[hyper_janice]

Thought some of you may be interested in how to call the USA from Egypt cheaply.

There is a device called magicJack. I pay around $20 US dollars a year (I think it initially cost around $50 US dollars) and it gives me access to call anywhere in the USA. It hooks up to a computer and the wire from a phone connects into it. You also need an internet connection. It allows incoming and outgoing calls.

They have a new one called magicJack plus that doesn't even need a computer but does need an internet connection.

If you have two of these you could both be ANYWHERE and you could talk to your loved one who is ANYWHERE.

Thought maybe some of you would be interested.:clap2:

 

[expatagogo]

I highly recommend magicjack.

It also calls Canada.

 

[DMinCairo]

Great information Hyper_Janice!

I'll be moving to Cairo in a few months and have been trying to find all of the information I can on phones and cellphones, so your post comes at a good time for me.

It sounds like you have used MagicJack for a while. Have you received any incoming calls?

I'm curious about the quality and whether or not anyone calling you has received any "unexpected charges" from the calls they have made? I have a few retired relatives on fixed incomes and I want them to have the ability to call me whenever they'd like, but I don't want them to rack up huge phone bills. The MagicJack seems like it might be a good option.

Thanks!

 

[hyper_janice]

Great information Hyper_Janice!

I'll be moving to Cairo in a few months and have been trying to find all of the information I can on phones and cellphones, so your post comes at a good time for me.

It sounds like you have used MagicJack for a while. Have you received any incoming calls?

Yes I have received incoming calls from several people.

I'm curious about the quality and whether or not anyone calling you has received any "unexpected charges" from the calls they have made? I have a few retired relatives on fixed incomes and I want them to have the ability to call me whenever they'd like, but I don't want them to rack up huge phone bills. The MagicJack seems like it might be a good option.

Thanks!

You will just have to pick an area code that aligns with the people you want to be able to call you, if they don't have unlimited long distance calls unless you provide them with a magicjack also, but then they will need an internet connection and a magicjack. They wouldn't need a computer with a magicjack plus.

My parents don't call me, but I have prearranged to call them once a week at a specific time because they don't have long distance and didn't fit in the area code. It works for all of us. My daughter who is quite busy calls me about once a week and has unlimited long distance so it doesn't affect her. My sisters have called me on their cell phones and I haven't heard any complaints as of yet and have been using it for 2 years.

The sound quality is not as good when I use my laptop speakers, so I just hook a phone into the magicjack that's hooked into my computer and it works very nicely, ie good sound quality.

Hope this helps.

 

[praetorian]

OR Use VIBER for iPhones and Android for free calls over data plan on your mobile phones.

 

[DMinCairo]

You will just have to pick an area code that aligns with the people you want to be able to call you, if they don't have unlimited long distance calls unless you provide them with a magicjack also, but then they will need an internet connection and a magicjack. They wouldn't need a computer with a magicjack plus.

My parents don't call me, but I have prearranged to call them once a week at a specific time because they don't have long distance and didn't fit in the area code. It works for all of us. My daughter who is quite busy calls me about once a week and has unlimited long distance so it doesn't affect her. My sisters have called me on their cell phones and I haven't heard any complaints as of yet and have been using it for 2 years.

The sound quality is not as good when I use my laptop speakers, so I just hook a phone into the magicjack that's hooked into my computer and it works very nicely, ie good sound quality.

Hope this helps.

Very helpful! Thank you so much!

 

[DMinCairo]

OR Use VIBER for iPhones and Android for free calls over data plan on your mobile phones.

Thanks, I'll have to check out Viber too. I'm still trying to figure out if it will be possible for me to use my iPhone as my main cellphone while in Cairo. Unfortunately I didn't buy an unlocked phone when I upgraded last year and the provider (AT&T) isn't giving me the option to unlock it now. If I get WiFi set up in my apartment, Viber might be an option.

 

[MaidenScotland]

Unlocked phones never seem to be a problem here

 

[DMinCairo]

Unlocked phones never seem to be a problem here

Are you saying I'll have an easy time finding someone to unlock it for me???

 

[hhaddad]

Are you saying I'll have an easy time finding someone to unlock it for me???

Unlocking is no problem there's plenty of shops in Babalok who do it .You can get an unlock code also from the net but you have to pay. Just google unlock sim code.
Also I believe the Apple store in cairo does it.

http://www.yellowpages.com.eg/searc...1ZGluZyBDYWlybyAmIEdpemEpX19fXzBf/search.html

I SHOP
3 Ibn El Nabih St.
Landmark: Behind Om Kolthom Tower
Zamalek, Cairo
Phone Number: 02-27356036, 0111-0500998, 02-27365941Fax: 02-37613128

 

[DMinCairo]

Thanks hhaddad!