The company behind the magicJack, the cheap Internet phone gadget that’s been heavily promoted on TV, has made a new version of the device that allows free calls from cellphones in the home, in a fashion that’s sure to draw protest from cellular carriers.
The new magicJack uses, without permission, radio frequencies for which cellular carriers have paid billions of dollars for exclusive licenses.
YMax, which is based in Palm Beach, Fla., said this week at the International Consumers Electronics Show that it plans to start selling the device in about four months for US$40, the same price as the original magicJack . As before, it will provide free calls to the U.S. and Canada for one year.
The device is, in essence, a very small cellular tower for the home.
Hello lawsuits.
Why can’t / don’t I own the airwaves that pass within the boundry of my property?
Do the airwaves really “belong to the people?”
There are power limits beyond which regulations do not apply (or many devices would unintentionally violate the regulations just because of design/engineering consequences). If MagicJack have managed to make their hardware operational within those limits – they are legal. Wish them luck.
I think I need a bath. If I have to buy a magicjack, I’ll do it.
I don’t know about the US, but in New Zealand (where I am now) and Australia, you are entitled to run almost any kind of transmitter on your property, so long as it cannot be received beyond your boundary line. There is a maximum field strength, something like 3mV/m on a 1/4 wave antenna at 100 ft beyond your property.
[Comment deleted - Violation of Posting Guidelines. - ed.]
Sounds like they made a cell phone version of a microwave oven without a door or safety latch.
People own congress, freeways, airwaves, they are all subject to governing by the people’s representatives through discussion, debate, litigation.
Sounds like they made a cell phone version of a microwave oven without a door or safety latch.
People own congress, freeways, airwaves, they are all subject to governing by the people’s representatives through discussion, debate, litigation.
Does the magic jack actually work? And if the answer is YES then why isn’t everyone using it?
No sarcasm here, I’m honestly inquiring…
the Tiki
I don’t care how much I pay (Too much Magic Jack)
I wanna talk to my baby every day (Too much Magic Jack)
I want it, I want it, I want it…(You can’t have it!)
Think how much you’ll save…(You can’t have it!)]
I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it … (You can’t have it!)
Might as well market it that way, they already sold out to CSI.
Cursor_
I read some of the comments over at the Consumerist this morning (http://tinyurl.com/ybcq7o9). The feedback seems to be mixed.
But there are some incredibly negative and unsubstantiated comments there about spyware. It smells of paid character assassination to me. Are the Telco’s paying some bloggers to post negative reviews of this product? My gut tells me “Yes”. Read the comments and see what you think.
IS THIS THE GIRL THAT ELECTROCUTED HERSELF?? by using a charger connected cellphone in the tub??
Nightline had a segment featuring items bought on TV and online. ABC used Consumer Reports and they said MagicJack works better than they thought it would.
I’ve always wondered when someone was going to create firmware for all these wireless routers so they could create a freenet and screw the ISPs. These wireless routers do operate very well using the free spectrum after all. Wouldn’t it be nice to get 54 Mbps up/down for free?
I’ll be surprised if this makes it past FCC testing, if they even bother to submit it. Unless the FCC gets pressure from above to allow this thing to exist of course. My guess is they are going to use the defense of the iPod FM transmitters, which caused a lawsuit a few years ago because many of them had an ERP much higher than permitted by the law and the FCC ignored it.
#7 Tiki – yes the regular Magic Jack does work, but you need to leave your PC on all the time for incoming calls. It is just another VIOP service, although with that custom dongle and software. There are lots of VIOP providers out there, just not as well marketed.
#1 – Father, #2 – HHopper
The airwaves belong to “the people.” However, we the people decided to let the FCC/Federal Government have total control over the airwaves in 1934, even the waves that travel through your home and yes, even your body. If you have a coaxial cable (for example) you can put whatever signals on it you want, but the minute it radiates into the “aether” you are subject to FCC rules, including if you are using a device like a microwave oven.
I don’t understand? I thought the FCC had to approve any transmitter? If this is not FCC approved then is it in violation? How do you get your cell phone not to dial into a cell tower and use only Magic Jack? Do you have to cancel your cell service? What good is a cell phone if you have to have internet access to use Magic Jack? This just sounds like something only squeaky cheap people would try.
[RTFA! - ed.]
If your cellphone is calling AT&T on the bandwidth they bought and paid for and somebody runs in between and redirects you through magic jack?
I’d think you might even need a different chip in the phone to make this work and if that’s true things are really limited. If it isn’t true Magic Jack is most likely breaking couple of hundred patents as well as you and Magic Jack using stolen bandwidth.
My money is on the bandwidth and patent owner. They paid billions for the right to use that bandwidth. Anybody else is a trespasser.
What Magic Jack was doing in the past was legal. I think this could put them out of business. Time will see. I don’t own any shares in the company and now looks like a bad time to buy any.
So it only works when you have their device connected to the internet, which means it only works at home or anywhere else you drag their device around to. How is this any better than the original magicJack using an ordinary cordless phone?
How does it bridge the IP/telephone service network barrier at the service end?
#12, coming soon… real soon ——- think google
This is good news for me. Waiting to get one of these and save money. All this for 40 dollars and also for 1 year free calls to u.s and Canada is awesome.