My fight with Magic Jack

Here's the story. Our Magic Jack (its a phone jack that you plug into your USB port and it gives you a US phone number) broke last week. My Mom bought us a new one in the states and brought it to us. All their advertising, including the packaging, claims that when you purchase a Magic Jack it includes a year free.

Last night I was chatting with the customer service people (they don't have phones, just livechat) I wanted her to transfer my old number to the new jack. After she was done, just before I logged off, I asked her to confirm that our subscription is extended a year.

She told me that I don't get a free year, only new customers do. When I told her that their advertising doesn't say that, she told me that I was being to literal and I should read between the lines.
I copied the conversation , it's really good read. - When it says Natalie Zacks, it was really me, just logged in on Nat's name

Lizzie: HOLD

Natalie Zacks: ok

Natalie Zacks: will it add a year to my subscription because I paid for it

Lizzie: May I know if the new magicJack is the one you plugged in?

Natalie Zacks: yea

Natalie Zacks: the old one is broken

Lizzie: Are you sure?

Natalie Zacks: yes, I opened the box right before we started chatting

Natalie Zacks: and the old one is broken

Lizzie: Where did you buy it?

Natalie Zacks: radio shack

Lizzie: Please wait while I check that for you

Lizzie: This will take time, Natalie, I am double checking the steps we have done, to ensure that everything have gone smoothly...

Natalie Zacks: ok

Lizzie: Okay, the old magicJack already expired it's service.

Lizzie: Service Began: 02/19/2008

Lizzie: License Expires: 03/04/2009

Natalie Zacks: thats today

Lizzie: The number was successfully transferred to the new jack.

Natalie Zacks: thank you

Lizzie: Therefore your new jack needs to be extended it years of service by going to my.magicjack.com

Natalie Zacks: shouldn't a new year be added because I bough the jack

Natalie Zacks: it says my purchase comes with a year of service'

Lizzie: No, since the default year will be voided due to request for transfer of serial number.]

Lizzie: When you purchase it, it comes with a year.

Lizzie: But you asked that the old magicJack number be transferred to the new jack, the default year was eliminated.

Natalie Zacks: it says on the box that I paid 39.99 and I get a free year with that

Lizzie: Yes.

Lizzie: But you asked that the old magicJack number be transferred to the new jack, the default year was eliminated.

Natalie Zacks: it doesnt say anything aboiyt that being waved'

Natalie Zacks: then I should get 20 bucks back from teh cost of teh jack

Natalie Zacks: i don't see what one thing has to do with the other

Lizzie: One moment please...

Lizzie: It's like ordering a McDonalds cheese burger.

Lizzie: then you decided to upgrade it with an additional beef patty and cheese..

Lizzie: It becomes what? Double cheese burger.

Lizzie: I

Lizzie: It's like what we do.

Natalie Zacks: wwhy is keeping my number an upgrade?

Natalie Zacks: it doesnt mention that anywhere

Lizzie: What was mentioned there in there package is for new users...

Natalie Zacks: doesnt say intial users on the box

Lizzie: For customers who have no numbers yet.

Natalie Zacks: it says it says the purchase price inmcludes a free year

Natalie Zacks: its liek if mcdonalds advertises a burger for 99 cents

Natalie Zacks: and then I buy a burger for 99 cents

Natalie Zacks: and then go back and buy another burger

Natalie Zacks: it will still cost 99 cents

Lizzie: Purchase price includes free year, for new members, that is

Natalie Zacks: where does it say this

Natalie Zacks: because the box disagrees with you

Natalie Zacks: nowshere does it say new members

Lizzie: Nathalie, read between the lines.

Natalie Zacks: I'm reading the lines

Lizzie: You look at it literally.

Natalie Zacks: which say that I am entitled toa free year with purchase of a magic jjack

Lizzie: If you are a new member

Natalie Zacks: so yourre saying that magic jack has false advertising?

Lizzie: It's not false ad, Natalie

Natalie Zacks: should i not literally read thaat the service is good?

Natalie Zacks: it says the phone servive is good

Natalie Zacks: but maybe i should read between the lines

Lizzie: Purchase price includes free year, for new members,

Natalie Zacks: where does it say that

Natalie Zacks: I'm looking at the package right now

Lizzie: "........"

Natalie Zacks: teh words new members isnt there

Lizzie: It's not there because it is understood that the packaging is designed to attrack new customers.

Natalie Zacks: why is that understood?

Natalie Zacks: your company refuses to replace the parts

Natalie Zacks: so repeat customers have to buy new jacks as well

Lizzie: I would like to ask you Natalie where did you originally purchase the first magicJack?

Natalie Zacks: i didnt

Natalie Zacks: it was a gift

Lizzie: Who gave it to you?

Natalie Zacks: my mother

Lizzie: What's her name?

Natalie Zacks: this is all irrelavant

Natalie Zacks: the point is that Magic promises a free year with teh purchase of a new jack

Lizzie: So that I can pull out the original account info.

Natalie Zacks: y?

Natalie Zacks: what does that have to do with this false ads?

Natalie Zacks: ive seen the infomercials, he says you buy the jack and I'll give you a year free

Natalie Zacks: he also forgot to mention new customers

Lizzie: It's nothing to do with anything, Natalie..

Natalie Zacks: is teh unlimited calling also pretendshould I read between the lines that since I'm an exsisting customer I will charged 10 dollars per minute?

Natalie Zacks: the box also promises free voicemail

Natalie Zacks: is that just to attract new customers?

Natalie Zacks: what is between those lines?

Lizzie: It has free voicemail

Natalie Zacks: can I trust that

Natalie Zacks: its on the box, just like my free year

Natalie Zacks: and you told me not to take trhat literally

Natalie Zacks: did magic jack really get great reviews frin NBC and ABC and FOX news?

Natalie Zacks: or shoudl i read between teh lines, that they mentioned them ina broadcast, but didnt say if it was any good?

Natalie Zacks: now I have a hgard time tajking anything in your ads literally

Lizzie: To only one thing Natalie, that is "Purchase price includes free year-for new members" and the rest is good.

Natalie Zacks: how can I believe that

Natalie Zacks: if one line isnt true, why should I believe that the rest is?

Natalie Zacks: also, it doesnt say new members

Natalie Zacks: you keep adding that

Natalie Zacks: I find it a little ironic that my subscription happened to run out today

Natalie Zacks: is there somewhere I can see that in writing?>

Lizzie: That's internal information.

Natalie Zacks: can i see it?

Natalie Zacks: or should i read something in betwen the lines?

Natalie Zacks: it seems weird for my subscription to fro 2/19 to 3/4

Natalie Zacks: why would I have a subscription for a year and a few days?

Natalie Zacks: Well, I now have a hard time recommending magic jack to any of my friends, since I can't eblieve what your company says

Natalie Zacks: and my social network is always looking for VOIP services since I live outside teh US

Natalie Zacks: it's like I went to McDonalds and they said I could have a hamburger, but then they gave me a veggie burger

Natalie Zacks: u still there?