30 June 2006

A reader recently asked for a comparison of local telephone service.

That's easier said than done.

There are a number of ways to get local service these days besides the traditional copper wires. Now we have cellular, digital, fiber-optic and Internet calling.

Consumers have new providers to choose from: cable-television companies such as Charter and Comcast and dozens of Internet telephone outfits like Vonage and Skype.