Being able to recive calls without having local phone service?

I

Inquisitor[Inq]

Veteran X
Every month I get a phone bill from Verizon for $22-23. They are my local provider and I have their $10 'pro-rated minutes' plan which basically says I pay $10 unless I go over a certain number of minutes during the month, then I cover the extra. The other $12-13 is all taxes and fees since I never go over the pre-paid number of minutes.

The ridiculous thing is I make about 4-5 local phone calls a month. Usually its closer to 2-3 and most its ever been is 9.

I use a service called www.onesuite.com for all my long distance - 3 cents a minute, no monthly or setup fee, haven't found anything that beats it yet.

My question is there any way to somehow ditch my local service and still keep the ability to receive calls and make 1-800 calls? I could make all calls (even local) through onesuite and save a lot of money (somewhere in the neighborhood of $21.50 a month). There are no alternate local providers where I am. Paying what boils down to $5 per local call with an average duration of 2-3 minutes (usually calling restaurants for reservations) is ridiculous.
 
I thought that you COULD ditch your local service... you just have to tell them to shut off your ability to make calls. I think you can still receive them. Give Verizon a ring and speak with a rep about it.
 
Inquisitor[Inq] said:
T1 beta, I like to argue/debate, and sometimes when I need an ego boost here is the best place to visit =p
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Odd... most debates on here make you want to smash your head into a wall
 
there would be alternative local phone service if certain republican members of congress weren't bought by the ILECs.
 
Stinkfist said:
uh. get a cell phone? $40 a month + free LD

thats less then the $43-44 you already pay.
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Uhh Stink? As you say cell phone plans of any use really start at $40. I am paying $23 for local but for LD I only use what I use in minutes * 3 cents. That usually comes out to about $12 a month at most. If I can somehow ditch the local (checked, Verizon customer service for my area isn't open till Monday =p) down to purely the $12. No cell can beat that for price and I don't like them in general anyway.
 
Inquisitor[Inq] said:
Uhh Stink? As you say cell phone plans of any use really start at $40. I am paying $23 for local but for LD I only use what I use in minutes * 3 cents. That usually comes out to about $12 a month at most. If I can somehow ditch the local (checked, Verizon customer service for my area isn't open till Monday =p) down to purely the $12. No cell can beat that for price and I don't like them in general anyway.
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and all i'm saying is, if ytou can't beat it. drop both and get a cell phone. :p. flat rate all the time. and by your initial post on costs, it's $3 cheaper.
 
james said:
there would be alternative local phone service if certain republican members of congress weren't bought by the ILECs.
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Actually large areas of the U.S. do have multiple choices.

The problem is large chunks of Cali don't because the state legislature and the companies around here are still arguing about how to implement the 'option' option.
 
Stinkfist said:
and all i'm saying is, if ytou can't beat it. drop both and get a cell phone. :p. flat rate all the time. and by your initial post on costs, it's $3 cheaper.
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By my initial post its true if things stay the way they are. The way they are though is because I am being charged $23 for $0.40 of service (by their own rate methods).

The cells supposed strength is its long distance ability, but I have yet to see a cell that's minute rate isn't at least TWICE onesuite's or worse.

I have also yet to know a friend or parent whose cell doesn't have chronic disconnect/drop problems. The mobility of one doesn't really help me. When their stability, portability, and use goes up, and the price drops by 50%, I will think about getting one.
 
The Tauzin-Dingell Bill passed the House last year.

I don't know where it is now, but it called for removing the requirements of ILECs to open their networks to CLECs.

Tauzin is right on one thing, the system is screwed up.

Cable television and cable internet service needs to be open to competition also.

Competition is good.
 
Alternative my ass... buying transit on someone's network for less than the price it costs to maintain the network... is not competition. the 1996 regulations were put in place so that Competition could start offering local service at low costs.... while they build up their own network.

The problem is, none of the so called "alternatives" invested in their own network.. because it was cheaper to screw the RBOCs.

No amount of legislation will change this. It all comes down to dollars and cents... and none of the other companies want to foot the bill to put in their own facilities.

When the FCC decides to get rid of the 1996 regulations.. all these cherry picking freeloader upstarts... with nothing but salesmen, will be FUCT!
 
and don't expect a big push in DSL availability until the regulations are gone. We've got a shitload of technologies on the back burner... that we are ready to roll out... but won't, because ATT, MCI, and jim bob's telco, have first crack at buying ports... at a loss to the real telco.
 
Do you want 600 million lines going through the air for each different provider who wants to build their own telephone or data network?

It is not feasable, especially on the "last mile".

Dozens of providers already have interstate and international networks. Its the "last mile" between the CO and the home which is the problem.

I don't think you actually realize the massiveness of something like the copper telephone system.
 
Inquisitor[Inq] said:
By my initial post its true if things stay the way they are. The way they are though is because I am being charged $23 for $0.40 of service (by their own rate methods).

The cells supposed strength is its long distance ability, but I have yet to see a cell that's minute rate isn't at least TWICE onesuite's or worse.

I have also yet to know a friend or parent whose cell doesn't have chronic disconnect/drop problems. The mobility of one doesn't really help me. When their stability, portability, and use goes up, and the price drops by 50%, I will think about getting one.
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I have sprint pcs (400 anytime, unlimited nights and weekends). I haven't had much of a stability problem either. I actually lost signal during a call 2 times. once because i walked outside under a big ass tree and once going across a bridge (normally don't talk on the phone while driving).

also, if you're buying cordless phones, you normally pay (unless you get the cheapo version) the same amount you would on a cell phone.

I've also never gone over minutes either. closest i got was when i was moving and was on the phone with the movers a lot and my new apt complex (had 0 minutes left hehe).

And I'd tell you how much more a minute it is if I go over, but i have no idea. .07 or .10? no idea.
 
get a tracfone...you only pay for minutes you use, and you can stockpile them forever if you wanted...
 
Real competition is the customer being able to say "I don't like x company anymore" and being able to change in a heart beat. That will drive performance, price and customer service.

Have you ever seen some of the install times it takes for DSL? Even switchovers from say Verizon to a DLEC or vice versa on an existing line takes way too long of time, and its just a matter of wiring at the CO.

While on the other hand, if the customer just wants to switch ISPs on the same DLEC, its a matter of MINUTES to have all the information rebuilt in the system (I know, I worked in the DSL industry and did switchovers between ISPs on the same DSL network).
 
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