MagicJack Review: The Caller ID Bug & Customer Care

[ - ] Caller ID doesn't work at all on my phone, although it shows up on my computer screen. This is a big feature for me, so if it doesn't work, it could be a dealbreaker.

While the Mac software is still technically a beta according to MagicJack's web site, I wanted to get to the bottom of this issue quickly. I had read on other sites that Caller ID wasn't working on the Mac version, but those postings were old.

I perused MagicJack's FAQ/Knowledgebase (which is pretty comprehensive), but couldn't find anything that helped, so I started a Live Agent chat.

[ + ] Although it was a Saturday night, the chat began right away, and the web interface was very easy to use. You don't need a MagicJack account (or ownership) to start a chat, which is actually pretty cool. Another cool chat feature was the ability to email a transcript of the chat. Below is a copy of the chat:

info: Please wait for a site operator to respond.
info: You are now chatting with 'Bernard'
Bernard: Hello, how may I help you?
nelson: Does caller ID work on the Mac version of the software?
nelson: I can't see incoming caller ID on either my phone or the Mac computer screen.
Bernard: I see
Bernard: You may need to use an AC powered USB hub Nelson
nelson: Right now its directly plugged into my Mac. Is that a problem?
nelson: What would the hub fix?
Bernard: A self ported AC powered USB hub can add a circuit connection regarding this concern and can even clear the line flow of your computer and phone.
nelson: OK, I will try it. Thanks!
Bernard: You are very much welcome
Bernard: Is there anything else I may help you with today?
nelson: No. Thanks!
Bernard: You are welcome. TAKE CARE. Please do the survey as you end the chat. Click the "CLOSE" button on the top right of this screen and the survey will appear. Have a great day ahead!

So the bottom line is that I'll need a self-powered USB hub to see if this will fix the caller ID issue. Since my Apple Cinema Display has a self-powered USB 2.0 port, I'm going to try it and let you know the results in a future post.