With MagicJack or Google voice, can you keep your existing land line number or do you get a different number?
MagicJack - you get a new number.
Depending where you live, that number might also have a prefix for a different city. It won’t affect outgoing calls, but it could cause any ‘local’ incoming landline callers to be charged as in-state long distance calls.
If you receive many local calls, it could be a problem — for the callers.
Also, I am not able to modem-fax via the MagicJack. If you fax, that could also be a concern.
Otherwise, for $20 a year with no additional charge for calls through the US and Canada, it is worth the price.
At least with MagicJack you can't port your number. Probably not for Google voice either.
But for the price I really don't care :-)
I tried to get my mom to do it but she's determined to keep her number. I tried to explain to her that it costs her almost $30 a month just to keep that number but she's convinced it would be a problem.
I dropped my landline 5 years ago and went strictly cell. The I picked up Skype, which I'll drop when it's up for renewal, and now MagicJack.
I picked a number that would be easy to remember for people. I really didn't care that the area code I chose was not where I lived, though they were available. So my area code and exchange is 772-882-xxxx for my MagicJack. Really the only folks that call me use either their work phone or their cell. All my friends email, IM or text. :-)