# Best VOIP Service



## csinagra (Sep 11, 2013)

Skype or Magic Jack ?


----------



## tepetapan (Sep 30, 2010)

Depends on location and service. With a good signal and speed, they both work fine. I have found that sometimes Magic jack works fine and Skype not so much and the next day it is Skype working better Magic Jack. None are going to be 100% everyday, unless you are willing to pay.


----------



## csinagra (Sep 11, 2013)

Thanks,
I will be moving to the Akumal area , and Telmex is bringing in DSL there .
I want to have a 2 line phone set up in the house for local/us calls.


----------



## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

If Telmex "is bringing in" DSL, don't hold your breath. They take their sweet time

You could always get a CEL for local calls and take it with you


----------



## BriN (Sep 15, 2013)

*My personal favorite*

We have used Vonage in the past and it worked well but started to cost a bit more than I wanted. Others have had a good results using the Magic Jack plus in Mexico City (the one what you can plug an ethernet cord into). We personally like Ooma. The box is a bit expensive to buy but it is a great service overall. Just remember that cable and DSL can have problems.

We had the best package with Telmex for phone, internet and dish but the prodigy side had us on the package down. Sadly Telmex and Prodigy kept sending me from one to the other to fix the problem so I went with a local cable company.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

I'll be getting a Magic Jack, or a Magic Jack Plus to plug into a modem, but won't get it until after I move. I have a prepaid AT&T Go Phone that will work on both sides of the border, and will use it to text with until I get my internet service connected.


----------



## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

Quality of service depends on where you live as well as the area and the # of cell phone towers for reception. I used Cricket from the U.S. when I lived in TJ near the airport but moved to Rosarito and Skype works much better than Magic Jack did. Skype also is much cleaner on wi-fi than Magic Jack. I have the world plan that costs around $10/mthly and it works great in Mexico and the U.S. on wi-fi.


----------



## Scooterbum (Feb 1, 2013)

*Google Voice*

I am very happy with Google voice, the cost is still free for calls to the US and Canada, calls within Mexico are $0.15 US per minute. I use mine with an OBIHIA OBI voip adapter and a cheap cordless phone. I live in an area noted for poor internet service and rarely have any voice quality problems.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

I'll be living in Colonia Independencia, and it's up the hill from the Costco in Zona Rio, my T-Mobile SmartPhone doesn't work there at all, unfortunately. I've heard that with Skype you can only Skype with other Skype phones. 

Since I haven't bought either one yet, I'm trying to find out which would be the best one for my area.


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

tijuanahopeful said:


> I'll be living in Colonia Independencia, and it's up the hill from the Costco in Zona Rio, my T-Mobile SmartPhone doesn't work there at all, unfortunately. I've heard that with Skype you can only Skype with other Skype phones.
> 
> Since I haven't bought either one yet, I'm trying to find out which would be the best one for my area.


With Skype there are two ways to use it. In both cases, you need the free Skype application running on your computer. You need an internet connection. And you need a headset with microphone if your computer doesn't have a built-in speakers and microphone.

You can talk to other people running the Skype application for free. They can be anywhere in the world. You can use video as well. The application is free and the connection to another Skype user is free. You just need a headset with microphone.

Alternatively, you can call phone numbers anywhere in the world using Skype on your computer. To do this, you need to download the same free Skype application, but then you buy credit from Skype and use it to call phone numbers. 800 numbers are free, others cost. It is about 2 US cents per minute to call landlines in the US or Europe. It is about 20 cents per minute to call a cell phone in Germany. Other countries, I don't know about.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

It sounds like a Magic Jack would be better for me.


----------



## csinagra (Sep 11, 2013)

Thank You 
I just got 2 Skype 2 line phones to hook up through a wireless router .
The extra line will come in handy for local calls , especially if I need to carry a bundle through Telmex to get high speed internet service ?


----------



## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

tijuanahopeful said:


> It sounds like a Magic Jack would be better for me.


Whatever works.

I should have mentioned that you can also purchase a telephone number from Skype so that people with a phone can call you. There are lots of options.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

I think a Magic Jack would be easier. I do have people that will be calling me, and will be working part-time, so the job would need to be able to call, too.


----------



## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

tijuanahopeful said:


> I'll be getting a Magic Jack, or a Magic Jack Plus to plug into a modem, but won't get it until after I move. I have a prepaid AT&T Go Phone that will work on both sides of the border, and will use it to text with until I get my internet service connected.


If you are looking to have a US phone number to avoid paying for international calls, get it now. You can get one with your current US phone number, or just a local to you number.

