Local and Long Distance Information Resources

Use long distance and local phone service resources to make calls
By Shannon Tani Local and long distance information resources help you make smart decisions about your telephone needs. They can also help you to locate the phone numbers of the businesses you want to call.
 

Telephone needs are changing and more companies are working to serve those needs. While you often have just one choice of phone for a traditional landline, you can search for long distance calling information to decide which carrier offers the best rate plan for you.

When searching through local and long distance carrier information:

1. Think about how you will use your phone before you decide on a carrier. Long distance phone service resources will help you choose the carrier that's right for you.

2. Make sure you have easy access to a phone number directory. Many phone companies provide a phone book for your local area. You can look online for national long distance information.

3. Stay up-to-date with local and long distance information resources to make sure that you are getting the best deal based on your telephone usage.

Use local and long distance phone service information from the government

The government offers some of the best resources to understanding telephone use. This should be your first stop when you need to find information.
Try: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) offers a convenient explanation of the charges on your phone bill. Use this resource to understand unexpected charges on your bill. They also offer international long distance information from the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau, including how to call and how to choose a carrier.

Use long distance and local telephone information resources to look up phone numbers

There are many times that you want to call a particular business but you don't have the number. Or perhaps you are looking for a particular type of business in a city. You can easily find the phone numbers of businesses and individuals through phone directories.
Try: The White Pages and Yellow Pages are popular resources for finding phone numbers. White Pages focuses on residential phone numbers while the Yellow Pages lists business numbers. You may have a copy of these books for your local area, but the online version comes in handy when you need to look at another city.

Find long distance telephone reference materials to help you make calls

Calling becomes more complicated once you start calling outside of your local area. You need access to all the codes you may need to use when calling.
Try: Each state (and many cities) has its own area code. You need to know this number if you want to call someone. You can easily look up the area codes for a given area through the NANPA website. CountryCodes.com allows you to search for the country code you need when you call internationally.

• You can also get local and long distance telephone information by calling 411. The operators at this number can help you locate the phone number of an individual or company, no matter what city. This is convenient when you are not near a computer or phone book.