<p>Has anyone tried this at home or at UA? My D is researching this so she could have a phone in the dorm.</p>
<p>I don’t know, but my first question would be why? I know I certainly wouldn’t open a new landline next time we move; couldn’t her cell phone suffice?</p>
<p>Which dorm is she in? I think all of the dorms with the exception of Ridgecrest South, East & West have phone jacks installed already, and local service is free. </p>
<p>If she has a cell phone then she can certainly get by with that. And she can use skype from her computer if you want some visual contact from time to time.</p>
<p>We have used Magic Jack. We bought it when D was going to Europe then off to college. We used it about a year. It was great in Europe, esp for grandma and those who do not and cannot Skype. When she got to school, it was a great back up for her cellphone. When it broke, she had a back up. When she wanted to turn off her cell to study, folks could call and leave a message on the voicemail you can set up. That was when it was not unusual to leave off her cell for a weekend. And that was before unlimited minutes, when she only had enough to get by, not enough to talk unlimited, and not enough for folks to leave unlimited messages. At that time the minutes were counted even for messages…</p>
<p>It worked for us, wireless connecion to the internet or ethernet cord. You just have to find a small lightweight phone to use with it. I cannot imagine it would not work at UA. It worked just fine at FSU, where there were NO phone jacks and NO free service for local or ANY calls.</p>
<p>I played with Magic Jack, it sort’a worked, but its annoying.
Static, delays, erratic. Found Google Voice - dropped Magic Jack</p>
<p>Google Voice is free, it gives you a ‘real’ phone number,
Integrates a phone, texting, email, answering service and video chat, and its free. You just set it up to forward all your calls to your local number (supplied by UA) or any cell phone - then all calls and texting in US are free… Just give out the Google Voice number to everyone. When you go home, you can forward it to wherever you are.</p>
<p>I use it for my Home and Business phones,
can forward to cell phone as needed
and you can set quiet hours - where all calls go to voice mail
Can be set to email/text if someone leaves a message</p>
<p>Call quality is the same as a land-line.
To call out you do need a computer</p>
<p>^ couple of questions since you’re easier than my looking it up :)</p>
<p>Can people call your Google Voice from their real phone or online only?
Do you need a real (landline) phone to use it on the receiving end?
Does UA have assigned phone numbers for all individual room phone jacks?</p>
<p>so basically, for the cost of a cheap landline handset this is a viable backup phone option? How did I miss this???</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.
D will be in Ridgecrest West so no landline.
We use a Pay-as-you-go phone so no unlimited minutes.
We will be using Skype for our “in person” calls.</p>
<p>Didn’t know about Google Voice. I will check into that too. UA gives you a phone number? Do you know when or how? </p>
<p>Thanks again for the help.</p>
<p>Google Voice must forward to a real phone line, either cell or land-line.
I thought all UA dorms were wired for a local phone line (?)</p>
<p>Some people get one of the 'Favorites" cell phone plans, where calls to a ‘favorite’ are unlimited talk. When Google Voice’s number is set as a favorite then those calls are unlimited talk - I have no experience with that approach.</p>
<p>Google Voice gives you a real phone number (you pick the exchange/number), anyone that can call a phone can call it. You could pick an exchange number in your home exchange, that forwards to your other phone, this would mean no long distance charges from your home exchange.</p>
<p>It can be set to automatically transcribe your messages and send them to you as a text or email. You can also block calls from any number. It works out of Gmail, so your contacts in Gmail are your phone book.</p>
<p>For computer to computer you can use Google Chat (like Skype ), but that is not currently integrated with Google Voice</p>
<p>For more info; [GoogleVoice's</a> Channel - YouTube](<a href=“http://www.youtube.com/googlevoice]GoogleVoice’s”>http://www.youtube.com/googlevoice)</p>
<p>If you don’t have a land-line you can get a bridge, but those are not cheap @ $45.00 and can be a little complicated to set up.
[Amazon.com:</a> OBi100 VoIP Telephone Adapter and Voice Service Bridge: Electronics](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LO098O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A4VT9X8JBKS16]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LO098O/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&m=A4VT9X8JBKS16)</p>
<p>[Google</a> Voice: a cheapskate’s guide to cheap VOIP | ZDNet](<a href=“http://www.zdnet.com/blog/government/google-voice-a-cheapskates-guide-to-cheap-voip/10500?pg=6]Google”>Google Voice: A cheapskate's guide to cheap VoIP | ZDNET)</p>
<p>For $10 and the cost of a cheap phone, try magic jack.</p>
<p>^^^
[Why</a> Magic Jack Sucks | The MagicJack and MagicJack Plus Unofficial Support Group](<a href=“http://www.magicjacksupport.com/why-magic-jack-sucks-t2352.html]Why”>http://www.magicjacksupport.com/why-magic-jack-sucks-t2352.html)</p>
<p>Doesn’t there have to be a phone jack in the suite somewhere in order to use Magic Jack?</p>
<p>And…then there’s the cost of the land line, right? Wouldn’t it just be cheaper and easier to have more minutes on the per-use cell phone?</p>
<p>Thanks again for your help.
We have some research to do.</p>
<p>Your D may find that while in college, her cell phone is going to get much more usage. Profs, classmates, and friends communicate thru cell phones…texts…etc. </p>
<p>Frankly, I doubt a phone in her room will work out since kids aren’t in their rooms much.</p>