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Ways to save money on phone serviceJan 02, 2009 (The Akron Beacon Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Not quite ready to cut the cord? You might still be able to save money on your home phone service, said Ryan Lippe of the Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel. Here's what he recommended: --If your cell plan has a generous allotment for long-distance calls, consider eliminating long-distance service on your home phone and using your cell phone for those calls. --Or, if you want to keep long-distance service on your home phone, compare plans to get the best rate. A good resource is http://www.abtolls.com. --Shop around for the best rate on your local phone service, too. You can find information on plans and prices under the telecommunications section of the consumers' counsel Web site, http://www.pickocc.org. --Stop paying for unlimited use of features that you use only occasionally and that are available on a per-use basis. One example is star-69, a service that gives you the phone number of your most recent caller. --Consider dropping your inside wire maintenance protection, especially if you have a newer home. On average, problems with inside wiring occur only once every 20 to 30 years, Lippe said. You'd probably pay much more for the insurance over time than you would for a repair. --Get out of the habit of calling 411 for information, which carries a charge. Instead, use one of the free information services that are available for business phone numbers. The consumers' counsel doesn't promote specific services, Lippe said, but they can be found on the Internet or in the phone book. A couple of services are 800-FREE-411 (800-373-3411) or 800-GOOG-411 (800-466-4411). --Check your bill each month for unauthorized charges, such as enhanced voice mail. Call your phone company if you spot new charges you didn't approve. If you can't resolve the problem with the company, call the consumers' counsel office at 877-742-5622 or fill out a form on its Web site. --If your income is low, contact AT&T to ask whether you qualify for its discounted Lifeline Ohio plan. Information is at http://www.att.com/gen/general?pid=10252. To see more of the Akron Beacon Journal, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.ohio.com. Copyright (c) 2009, The Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |