magicJack to banish calling costs

For $40 (plus $20 per year), MagicJack's USB VoIP dongle will let you make free unlimited telephone-to-telephone calls, but this week the company's announced MagicTalk, a piece of software for internet-connected phones and computers that will waive even those upfront costs. The Associated Press tracked down one of our favorite ruthless salesmen, MagicJack CEO Dan Borislow, who described a service much like Google Voice and Skype, number portability and all -- except it adds the whole allowing-free-calls-to-regular-ol-telephones bit by charging the companies that carry incoming calls. The service will reportedly be available on Windows and Mac next week,
with iOS, Blackberry and Android by October, but speaking of promises, Borislow said plans for the company's legally-ambiguous femtocell are now on hold -- the device can't legitimately muster up enough power without a cellular carrier on board.

In other news, NetTalk announced last week that its pair of competing VoIP boxes now support free video calls. I imagine the timing (and naming) of MagicJack's new service isn't making 'em feel too good.

Associated Press

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