Long Distance Phone Service

Long distance phone service for metros Most local phone providers will happily cover your long distance service up to and including towns pretty far away -- yet in your general area -- as part what is is called 'local long distance' phone service.

I recommend:  Either through mergers or legislation, long distance carriers AT&T, Verizon and Qwest control most of the local access and transport area, or LATA, generally the major metros or, in thinly populated states, much larger areas. A competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) will be allowed to sell the same "local" long distance service, and perhaps more cheaply. Look up a CLEC near you at the ISG Telecom consultancy site.

Consider a separate long-haul long distance service In some cases, it can be worthwhile to take the very cheapest local phone service and then buy long distance phone service from long distance providers for a per-minute rate or an all-you-can-eat flat monthly long distance service fee.

I recommend:  Major, established long distance providers include MCI, Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and Qwest. Business.com also has directory page on long distance providers.

Long distance telephone need not be a standard fixed-line phone provider Increasingly, long distance service is available as a feature from your cable TV provider or as a third-party long distance service added on to your existing Internet connection. If you have high-speed Web or cable, you're an installation away from sometimes cheaper alternatives to long distance carriers.

I recommend:  Part of the business model for Web and cable long distance phone is lower costs since they don't deal with minute-by-minute long distance service billing. Instead, these long distance providers charge a flat monthly rate and let you talk across the country (and to some foreign countries) limitlessly. Cable providers of long distance phone service include Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Cablevision Systems, and Charter Communications. Look at third-party options for long distance phone service from Vonage, Packet8 and Sunrocket.

Long distance carriers compete more than ever Taken a look at your cellular plan lately? Chances are very high that you have 'free' national long distance service as part of your basic package. The wireless carriers have stopped charging for domestic long distance service and even for roaming to push users toward them and away from fixed-line for long distance service.

I recommend:  Younger people often choose one or the other, but you can still drive down your total telecom costs by signing up for a "bundled" package. If your local phone provider also sells local service, long distance service, or both, see if switching to their wireless brand will save you money. Verizon, AT&T (formerly BellSouth/Cingular), and Sprint all offer some flavor of the wireless plus fixed-line bundle that include long distance telephone.

Long distance providers can sometimes lock you in It's called a PIC freeze, for 'preferred interexchange carrier.' Long distance carriers will often lock you line into their long distance service to keep it from being switched illegally by a competitor, a practice known as 'slamming.' A PIC freeze is a good thing as long as you realize it is being done and your long distance provider is reasonably fast at releasing your line should you change long distance carriers.

I recommend:  Read up on slamming and other long distance service protections for consumers at the Federal Communications Commission.