Do I really NEED long distance phone service ??

Edwards Finance > Phones

Q. I recently signed up for a new cellular phone service which includes free long distance. We seldom ever make long distance calls. But will from now on use the cell phone to do so. If I cancelled my HOME (residential) phone service, I know I couldn't call out to make long distance calls anymore, but could I still RECEIVE long distance calls on the house phone??

A. If you cancelled your phone service, you wouldn't have dialtone. I'm not exactly sure how you would receive calls. You wouldn't be able to call anyone either. You would be limited to using your cell phone for all calls. If your cellular service is spotty at all, I don't know about risking a 911 call on it when your house is burning down or you have a heart attack. I cancelled my residential long distance service about 5 years ago when AT&T announced that they would start charging me more for not making enough long distance calls. My local service provider then began charging a small monthly fee for connection to the LD network ... presumably to support incoming calls. The few long distance calls I make from home go through a 10-10 service. There's no monthly fee and quality is fine. I preset a key on my phone to the 10-10-xxx number for convenience. I do not have long distance service and just use 10-10 number to make the few a year I need to make. Call you phone company and cancel. You will still have local calling. Yes, and you can also direct dial toll-free numbers. But your local phone company may charge you $5.00 for the privilege of disconnecting your long distance service. If you change providers, say to one with no monthly fee, the new provider will likely pick up this charge. Also be aware, though, that LD providers' only requirement per FCC rules for notification of a rate change, like imposing a monthly minimum fee, is to post the notice on their Web site or some such. They _do not_ have to inform you by direct mail or a notice in your monthly bill. FWIW, I got so fed up with the majors that I paid the five bucks to be done with MCI once and for all, now use a dial-around (4 cents a minute inter- and intra-state) for all LD.

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