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Questions About Local and Long Distance Phone Service
What kind of choice do I have for local and long distance telephone
services?
Can I keep my current telephone if I switch my local phone
company?
Can I change my phone number when I change local companies?
Can I get a personal toll-free (1-800) number?
Will I be listed in the Directory?
Can I switch my local service
without switching my long distance service?
How long will it take to switch my local service?
I have two lines with my local company; do I need to switch both of
them?
How much will I save by switching my local and long distance
service?
Will I save a lot with a "bundled" offer of combined local and long
distance services?
Can I get different Custom Calling features from the local phone
service companies on SmartPrice.com?
What are Custom Calling features?
What are the enhanced features available from the new competitive
carriers?
Can I switch my local carrier if I currently have ISDN or DSL
Internet service?
Can I add or change features after I've switched to my new
carrier?
Will I get a refund from my current local carrier if I've paid in
advance or made a deposit?
Will any installation work need to take place at my home?
Are there any contracts or term commitments required?
What kind of choice do I have for local and long
distance telephone services?
There are over 1200 companies providing long distance service and hundreds of
Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) providing both local and long distance
service in the U.S. Although AT&T, Sprint and MCI WorldCom are the most
well-known communications companies, there are many other high quality choices
available for your communications needs that can save you money and provide
features not always available from traditional carriers.
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Can I keep my current telephone if I switch my local
phone company?
Yes, you will be able to keep your current phone number.
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Can I change my phone number when I change local
companies?
Yes. The best way to do this is to use SmartPrice.com to switch your service to
the new local carrier. Once your service has been switched, call your new local
phone company's customer care number (you can find it on your new bill) and they'll
help you change your number.
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Can I get a personal toll-free (1-800)
number?
Generally yes, most of the competitive carriers on the SmartPrice.com site provide
this service. To get a personal 800 number for your new plan go ahead and begin the
switch process. After we ask your basic contact and payment information we will ask
you whether you want an 800 number - just tell us how many you'd like and we'll
take care of it for you.
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Will I be listed in the Directory?
Yes, a free listing in the white pages is provided with your new service. You can
have a "non-published" number, that is, a number that isn't listed in the
directory, at an additional cost.
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Can I switch my
local service without switching my long distance service?"
In general, no. Most competitive carriers require you to subscribe to
a package, or "bundle" of local, local toll, and long distance
services. Some carriers offer additional services such as wireless and
Internet access that may be added to the package. Once you have your
local and long distance service switched through SmartPrice.com you can
contact your new phone company to find out what other services you are
eligible to receive.
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How long will it take to switch my local
service?
Switching time varies significantly from company to company. It ranges from 3 to 4
days for companies reselling Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) services to up
to four weeks for some Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs). Go ahead and
plan on it taking a few weeks, but know that we are doing the best we can to get
you switched as quickly as possible.
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I have two lines with my local company; do I need to
switch both of them?
If the two lines are on separate accounts with your local phone company,
they may be switched independently. All lines on the same account must
be switched together. After switching, you may contact your new carrier
to cancel any lines you do not want.
How much will I save by switching my local and long
distance service?
You will save around 10% in most large cities and 5% to 10% in rural
areas.
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Will I save a lot with a "bundled" offer of combined
local and long distance services?
Bundled services offer reasonable savings but probably not as much as purchasing
from the lowest cost supplier from each service category. While there are
reasonable savings available from bundled providers one of the most significant
benefits from these offers is a single bill for all services and a single point of
contact for resolving any service problems.
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Can I get different Custom Calling features from the
local phone service companies on SmartPrice.com?
Yes, most Custom Calling features are available and additional enhanced services
are available from some carriers. There may be issues with two features: voice mail
and inside wire maintenance. Voice mail may not be offered or be limited to certain
geographic areas. Additionally, the competitive local carrier may provide an
enhanced service that provides more features than your incumbent carrier offered.
Wire maintenance may not be offered in all areas.
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What are Custom Calling features?
Custom Calling features offer added capabilities to your service that greatly
improve your service's usefulness and security. The following is a list of the most
common Custom Calling Features:
- Anonymous Call Rejection - Works with Caller ID to stop incoming calls
from anonymous callers who have blocked their numbers.
- Auto Redial - Continually redials a busy number for up to 30 minutes.
A distinctive ring alerts you when the number being redialed becomes
available.
- Call Blocker - Automatically rejects calls from numbers you specify or
the last number that called you. You will never hear a ring when a blocked number
calls you - the calling party will hear a recording: " We're sorry, the party you
are calling is not accepting calls at this time."
- Call Forwarding - Basic Call Forwarding automatically forwards calls
to any number you choose. There are a variety of options and enhancements
available with Call Forwarding that forward calls on busy, don't answer, and both
busy and don't answer. Selective Call Forwarding forwards selected calling
numbers to numbers that you choose and Remote Access Call Forwarding lets you
direct calls to another number when you're away from your phone.
- Call Return - Automatically dials your last incoming call.
- Call Waiting - Lets you put one call on hold while you answer a second
one, then alternate between the two. If a third caller attempts to reach you they
will receive a busy signal.
- Call Waiting ID - Call Waiting ID works with Caller ID to let you see
the number of the incoming call so you can decide if you want to switch to
it.
- Caller ID - Shows the name and number calling before you pick up the
phone. This service requires a phone or adjunct unit equipped for Caller ID.
- Call Trace - This is an expensive service that traces an offending
call immediately after it comes in and provides the necessary documentation to
take legal action.
- Centrex - A business oriented local service that provides Custom
Calling features in addition to PBX like features.
- Distinctive Ring / Priority Call - Makes your phone ring distinctively
for calls from up to ten selected numbers.
- Speed Calling - Lets you assign your most frequently dialed numbers to
one digit numbers.
- Three-Way Calling - Allows three people in three different places to
talk on the same line at the same time - a simple version of conference
calling.
- Voice Mail - Provides answering machine like services. This service
may not be available from all competitive local exchange carriers.
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What are the enhanced features available from the
new competitive carriers?
An example of an enhanced feature is "Notify Me" - a feature that automatically
notifies you via pager, cell phone, or chat service when you have received a voice
mail message. Another example is "Find Me" - a call forwarding feature that will
try all of your contact numbers in succession (home, work, cell, etc.) before
taking a voice mail message.
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Can I switch my local carrier if I currently have
ISDN or DSL Internet service?
Generally no. There are technical and support system issues that preclude
switching your service if you have ISDN or DSL with many competitive local service
suppliers. Several carriers on the SmartPrice.com site provide DSL services so it
may be possible to drop service with your old carrier and reestablish it with your
new one.
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Can I add or change features after I've switched to
my new carrier?
Yes. You may call your new carrier to add or change features
as you wish. However, we recommend that you wait to contact
them until they send you your first bill or notification
that your switch is complete.
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Will I get a refund from my current local carrier if
I've paid in advance or made a deposit?
Your current local company will issue a refund check within the next 30 days for
any pre-paid service you haven't used and any deposit they may be holding.
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Will any installation work need to take place at my
home?
No, the changeover will take place completely over the network. You won't notice
any difference and you won't have an interruption in service.
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Are there any contracts or term commitments
required?
There aren't any contract or term commitments required for residential customers.
Some of the more aggressively priced plans for business customers do require a
contract.
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