Magic Jack free app?

[Mapu]

Friends just back from Asia told us about the Magic Jack app last night. Using wi-fi you can call internationally for free. Anyone have ant experience with it?

[chrysalis]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1905197&highlight=magic+jack

[Frugalist]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1905197&highlight=magic+jack

I posted this in the thread you linked to:

 

"based on the above reports, it sounds like using the ship's internet is not very practical (if at all possible) for Magic Jack calls. By the way, if you're Platinum, you get at least 150 free minutes per cruise.

 

"I have the Magic Jack app on my Kindle Fire HD, and it works great. I used it to make free calls back to the states when we were in Canada last summer. I have no doubt it would work equally well at an internet cafe in port anywhere around the world.

 

"I also have the free Text+ app on my Fire HD and it works beautifully to send unlimited free texts. It works off an internet connection, not a cell phone connection. Since it's not a bandwidth hog like a Magic Jack or Skype call, I suspect it would work nicely using the ship's internet."

 

With a Magic Jack account, and the Magic Jack app on your mobile device, you can call back to the US for free from anywhere you have a wifi connection. As mentioned in the thread, you should make your calls from an internet cafe in port.

[Colo Cruiser]

Majic Jack did not work on the Sapphire this month and did not work on the Star in October.

 

Its a hit and miss proposition.

[Mapu]

I posted this in the thread you linked to:

 

"based on the above reports, it sounds like using the ship's internet is not very practical (if at all possible) for Magic Jack calls. By the way, if you're Platinum, you get at least 150 free minutes per cruise.

 

"I have the Magic Jack app on my Kindle Fire HD, and it works great. I used it to make free calls back to the states when we were in Canada last summer. I have no doubt it would work equally well at an internet cafe in port anywhere around the world.

 

"I also have the free Text+ app on my Fire HD and it works beautifully to send unlimited free texts. It works off an internet connection, not a cell phone connection. Since it's not a bandwidth hog like a Magic Jack or Skype call, I suspect it would work nicely using the ship's internet."

 

With a Magic Jack account, and the Magic Jack app on your mobile device, you can call back to the US for free from anywhere you have a wifi connection. As mentioned in the thread, you should make your calls from an internet cafe in port.

 

Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices so I think with that option and the Magic Jack app we should be all set. I was never intending to use the ship wi-fi for MJ calls because the bandwidth issue has been an issue for a long time.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices.

 

This would not be free using the ships cell service.

[Mapu]

Thank you. We have I phones and free iMessaging to other Apple devices so I think with that option and the Magic Jack app we should be all set. I was never intending to use the ship wi-fi for MJ calls because the bandwidth issue has been an issue for a long time.

 

 

 

This would not be free using the ships cell service.

 

When I iMessage from my iPad it is over wi-fi not cell service.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Mapu

[Potstech]

Used it an a recent trip to Ireland, shore trip, and it worked great. Have not tried onboard a ship. I would wait to get into port and find a free wifi to make any calls.

[-Lew-]

I used magicJack on the Royal last year in the Med. Colo Cruiser is right...it's hit or miss. You're at the mercy of the ship's Wi-Fi.

 

Lew

[CaptainKlutz]

I figured I'd try my Galaxy SII (T-Mobile) on the Grand next month. It has wi-fi calling built in. Not sure if I expect it to work or not, but figured it would be worth a try with some of my 150 minutes.

[danielsumner]

I've had my MagicJack account for many years. I used to carry the dongle with me and connect a handset to it. Always worked. I have the App now on my cell phone and my Galaxy Note 8.0. Works perfectly. I have called home from as far away as Africa.

[Colo Cruiser]

I've had my MagicJack account for many years. I used to carry the dongle with me and connect a handset to it. Always worked. I have the App now on my cell phone and my Galaxy Note 8.0. Works perfectly. I have called home from as far away as Africa.

 

What cruise line were you on when you called?

[runnerodb83]

there are a variety of VoIP (voice over internet) that don't require additional purchase and should work on the ship. Skype is one, just use audio only mode to improve call quality. Google Voice is another.

[Loonbeam]

From my FAQ:

 

Skype, Facetime, Etc.

 

A common question is whether Skype and similar services will work on cruise ships, and the answer is yes, but…

 

The amount of information (bandwith) that can be sent and received from the ship is very limited due to it being a satellite connection. Skype (especially with video) consumes a large portion of that capacity. This has two effects, possibly making your connection very poor, but also reducing the amount available to the other ships passengers. Depending on the satellite signal, 3 or 4 skype users can take up almost half of the total capacity for all passengers.

 

For this reason some ship’s engineers block voip and streaming services. This is becoming more common as the amount of smartphones and other devices proliferate.

 

If you need to use such a service, connecting during off hours (very late evenings, very early mornings and while in port) can reduce both your issues and impact on other passengers.

 

 

--

 

 

VOIP is only practical over the ship's wi-fi, trying to do it with cell data would be enormously expensive (based on non-discounted data rates, probably in the area of $8-12 per minute depending on compression, and thats assumning cell data bandwith could support it.

[Colo Cruiser]

there are a variety of VoIP (voice over internet) that don't require additional purchase and should work on the ship. Skype is one, just use audio only mode to improve call quality. Google Voice is another.

 

 

You still need a reliable wifi signal to use any of them. I would not call the ships wifi reliable and it costs a fortune.

[Pam in CA]

You still need a reliable wifi signal to use any of them. I would not call the ships wifi reliable and it costs a fortune.

Not to mention that if perchance you are able to use Skype, you're hogging the bandwidth for everyone else and very possibly costing them WiFi time and money.

[danielsumner]

What cruise line were you on when you called?

 

I made a call on RCCL Freedom on the Seas last year, worked just like at home.

[2disneydads]

You also can use an app called Viber to make calls to another computer or smart phone that also has Viber. Viber works over the internet. I've made calls back to the US from places as remote as Myanmar using Viber and an internet connection. It is a free app.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Julia’s Journey’s]

I used the magic jack plugged into my laptop and the ships free wifi in 2011 on our TA to call my kids and it worked great.

 

Last year I put the app on my kindle and called hubby from Europe as I didn't have free wifi onboard so called from land based restaurants etc - again worked great.

 

On the Royal TA I used it on my kindle with the ships free wifi and again worked great - I use earbuds with a mic and as yet haven't had a problem.

I haven't used it on my iphone.

[pablo222]

Not to mention that if perchance you are able to use Skype, you're hogging the bandwidth for everyone else and very possibly costing them WiFi time and money.

 

No difference between skype-voice-only vs. magic jack.

[Posaune]

I have used Magic Jack plugged into my laptop on at least four cruises (Europe and Caribbean) and had no issues at all. It worked great.

[satxdiver]

Any app that requires high band usage on a ship is iffy at best. The ship network administrator can program in blocks for certain apps like VOIP. They also can program in bandwidth limitations to keep a few users from using most of the bandwidth available.

 

You need to look at who is on the ship and what electronic devices they are carrying. With the current popularity of tablets and their proliferation on the ship, the fixed available bandwidth can go fast. Add to this the age of the WiFi equipment on the ship as newer equipment is faster and uses less overhead.

[Loonbeam]

Technically, Skype uses a different compression scheme which is slightly less efficient for audio than magic jack. But its not that much of a difference.

 

No difference between skype-voice-only vs. magic jack.