|
Options |
Land Line Service |
Wireless Service |
|
Local calls |
Most consumers opt for unlimited local calling for
a flat monthly fee. There are usually several local calling
plans available for landline service: charge per call, calling
with allowance, and unlimited. “Charge per call” has a low monthly
fee, plus it has a flat rate per call (not per minute) and is best for
consumers who make less than 35 local calls per month. “Local
calling with allowance” is best for consumers who make between 36 and 75
calls per month. It has a higher monthly fee, but it is not as high as
the third option for “unlimited calling”.
|
It’s not how many calls you make, but how many
minutes you talk in a month that matters. Minutes you use for incoming
and outgoing calls count as minutes used. When you sign up for service,
you will pick a plan for a monthly fee, with a number of calling minutes
included. These minutes can include peak and off-peak local and long
distance minutes. Peak periods are generally during the daytime. You pay
a fairly high flat rate per minute if you go over your monthly limit.
Most providers round up any partial minutes used to the next full
minute. Many offers include “free” night and weekend minutes…those don’t
count as minutes used. |
|
Caller ID, Call Waiting, Voicemail |
Unless you have a “package” of services, you will
pay an extra monthly charge for each of these services. |
Most plans include these services without any extra
charge. |
|
Long Distance |
You must have a long distance carrier to make
calls, or use a pre-paid phone card or calling card, or use dial-around
numbers. You may get a separate bill if you have a separate long
distance company. Some companies now offer packages of unlimited local
and long distance calls. |
Many plans include long distance minutes in the
monthly rate, so there may be no added charge. |
|
Local calling area |
Usually limited to
towns or areas in the local area where you live. |
A customer’s “home” area could be local, regional
or nationwide depending on the chosen service plan. Calls made or
received outside of the plan’s home area (known as “roaming”) cost an
extra amount per minute. If your home area is nationwide, roaming
charges may not apply. |
|
Service period |
None. You have the service unless or until you
change it. |
Usually one or two year contracts for service are
required. There can be penalties for early cancellation of service. |
|
Equipment |
Only a standard phone and/or answering machine
needed. |
A wireless phone with many feature choices usually
includes a rechargeable battery and a battery re-charger. Other options
like a plug-in car battery charger, headsets for hands free talking are
available. Many plans include voicemail. |
|
Mobility |
You can only make calls from your phone in and
around your home or office. |
With a wireless phone turned on, you can be reached
anywhere wireless towers/service is available. Some remote locations may
not have service. |
|
Switching Companies |
Telephone choice is available for long distance
services, and in some places for local service. |
If you change wireless companies, you most likely
will need to get a new wireless phone. Sometimes companies offer large
discounts on new phones when beginning a new plan. |
|
Phone Number Portability |
Due to recent federal legislation, most times when
you change service providers, you can take your phone number with you.
This is called number portability. You can take a number from one home
phone company to another, from a home phone to a wireless phone, from
one wireless company to another wireless company and from a wireless
company to a home phone company. There are sometimes exceptions, so it
is best to check on that before deciding to switch. |
|
Directory Listing |
Your number will be listed in the phone book unless
you specify or pay to have it omitted. |
There is recent talk about including wireless phone
numbers in a phone directory, but no such directories are available now.
Because both incoming and outgoing minutes count, you may always want to
explore keeping your number private. |
|
Internet Service |
In most areas, some rural areas can be exceptions,
you can use your landline and pay extra for an internet service provider
(ISP). An ISP will connect your computer to the internet either through
“dial-up” or high speed access. |
Some wireless phones can connect to the internet
and download information. There are usually added charges for these
services. |
|
E-911 Service |
Most emergency operators can see the address from
which you are calling. |
Emergency services cannot see your location in many
areas and may not have a call back number; you would have to give it
verbally. Call back numbers and location will be available when a
new program of wireless 911 is developed in the future. This is
now available in some areas and with certain wireless phones. |
|
Power outages |
Most times, your non-portable home phone will still
work for at least 4 hours. |
If the wireless tower does not have power, your
wireless phone may not operate. Sometimes, due to storms, your landline
may go out and your wireless service may still work. |
|
Line quality |
You’ll have a clear connection unless there’s a
wiring problem or a portable phone is too far from its base. |
Obstacles and bad weather sometimes hinder call
connections. |
|
Costs |
Add up the costs of your local phone service and
long distance services when comparing costs. Right now there are some
charges billed to landline service that are not billed to wireless
service. |
Consider all the components of a wireless plan and
ask for the total fees and taxes you can expect when you compare costs
with landline services. |
|
Who to Call With Complaints and Service Problems |
If you cannot resolve a problem with your chosen
company, you can file a complaint with the Public Utility Commission
(PUC) at 1-800-782-1110. The PUC has regulatory authority over landline
companies for local and some long distance services. The Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) regulates all other aspects of long
distance service. You can reach them at: 1-888-225-5322. |
If you cannot resolve a problem with your chosen
company, you can file a complaint with the Federal Communications
Commission at: 1-888-225-5322. |
If you have any questions or
concerns about your utility service, you may also contact the PA Office of
Consumer Advocate (OCA) at 1-800-684-6560.
