Finding a long distance phone plan that can save you money is possible

The rate on the long distance phone plan you get obviously depends on the long distance provider you choose. To ensure that you get a long distance phone plan that can save you money we encourage you to check out the discount long distance rates . When looking at those rates you can compare different long distance phone plans with each other to see which ones give you the best deal. The long distance service you choose depends on the long distance phone plan that you need. There are some local long distance phone plans that cater to customers who talk on the phone more at night. There are some long distance phone plans that cater to businesses. Obviously you choose the long distance phone plan you want.

If you are looking for the local long distance company that can give you great rates you can find them when you search for discount long distance rates. It's fairly simple. All you have to do is compare the prices. Your local long distance company will probably have several plan options for you to choose from. You can also compare rates with companies like ATT long distance, IDT distance and MCI long distance. The service is easy and free to use. Finding a long distance phone plan is easy, you just have to spend a couple of minutes doing research and comparing. If it seems like a hassle to compare one long distance phone plan to another, think about the money you are going to save. That should solve your worries.

Keeping Your Phone Number When You Change Your Long Distance Phone Plan And Company

Telephone Number Portability

Telephone number portability is a service that provides residential and business telephone customers with the ability to retain, at the same location, their existing local telephone numbers when switching from one local telephone service provider to another.

In 1996 Congress reexamined and changed the Telecommunications Act to promote competition and reduce regulation in all telecommunications markets. Before that time, a major barrier to competition was the inability of customers to switch from one telephone company to another while retaining the same telephone number. Congress directed local telephone companies to offer "telephone number portability."

In order to provide the kind of telephone number portability envisioned by Congress, telephone companies had to invest in upgrades to their networks. In 1998 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) evaluated the cost involved in local number portability and determined that existing local telephone companies were allowed, but not required, to recover the costs of implementing and providing telephone number portability through two kinds of charges: (1) charges paid by other telephone companies that use a telephone company's number portability facilities to process their own calls; and (2) a small, fixed monthly charge assessed on telephone customers or "end users."

What Is Long-Term Telephone Number Portability End-Use Charge?

The long-term number portability end-user charge is a fixed, monthly charge through which local telephone companies may recover certain costs of providing long-term number portability service. Recoverable costs include those for creating new facilities, physically upgrading or improving the existing public switched telephone network, and performing the ongoing functions associated with providing long-term number portability. FCC rules state that incumbent local telephone companies may, but are not required to, recover certain costs of providing number portability by charging their customer a monthly fee.

Does Long-Term Telephone Number Portability Mean That I Can Keep The Same Telephone Number If I Move Across Town Or To Another State?

The type of telephone number portability that local telephone companies must provide is called "service provider portability." Service provider portability allows a customer to keep his telephone number when changing local telephone companies. It does not allow customers to take their telephone numbers with them when they move.

Does The FCC Require Local Telephone Companies Bill Consumers For Long Term Telephone Number Portability?

The FCC allows, but does not require, local telephone companies to pass certain costs of implementing and maintaining long-term number portability on to their customers. For example, the FCC allows incumbent local telephone companies to recover only costs directly related to providing long-term telephone number portability, which keeps the charges passed on to consumers, if any, as small as possible. New entrants to the local telephone market, wireless telephone service providers, and long distance companies also incur additional costs in handling calls to numbers that are portable. Because the FCC neither regulates the rates nor dictates the maximum amount carriers can charge their customers, carriers may choose to recover their costs of providing long-term telephone number portability in any lawful manner consistent with their obligations under the Telecommunications Act of 1996.