Clark owes an apology to Vonage after he took a recent call from a woman who ripped them apart. This particular caller complained about several things, among them being hit with a larger cancellation fee than her contract called for. To add insult to injury, the call quality was so bad that the Vonage people couldn't hear her when she called to cancel her service!

But recently Clark learned that Comcast allegedly targeted Vonage customers for bad connections -- in the hopes that they would drop the service. Comcast denies the charge, saying that they simply didn't have enough broadband capacity. The two companies have since kissed and made up.

But this is not the first time Comcast has been accused of purposely ruining the experience of customers who use competing technologies.

Clark believes it's time for the FCC to issue clear rules that outlaw the kind of practices Comcast has been engaged in. As always, Comcast is free to come on the air and counter Clark's perceptions of the company.

Interestingly, the penny-pincher noticed that his MagicJack service works fine during the day with his Comcast connection. But at night, there's no way he can make a call.

Which again begs the question: Is this a question of (in)competence on Comcast's part -- or an instance of specific sabotage of a competing technology?

Christa is excited about her new Samsung Instinct, which is basically an iPhone lookalike. It has high-speed web browsing, e-mail, GPS, TV, radio…oh, and it makes phone calls too!

Of course, these are all things that phones have done for awhile now. But the Samsung also has a sleek interface and a slim body. As Christa says, we'll have to get her final verdict on the phone in a few months. She's still in the "initial dating phase" with her Instinct.

The wireless industry would love for consumers to get in the "mobile device" mindset -- a term denoting that it's not just a phone, it does so much more.

Soon wireless networks will support unlimited international calls for free. Skype has been trying to get the government to force the cell carriers to let you use Skype on your handset. But there's been pushback because the carriers make too much money ripping you off on international calls. Expect this to change with the arrival of the next wave of cellular technology -- called 4G (fourth generation) in industry lingo.

Skype, meanwhile, has released its 4.0 beta version, and it's heavy on video calling.

When he attended the 1964 World's Fair, Clark recalls that AT&T demonstrated a picture phone. Back then, it seemed like that technology was just around the corner. But video calling never hit the mainstream. Maybe people don't want to be seen on a video phone call. But Clark thinks Skype may be the one to take it to the next level.

Clark's long term goal is to have the capability for show callers to be seen, not just heard, on ClarkHoward.com.

Being a cheap guy, Clark is often willing to take a chance on a wide variety of thrifty things -- including dubious tech services that soon fail and go into his company graveyard!

The latest service that Clark's been excited about for some time is MagicJack.com. A scant $40 buys you 1 year of unlimited local/long distance VoIP phone service. An Internet connection is required for the hardware -- a jack that you plug into your computer's USB port to start making calls. Subsequent years of service cost around $20 annually.

Clark is going to Scandinavia in late summer and will use MagicJack with the free Internet connection in his hotel rooms to call back to the United States -- all for nada.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that MagicJack is the fastest growing phone company in the United States. It's supposedly racking up 9,000 new customers everyday. That blows away the traditional cell phone carriers who are probably losing that many customers on a daily basis!

MagicJack's business model is a complete mystery to Clark. He long ago expected them to be in the graveyard, but he hopes they stay around.

One caveat: We do receive customer service complaints about MagicJack on the show. But Clark is enamored with this service that works out to be about $3/month! It's unbelievable.

With oil prices reaching an all-time high, it sometimes gets lost in the ether when something actually gets cheaper. Skype has announced unlimited calling to about 34 countries for $10/month. This includes most of Europe and some of Asia and the South Pacific. Right now there's a special where you can get a third off the price if you buy a subscription before June 1.

Skype started as a VoIP service that appealed to techies. eBay bought Skype because they thought it would facilitate international auctions. But it turned out sellers didn't want to take calls from buyers! So eBay turned things around by positioning Skype as a competitor to traditional long distance.

Finally, Skype also has a new service launching in about 8 countries that will allow people to make ultra-cheap calls back to the United States. The price? Try about 2-4 cents per minute. In the future, we'll likely have free global calling. That's a little bit of good news amid all the bad.

If you were expecting Google to announce the rumored Gphone today, you might have been disappointed. But Google did announce a new platform called Android that promises to shake up the traditional cell phone monopolies. Soon you'll be able to take any wireless device you want and access phone calling, e-mailing, web surfing, music and TV on your digital device. This is not a Star Wars thing that's 10 years away; this should start happening late next year! Google found support for Android among a lot of big-money players. They all see the financial advantages of busting up monopoly cell phone companies who want to control everything on their platform. What the future holds from here on out is almost limitless. But free cell phone calling will probably be one benefit!

Do you remember when it was free to call directory assistance? Some free services are making a comeback thanks to a new ad-based business model. Clark's teenager recently called old-fashioned directory assistance and was charged a $1.80 before he told her about 1-800-FREE-411. Google has also launched a free service (for business listings only) available at 1-800-GOOG-411. Meanwhile, AT&T has its own service through 1-800-YellowPages.

People sometimes gripe that the numbers they get from these free services aren't always correct. But there was a recent study that found the numbers you get from paid services are just as likely to be wrong. So why pay extra for the chance of a wrong number? Clark often turns to the Internet when he's looking for a number. He practically never looks in a phone book anymore. Remember the 1979 move The Jerk starring Steve Martin? There was a scene where the new phonebook arrives and Martin goes running for it, looks up his name and shouts, "I am somebody! I'm in the phonebook!" Pretty soon people won't know what the whole phonebook phenomenon is about. In the future there may not be any phonebooks, because the costs to print and distribute them are so high. The bottom line is that you shouldn't be paying for directory assistance when there are so many free options out there. On a related note, Clark was talking to someone who lost their cell phone just a few days ago. The person discovered that thousands of dollars in international calls had been made by the thief. Under the current law, that person is responsible for those costs. To avoid a scenario like this, call your cell phone provider and get an international calling block.

What's the price of web surfing nowadays when you travel abroad? Whatever it is, Clark doesn't like to pay it! That's why he was excited in 2003 when he first heard about some vaporware from FON. This Spanish company now offers a router that allows consumers to share their Internet connection with travelers passing through their area. In return for sharing upfront, they too get free Internet around the world from other members when they travel. This is a big deal in Europe where British Telecom is installing 2.7 million FON routers across England. If you become a phone member here in the United States, you will routinely have access to free Internet when you travel overseas. So what's the cost? FON sells their router for a one-time fee of $40 -- that's it! Some cable and phone companies in the United States are hostile to this sharing model, but Time Warner is among those who have embraced it. Clark plans to order a FON router for his condo building in Florida and make his Internet connection available to his fellow residents for free. FON's routers even come with security so others can't eyeball your financial info. On a related note, The Los Angeles Times recently reported that both AT&T and Verizon reserve the right to fire customers if they say anything bad about them. Why should they monitor free speech? Clark thinks it's shameful what these monopolies are doing.

Clark has two free deals to share that each comes with its own catch. The Internet has been through so much in its brief history. In the "dot.bomb era," as Clark calls it, practically anything you wanted could be found for free online. Back in the mid-'90s, Clark mentioned during an interview that free long distance would be coming soon. The interviewer scoffed and thought he was crazy. Today we have various compromises where you can get free long distance if you pay a monthly or annual fee. The latest development now comes in the form of ThePudding.com, a new website that offers free long distance with one slightly strange catch. There's no software to download and it's all completely free, but ThePudding.com has artificial intelligence that listens in to your call and uses keywords to feed ads to your computer while you're using the service. Joel of Clark's team has volunteered to be the guinea pig and taste some Pudding. We'll let you know how it goes!

The second deal comes from the world of online music. Clark previously predicted that SpiralFrog, a company promising free music downloads, would hit his Internet graveyard before it even had a chance to launch. But now SpiralFrog is up and running and it offers what it promised -- in return for watching ads while the music downloads. There's so much pent-up demand for a service like this. Clark couldn't even get on the SpiralFrog site for the first few days after launch. This is a great way to legally get music for free. On a related note, Amazon has begun selling music downloads for 89-99 cents/song and they have no digital-rights management (DRM) restrictions. That means the music will work on an iPod or any other music player of your choice.

The Apple nation is in an uproar because the computer giant has slashed iPhone prices by $200. When the iPhone first hit the market, it sold for $600; now it's selling for $400. All the Apple loyalists who stood in line and camped out to buy the iPhone on the first day feel the company owes them back their extra $200. Early adopters always get their wallet emptied out for them. They pay big money to deal with the bugs of something that's new so the rest of us can benefit from it down the road at cheaper prices. No word yet from Apple if they'll make any concessions to those who paid $600. Meanwhile, one big gripe from iPhone users has been that the whole system is built on AT&T's outdated Edge system. So now Apple is offering the iPod Touch. For the same price, the Touch features all the iPhone capabilities except for the phone service! It works on wifi networks, so savvy customers who use Skype and other VoIP providers will still be able to use it to make calls.

