[geeks] Vonage alternative?

[Sheldon T. Hall]

Writes Bill Bradford ...
> On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 08:50:59AM -0400, James Fogg wrote:
>
> > Here in rural America, where CLECs dare not tread, phone lines cost
> > $45.00 per month just for the copper. Every phone call is 
> > additional. 
> 
> WHAAT?  They're still charging per-call out there instead of 
> just having flat-rate local?
> 
> I must be spoiled; as far back as I can remember SBC had 
> flat-rate local calls.

That kind of stuff varies wildly by state, and sometimes even within states.

In Georgia, for example, there's plenty of "rural" in Atlanta's huge
free-local-call area.  So, if you live on one side of that area, you can
make a 185-mile call as a free local call.  Last time I looked there were 6
or so area codes included, and the free-call area extended into a couple of
areas in Alabama.  In addition, all over Georgia, a call to the county seat
is always a toll-free call.  Having grown up with that, when I moved to
California I was amazed to find that anything over 12 miles was a long
distance call.

Here in Washington, a call from our island across Puget Sound to Seattle
(King County) is free, but a call to the rest of our county (Kitsap) is LD.

-Shel