Blocked Exchanges

Can’t dial some numbers on your magicJack? It could be that the number you’re trying to dial is on list of blocked area codes or exchanges. (See lists below.) The termination fees for these usually-rural areas cost more than magicJack is willing to pay, so we can’t call the people whose phones use these area codes and exchanges. The reason local rural telephone services sometimes do this is explained in this wikipedia page.

Here’s one block list. And another list.

Are you having trouble calling people in your local area? Comment about it here.

Here’s an example of what some people are hearing when they try to call certain area codes with magicJack:
Prepaid magicJack Announcement

Unfortunately, when I go to that link, it brings me to the main magicJack home page. I see nothing specific about prepaid minutes. So… What’s up with that?

Let me know in the comments section of other reliable updated lists that you know about. I’ll add them to this page.

Update July 2013: If you used to be able to call your neighbors from your magicJack and you suddenly can’t now, there is a way you can complain. Fill out the complaint form on the FCC website.

Here’s how to get there:

  • Under “Complaint Type” check “Broadband Service and VOIP”. Click Next.
  • Under “Category” check “Billing, Service, Availability…” etc. Click Next.
  • You’ll be filling out online form 2000B. Fill out all pertinent information.
  • Use your magicJack phone number as your account number.
  • For the phone company name, use “Vocaltec” or “MagicJack Vocaltec”.
  • Skip the billing complaints under question 4.
  • Write in your complaint in question 5, along the lines of:
    • “VocalTec’s magicJack service advertises that we can call anywhere in the US. I live in the US but when I call these numbers, I get a message saying I cannot complete my call. These numbers include: 888-555-1212, 888-555-1213, etc. They can call me, I just can’t call them. I’ve read that magicJack service is not completing calls to many rural areas. Please make them fix this. I want to be able to call my daughter/son/mother/father in this area code.”
    • Be courteous. Do not call names.

Also: Here is a link to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (equivalent to the US FCC).

You may not get immediate satisfaction but others have suggested that after a few days, service is restored to areas where they used to have no trouble.

Join the Conversation

36 Comments

  1. Apparently the ‘banned’ exchanges with the high termination fees are in rural areas, so they’re scattered all over the US. States that have low population density have more banned exchanges; for example, did you know that the entire state of Alaska (area code 907) is off limits to magicJack callers?

    There are two ways to make free calls to Alaska with magicJack – either send a registered magicJack to a friend or relation there (calls are free from one magicJack to another, regardless of location), or use GVjack with an expired magicJack. GVjack connects your call using Google Voice through your magicJack, and connects to nearly every number in the US.

    If we all keep circulating problems and answers, we’ll be able to sidestep the magicJack’s Customer Service Department (or lack thereof :)

    1. If you want to make a complaint about blocked exchanges in Canada, you could try using the US complaint form since the business in question is US. However, you may also elect to use the equivalent Canadian form here. I’d try both if I were Canadian.

  2. Have just purchased magicjack and after many attempts can not seem to get the registration form to come up. Have followed all your instructions. Just don’t know what to do next. Would appreciate your help.
    Thanks in advance
    Kenn

    1. Kenn, I suspect you would not be the first person from the interior of Saskatchewan to have problems with connecting. It’s entirely possible that your IP address may be wrongly considered outside of Canada and the US by the folks at magicJack. You may need to contact chat support at my.magicJack.com if registration is being blocked because of your IP. They may have tools to unblock it. I’ll assume you’ve already read the instructions and viewed the video that I created for new users. I only advocate the USB registration and activation method, because I’m not sure I know anyone who has actually made the router method work. I can’t promise any solutions, but perhaps you can tell me more about your situation and we can get it sorted.

  3. Magic jack prepaid will route the MJ call to your cell phone to complete the call. When I tried to call a blocked area, I used to get the recording urging me to buy prepaid minutes for this but now the phone just rings 8 times and goes dead.

    1. Yikes! Tennessee Flash, I hope that isn’t an indicator of worse things to come from magicJack.

  4. Dear friend my Magicjack 1 323-###-#### I am blocked can not use it Please can you see my pass
    word .Will you be kind enough to send to me. Thank you. Srdjan.
    I am using this E-Mail (#######@gmail.com) Pleas sand me pass word so that i can use my jack
    I thank you and I am expecting yours answer

    1. It is unfortunate that you’re having trouble. I don’t work for magicJack. I’ve erased all of your private information so you aren’t randomly called or emailed by people you don’t know. The answer is a little late, but please understand — I don’t work for magicJack. You’ll need to contact them via Live Help when you log in on the website at my.magicJack.com. Good luck!

  5. Check the 860 area code for 860, now my daughter can’t call mine or wife’s cell from the “home phone”

        1. John, I’m not sure I’m able to help. It’s likely better that you get a family member, friend, neighbor or church member to assist you locally. Best of luck.

  6. My MagicJack has not worked on may iMac for over a year. Magic Jack support says they are working to get MagicJack to operate on El Capitain…have the rest of you had this problem to deal with?

    1. magicJack does not provide call blocking, so the only answer I can give you is that you’re going to get a lot of calls. There are apps you can buy for your computer that will block calls, but you have to be connected via USB to the computer, and the computer has to be running for all the time you expect to receive calls.