Since it's cheaper to get from the site, and they are portable, why not get it over with?

The phone number is in the unit, not the location of the unit.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

mickisue1 said:


> If you are looking to have a US phone number to avoid paying for international calls, get it now. You can get one with your current US phone number, or just a local to you number.
> 
> Since it's cheaper to get from the site, and they are portable, why not get it over with?
> 
> The phone number is in the unit, not the location of the unit.


I'm not living in Tijuana yet, I'm not planning to give up/change over my cell phone number, and I haven't had a landline for years. Whatever US number they give me, is the one that I'll have. 

I also won't be getting a Magic Jack right away, I have moving expenses and a refrigerator to pay for. If someone needs to get in touch with me, they can email me, and I'll call them when I cross the border. I'll be using the prepaid cell phone mostly to call my job for work.


----------



## mes1952 (Dec 11, 2012)

That is not correct. You can only Skype via video with other Skyper's. Regular calls are the same. I have been using Skype for several months and can call to either the U.S. or return or anywhere in the world; it depends on your plan. Just read the info on the Skype website for clarification.


----------



## mickisue1 (Mar 10, 2012)

Tijuana, if you order from the MagicJack website, it'll be very cheap. I paid under $100 for 2 years of service and 500 international minutes, along with the device, when I started.

The reason I suggest getting it now, even if you get only one year of service, is to have the US phone number, so your friends and family can be called for free.


----------



## tijuanahopeful (Apr 2, 2013)

mickisue1 said:


> Tijuana, if you order from the MagicJack website, it'll be very cheap. I paid under $100 for 2 years of service and 500 international minutes, along with the device, when I started.
> 
> The reason I suggest getting it now, even if you get only one year of service, is to have the US phone number, so your friends and family can be called for free.


I have an AT&T prepaid GoPhone that I bought specifically for that purpose, and it works on both sides of the border. I'll be conserving my 250 minutes per month, ($25 per month) but have unlimited texting. It'll be used for outgoing calls only, my friends (don't have any family), can email me if they can't text.

Like I said, in an earlier post, I can't afford it right now, I have to pay for my moving expenses, a refrigerator, and start working again.


----------



## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

PriscillaWills said:


> Hi, I use Skype on my PC because almost everybody has, and you can talk for free. But when I call to my girlfriend in UK use [...].


Why have you posted on the Mexico forum? Are you planning to come for a visit?


----------



## drope (May 1, 2014)

Have used Vonage for over 10 years. Can even use it for long distance in Mexico. It's long distance just 15 miles away. I like to give Carlos as little as possible.


----------



## RTL44 (Nov 26, 2013)

I have had Ooma for years and love it. I used to have Vonage, but is is waaaaay expensive and the voice quality was not as good as Ooma. You have to pay for the device up front, but then it's basically free.


----------



## claybob (May 6, 2015)

If you want a US phone number with a home phone I recommend the ObiTalk device available on Amazon. You pay around $50 for the device and connect it to a free Google Voice account for free unlimited US and Canadian calls.


----------



## Fugawibill (Nov 11, 2010)

I've used magic jack with a US number for the past four years, while living mostly in Mexico. Have been extremely pleased, and it is cheap. As I'm now moving to Mexico permanently, and since age has taken its toll on my friends and family NOB, I'll be dropping the service. I've always had a $389mx internet and phone package through Telmex, which now includes limited free international calls.


----------



## claybob (May 6, 2015)

What kind of Internet speeds are typical for larger cities? Do the Mexican cable providers have English language channels?


----------



## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

claybob said:


> What kind of Internet speeds are typical for larger cities? Do the Mexican cable providers have English language channels?


The first year we were here we rented - and we had fiber. It screamed.

Now we own and have Telmex DSL. It is good enough that we can watch Netflix - going through two routers - using a VPN in the US on the second router.

Sky has lots of English channels. I'm currently watching (yet again) Jessica Alba in "Into The Blue".


----------



## claybob (May 6, 2015)

We haven't had cable in years, so I think a speedy connection and VPN for streaming streaming services (Netflix and Hulu) would be fine. We are planning on the Tijuana area so I assume San Diego over-the-air broadcasts can be picked up there as well.


----------



## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

claybob said:


> We haven't had cable in years, so I think a speedy connection and VPN for streaming streaming services (Netflix and Hulu) would be fine. We are planning on the Tijuana area so I assume San Diego over-the-air broadcasts can be picked up there as well.


Hulu will not work over our VPN.


----------

