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I primarily use Skype because it seems to have the largest world-wide reach and can be used on a desktop, tablet, smartphone and even with a dedicated Skype phone, if needed.
Overall, I would say Skype is the most reliable with a decent Internet connection (200Kb or better). I have a premium account at $60 a year and I pay $30 a year for a dedicated phone number and even another number I can call to make Skype calls from anywhere to anywhere at Skype prices. It's less than $10 a month overall.
The only WEIRD thing is that Skype has no process to convert from a Personal to Business account which I thought was incredibly stupid so I didn't use them for my business phones, not to mention that their business setup is confusing as hell.
I went with Nextiva for my business phones but I am not happy with that choice so I would not recommend them.
An alternative that works really well is Google Voice but that product is confusing as it WAS a standalone app but now also seems to be merged with Google Hangouts so I don't know the long term availability or how it will end up.
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never used Magic Jack
Have used Skype with lots of success for just voice calls
Have used Google Hangouts for voice calls and it just works.
To err is human to really mess up you need a computer
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We replace our landline with Vonage 2 1/2 years ago and have no regrets. I notice no difference in clarity which I did notice with Skype. We have AT&T DSL. Saves us over half what we used to pay for overseas calls and they have an app for your cellphone so you can piggy back and get the same rates on you cell.
Toto1107
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You might look at Republic Wireless service - for $5 a month (plus adders) they give you Wifi-based "cell service" anywhere you can get Wifi. You have to pay for a Moto-G or Moto-X up front. For $10 a month (I pay around $11.70 with everything) you get voice-only cell service (Sprint-based) when you are out of Wifi range. The sound on Wifi has gotten a lot better than it used to be, too. I am still stuck with a contract cell phone, but I use this for a "home phone" that I can carry everywhere.
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If you only want a number to be called to, then Skype will do it, If you want to place calls as well (or redirect the calls to a physical line), then Skype and perhaps Viber will do it.
Right now I use Skype on this setup: a Skype number to be called on and an unlimited plan to both redirect calls to my cellphone and to place calls to other countries.
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Found it wouldn't call to a couple of the free phone conferencing systems I needed to use for work.
The out-of-box was good. Their web site and approach is all-sell, all the time, which is a bit of a put-off. Other than that, they presented a professional and no-non-sense face.
The MJ thingee worked at a couple of places, WA and CA. Not high performance net connections.
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I would add Google voice to your list. A) It gives you a permanent number, which they let you customize which you can then set to forward to any number of phones. B) Voicemail services are terrific, you can screen calls, setup custom voicemails for different people, have it text you a transcript of the voicemail. C) Google has integrated their Hangouts technology into Google Voice so you can call from your computer or a smartphone as well as send SMS messages.
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Accordion to a recent survey, replacing words with the names of musical instruments in a sentence often goes undetected.
~RaGE();
I think words like 'destiny' are a way of trying to find order where none exists. - Christian Graus
Entropy isn't what it used to.
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I have an accordion for sale... $300 oboe.
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Don't be a bassoon! $300 is too much.
/ravi
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Feel free to try before you buy. Fiddle around with it for a while and make an offer.
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I fear you're stringing me along.
/ravi
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Be careful, someone is taking notes.
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Rage wrote: often goes undetected
More often it leads to violins.
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You know there's a documented connection between sax and violins.
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Also between peace and carrots.
/ravi
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It's like in all those beauty pageants, where all the contestants are wishing for whirled peas.
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Being a pacifist and a humanitarian by nature, that always strikes a chord with me.
/ravi
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My daughter always gives me whirled peas for my BD. She cooks up a pot of spit peas and carrots and runs them through the blender to make them smooth! I don't even have to wish or ask.
Dave.
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No, just because she wants to give me something I really like. I was just commenting on my vision of whirled peas.
Dave.
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That is because you're listening the words!
Favourite line: Throw me to them wolves and close the gate up. I am afraid of what will happen to them wolves - Eminem
~! Firewall !~
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I think you're just trumpeting.
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Yeah, he's always blowing his horn.
/ravi
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