the Price of Telephone Service

Basic local phone package from the telephone company in the area. A land line. The phone service itself was $11, a package of call waiting, caller ID, voice mail, and a few other things was something like $12, the remainder was taxes and government fees. No long distance service was included.

Wait times for customer service was atrocious and all the reps I reached were rude and unhelpful. If the bill was so much as a day past due the first couple months after service was moved from one location to another (not merely new service), service would be shut off and the company would require an $80 deposit to turn service back on. The problem was for a while they were the only game in town so if you wanted a land line in your home so you stuck it out. The alternative was to get a cell phone and that's what I decide to do. Ever since I got my cell, I couldn't have been happier.

If there aren't any real competitors to the local telephone company and you can find a way around them, avoid doing business with them. Look into internet-based VOIP service as an alternative if you have to have a land line, or get a cell phone. The cheapest of cell phone plans are better-priced than what I was paying for local telephone service.