure to mention both you and the other person.. I am also going to talk to MAster Card about not paying for Magic Jack… You just lost a customer
• Jared Heinrichs: I am giving one last chance
• Jared Heinrichs: Is that a yes or no
• Ashton: I’m really sorry but we can’t waive that out.
• Jared Heinrichs: Ok. Then you lost a customer

As you can see I was getting a bit annoyed but I feel Magic Jack really needs to change how they handle their customers.

I was so upset I called my credit card company. They talked to me and were so far really helpful. They told me just to pay the amount and then they’d get the $4.95 refunded for me. I haven’t heard back yet from them but I will try and remember to update this post to let you know how that went.