In other tech news, there's a new product out there being marketed under the Vudu brand. Vudu is essentially a $400 box that hooks up to your TV and allows you to watch movies on demand instantly. There are 5,000 titles at your fingertips ranging in price from 99 cents for older films to $3.99 for new releases. When you hit play, the movie starts with no download delay. This is possible because the first few minutes of all the movies are stored in the Vudu box. The remainder of the film you select is then downloaded while you watch the flick uninterrupted. Best of all you don't have to leave your home to rent a DVD or wait for it to come in your mailbox. This is very convenient, but you'll be a beta tester if you buy this now. Historically, whenever you shell out for new electronics you're always at a disadvantage. Clark recalls paying $499 for his first GPS unit and now he sees sleeker models that are easier to use for $149!

Do you need yet another reason to dump the three monopoly phone companies -- Verizon, AT&T and Qwest -- and their outdated landlines? Well, here it is: Verizon is playing dirty pool by getting into the AT&T game of charging customers a fee for long distance even if you don't use long distance. The Verizon fee is a couple of bucks a month, but AT&T had been charging people between three and five dollars to not use long distance! So unless you absolutely need a landline, why not liberate yourself? Here's the problem the phone companies are facing: They fought very hard to be able to sell long distance, but then people started using their cell phones, pre-paid cards, the Internet and/or cable phone companies to make their long distance calls. In fact, the cable companies usually offer unlimited long distance. So now the monopoly phone companies are fighting a losing battle.

Clark advises anyone who has older parents to go through their phone bill and see if you can save them money by enrolling them in Lifeline, which is a much more affordable tariff-rated service that seniors can get. Also be aware that if your parents have been in same residence since the early '80s, they may be paying a lease for telephones they had back then. Those fees could cumulatively amount to thousands of dollars, so be on the lookout on your folks' behalf. Finally, one last tip for saving money when it comes to your landline: If you pay for an unlisted number, why not just change it to a listed number and make up the name in the listing? Clark doesn't care if you call yourself Abraham Lincoln, the point is just to stop paying extra and unnecessary fees!

Clark's gotten a couple of tips from his listeners about a new product called magicJack. This product offers unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling via your Internet connection. The cost is $40 for the first year and about $20 for subsequent years. The way it works is very simple. You plug your phone into the magicJack and then plug magicJack into your computer's USB port. It takes about a minute to load up the first time, but once it assigns you a phone number you're on your way. Clark's very happy with the service so far, but about a third of people he calls through magicJack report poor sound quality. If you're cheap and want to be a pioneer, you can buy this now. And if the company goes bust, you've lost $40 bucks -- not the hundreds some people (including Clark himself) lost on SunRocket.

Sunrocket, the internet phone service provider, is dead. People really let Clark have it on the Clark Stinks board for recommending them. Clark believed in them, but he lost money too when they suddenly folded. After a few days Sunrocket put up some referrals to new companies that will take on their former customers , but even with these referrals, it's risky. You just can't predict how long a company will stay in business. A lot of people are choosing to run for safe cover: the cable company. The problem is, internet phone service from cable is almost twice as expensive as the smaller start-ups. There's a new company called Ooma who are selling internet phone service for life for $399. But who knows how they're going to do down the road. Currently, Clark uses a service owned by Ebay called Skype, which costs $29 for an entire year of unlimited local and long distance. It's not as easy to use as Sunrocket, but they're backed by a big company.

There's another company called Grand Central that's getting some big backing from Google. This is for people who have several phones--a land line, a business line, a cell phone, etc. This service gives you one number, which rings all your lines at once, so you are always reachable. You can also hear the voice mail in real time, as it's being recorded so you can decide if you want to "pick up" or not. And the voice mail goes to one inbox. This will make life much simpler for those who like to stay reachable!

JaJah and Rebtel are two communications companies that are changing the international communications game. They are both offering cheap to free international calling. You can go to their websites at Jajah.com and Rebtel.com to see exactly how they work. They are easy to use and can save you tons so check them out.

Cable, satellite and the phone companies are slugging it out these days in the Internet and telephone industries. AT&T has successfully taken over BellSouth, the southern monopoly phone company in the States. But AT&T had to make some concessions to the Feds in order to get the merger approved. For instance, you will now be able to get what’s called “naked DSL,” and it will cost about $20 a month. This means you’ll be able to get DSL service without needing to have a local or home phone connection. It won’t be the highest speed connection, but it’ll be “always on” and it’s cheap. Then, you can add Internet phone service and save a ton of money per year. Along those lines, Lingo is now offering phone service for $195 per year, or about $16 a month. You’ll get voice mail, call forwarding, call waiting and all of the other extras. Lingo’s offer is meant to undercut SunRocket, which had the lowest price going for a while. Sunrocket currently offers a year of service for $199, while Skype is $15 a month for a year. Clark has experience with Vonage, SunRocket and Skype, and the call quality can differ because of the Internet connection. Just remember that you have to sign up for the Skype deal by January 31, 2007.