  7. How to use a MagicJack to call numbers that MJ blocks by default. The numbers MJ blocks are numbers such as dial-around long distance services, conference call numbers, etc. There is a way to call these numbers, but it requires a number of steps instead of just making a direct call. Use Google Voice, which is free. If you don’t already have a GV number, get one and have it forwarded to your cell phone. In that case, here’s how you do it. Use your MJ phone to call your GV number. When your cell phone rings, press the red IGNORE screen icon on your cell phone. Your call will go to GVmail. When your GV recorded greeting begins, immediately press the * key on your MJ phone. When prompted, enter your 4 digit pin. You will then hear a message that the phone you’re calling from is not associated with this Google account, and you will be asked to enter a phone number that is associated with the GV account. Enter your cell phone number. Then enter your pin again when prompted. In the menu recording that follows there will be an option to place a call. Select that menu option. Then enter the number you want to call. The call will not be blocked by MJ and the caller ID will be your GV number.

    SPOILER ALERT… MAYBE THIS IS JUST PARANOIA. I haven’t read the TOS for MJ but there may be wording that would make this a violation of the agreement. You should read the TOS carefully if you intend to use this method of calling blocked numbers. You could possibly have your MJ service terminated if things go badly. The MJ people obviously know that this is a way to call numbers that they block. They may have some system in place to flag calls made to the same number multiple times a day. Because they are a phone service provider they may be able to determine in a few seconds if the number is a GV number or not as well as what you are doing. It could be grounds to terminate your service. Actually there is likely wording in their TOS that they can terminate your MJ service at any time for a variety of reasons and it would be up to you to then try to resolve it. Good luck with that! If you only do this occasionally you probably don’t need to worry about it. But if you do it multiple times a day, you may be at risk. For businesses needing to call their blocked numbers frequently, you probably could find a better solution than the above method using MJ. Hope this is helpful to someone.

    1. This is how I have my magicJack set up. It does not violate terms of service. You’re good to go.
      Best of luck!

      Chris

  8. Hello

    My wife purchased a number of 707-305-xxxx prefix .. it’s not in the block list .. but I can’t call her from my magicjack.. any thoughts?

    1. The block list of exchanges listed here is pretty old and may have changed. It may be time to add your area code and exchange to the list. Thanks.

  9. hi

    i can not call from magic jack this # 267307xxxx i do receive call from this #
    no problem to call from regular phone

    1. Thanks for the update. Some exchanges keep being blocked. Such are the ways of magicJack.

  10. Hi i can not call from magic jack this area cod 267 307 xxxx
    to receive call from this # no problem
    and no problem to call from regular phone please can you solve this problem and help me
    my phone# 514 ### ### ## thank you

    1. You’re the second person to let us know that 267 area code and 307 exchange are not available without a long-distance charge. Thank you!

  11. I can’t call VT area code 802 from my MJ. I used to be able to, but now when I call, I get a fast busy signal & it disconnects. the person in VT stopped using MJ bcz they don’t support 911 calls in that rural area. is it just me? or is this common?

    1. Yep, blocked exchanges are more common than magicJack would like us to consider. If you live in an area where magicJack is a blocked exchange, you really should consider buying an alternative VoIP system, especially if this is to be a stationary phone that requires ability to dial 911. I hope you find a solution that better suits your needs. It’s definitely not for everybody.

    1. Yikes! This is the big problem with magicJack. Apparently they still have not solved it. I wish I had a solution. For myself, I’ve forwarded all my google voice calls to magicJack. I call from my computer at voice.google.com when I can’t connect via magicJack, which for myself has been fairly infrequent. Best of luck!

  12. I tried to call the federal courthouse in Juneau Alaska (907) 586-7458 A recording came on saying that that number was a pay per minute service. ( I am assuming because it’s 907 and it thinks it’s a 900 number) this is a United States government building that should be accessible to anyone.
    I hung up and dialed in 800 number to get an AT&T long distance line. ( calling card) And the call went right through. Another interesting note. I was able to call the federal courthouse is in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Not the federal courthouse is in Guam or America Samoa. You only get two out of four territories I guess. Again using the AT&T Calling Card. I got through to both territories. Cost the same as it would to call any of the states

    1. Hi Zane,

      Thanks for the information! It’s interesting that federal services behind a blocked exchange, but they probably have some legislation that tells them to find the cheapest local land line phone service. PR and USVI both have multiple major undersea cables connecting them to the rest of the interwebs. Juneau AK has one undersea cable directly. Guam has multiple undersea cables connecting them, so I’m surprised to find they’re not more reasonably priced. American Samoa has one connection. So long as the adjacent cable isn’t problematic, there are several islands or close-by cable connections that probably share backup connections via alternative routes. At some point, land lines are probably going to disappear altogether, in favor of VOIP and Cell. It will be interesting to see what happens when low-earth-orbit satellite cellular becomes global. I hope your Thanksgiving was restful!

      Best,

      Chris

  13. My mothers magicjack will not call local numbers. She can call all other areas but the area code of (254) will not dial out. Very much local call, it use to work fine, now all of a sudden it doesn’t work. That’s a safety issue because our entire family is local, and in an emergency she can’t reach any of us. Please help fix ASAP!

    1. Rodney, this is unfortunate. You need to talk with magicJack directly and find out whether your area code (254) is a blocked exchange. If it is, you’ll need to switch to another phone system. This is a known problem with magicJack. I wish I could be more helpful.

      Best of luck!

      C

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