The Past, Present and Future of Magic Jack Plus
Magic Jack Plus is the latest buzz in the world of IP telephony. The new advanced version was released in September 2011, as an upgraded version of the Magic Jack. This previous version was introduced in the market almost three years ago. However, the first ever predecessor of Magic Jack Plus made its appearance way back in the year 1995. VocalTec, the manufacturer of Magic Jack Plus was a small company at that point of time. The VoIP technology then was nowhere close to what it is today.
VocalTec was the first ever company to introduce the concept of VoIP based telephone service to the world. Their first ever product was a downloadable software called the Internet Phone. This software could be operated from a home based computer and required a host of accessories like a speaker, microphone, and audio cards. The technology was based on Internet Protocol H.323. The biggest challenge those days was the non availability of broadband.
This resulted in poor call quality along with static problems and call disconnection. At this point of time, the industry experts did not consider VoIP as a serious threat to conventional landline telephones because of this difference in terms of quality. However, the next few years saw considerable development in the field, and VocalTec always played a leading role in it. Within a few years, the scenario changed completely and other providers like Skype and Vonage started providing their service. VocalTec had to come up with new ideas and product ranges to cope up with the increasing competition in the market.
Now we have entered the third generation of IP telephony where it is considered to be a serious alternative for conventional landline phones. VocalTec is still playing the leader’s role in the market with highly popular products like Magic Jack Plus. The earlier version had some limitations which have been completely taken care of in the new and improved Magic Jack Plus.
This new version works without any computer, unlike the earlier version called Magic Jack. Users can make unlimited free calls throughout the United States and Canada for a yearly expense of only $29.95. The device has a one time cost of $69.95 and this cost includes one year of free service. The international calls are also offered at a very lucrative rate for all countries. Many users carry the device while traveling, and can use it wherever there is an available Ethernet port. The voice quality now is comparable to the landline phones, thanks to highly efficient Echo Control and HD Voice technologies.
Magic Jack Plus now offers a wide range of benefits that could not be even dreamt of some years back. Very recently it has also been announced that the service of Magic Jack Plus can now be availed by the iPod, iPad, and iPhone users. This is a completely free application that comes from iTunes. Users can make unlimited calls to any American or Canadian phone number for absolutely free. This amazing app does not require any calling minutes, and therefore, no purchase is required. This service can be availed by downloading the free software from the website of the Apple Store. This development is certainly a major landmark in the development of IP telephone industry.
VocalTec has assumed the role of industry leaders for nearly two decades now. There are further challenges ahead because nothing seems to be permanent in this ever changing industry. It takes only a couple of years for the latest developments to become outdated. VocalTec presently uses only 5% of its server capacity and plans to grow sufficiently in the next few years to be able to use the server capacity fully. This clearly indicates that the Magic Jack Plus will have many more enhancements in the near future. This is certainly a mouth watering proposition for the millions of customers who have put their trust on Magic Jack Plus.