You may have noticed that your cell phone bill has declined in price of the years. And, cell phones continue to get more affordable as the years go by. Remember when you paid roaming charges? Before that, we had huge boxes that had to be installed in our cars. Both of those have been eliminated as cell phones got more sophisticated. Well, the next wave of change is upon us. Soon, you are going to be able to make a call on your cell phone without using your minutes. That’s right. Your cell phone is going to get even smarter. How? Depending on where you are in the country, cell phones will soon come equipped with wireless Internet service. Your phone will switch to built in Wi-Fi in your phone when you are in an area with a wireless network. Therefore, your phone will use Internet phone service instead of cell minutes when you’re in those areas or cities. Cell phone companies are fighting this move, of course, because it means less money for them. But it’s going to happen and companies better catch a clue. This move will pretty much eliminate the need for a home phone. Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco are all moving to free wireless networks in their cities. So you’ll only use cell phone minutes when you’re on a trip or are “roaming,” as we used to say.

If you are an AOL customer and you’re trying to ditch the service, positive changes are coming your way. The company is making it possible to keep your AOL address without paying them anymore. AOL has realized that it’s losing market share by charging for overpriced dial-up. So, the company is starting a Yahoo-like format, which is more of a portal. People go there to get all kinds of information. AOL’s Instant Messenger program is also having difficulty because the other two main services – MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger – will soon be interoperable. You are going to have to ask to be switched to the free service, but it is supposed to happen in the next two months. So, get on it!

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In other techie news, you can now get 15 months of VOIP from SunRocket for $199. That includes unlimited long distance calls in the U.S. and Canada and all of the enhanced voicemail and caller ID features. That equals out to a little more than $13 a month. If you need to call overseas, you can get unlimited calling to 30 countries for $299 a year. Another company, Skype, is offering free unlimited calling through the end of the year. So, there are some serious deals out there for you in this industry.

You may have heard of, Skype, the Internet phone service that is growing across the globe. It’s now the largest phone company in the world, although it’s still fairly unknown in the States. To increase its presence here in America, Skype is offering free service if you sign up now. Under the offer, you can call any phone for free for the rest of the year. Usually, Skype allows people to call from computer to computer for free. But for the rest of the year, you can call landlines, cell phones or any other phone for nothing! Most of the people who use Skype have friends and family overseas because it’s free to talk via computer. But Skype wants to be your long distance provider. There are no catches! Also, a listener tipped Clark off to a Web site he wants you to know about. The site is called callingcards.com, and it tells people the cheapest calling cards for various countries. The problem has been that the cheapest calling card for one country is not the cheapest for another country. You can find the cheapest card for the country you want, but look for “connection fees.” If the card charges one of these, you don’t want it. And don’t buy $100 worth of calls because the company could go under. Just buy a little at a time.

Skype is taking the world by storm. People just don’t know it yet. Clark thinks this company, which originated in Astonia, has come up with a technology that is going to change the world. Evidently eBay thinks so too, since the company just spent $3 billion buying the company recently. Skype now has more than 100 million users, and Clark is one of them. In our Consumer Action Center, we use Skype to return long distance and international calls. The system uses what’s called a USB phone and the best part is that it’s free for the rest of the year! Christa was able to load Skype onto her cell phone and called Clark on it the other day. The call quality on Skype is not as good as some other services, but hopefully it will get better. But times are a changing in this industry for sure. Americans are slow to catch on, as usual. But eventually we will. Just remember that if you sign up for Skype and someone overseas signs up, you can both talk for free! You can’t beat that with a stick.

Clark gets a lot of feedback on Internet phone calling services, both good and bad. It’s still not mainstream in the U.S., but it’s growing every day. Recently, the feedback has been negative, especially regarding Vonage. The complaints about Vonage involve the company’s poor customer service and technical support, and it’s causing people to drop the service. Clark has used Vonage for years and he hasn’t had much trouble. But the churn rate is more than 2 percent right now, which is high. In addition, the Wall Street Journal contacted Vonage to ask about the complaints and no one respond. That’s just not smart. This is a critical time for Vonage, especially with the recent flubbed public offering. Reputation matters and Vonage needs to step up and fix its problems. The other issue is that there is no regulating body in the Internet phone service, so Vonage hasn’t had any incentive to work on its customer service problems. It will just mean other companies will join the market and people will go with the best one.

Clark got a recent call from a Vonage customer asking if he should buy the company’s stock. The person got a notice – like all Vonage customers – offering him the chance to buy in early. Clark advised against it, and he felt bad about it at the time. But he’s sticking with his decision even though the company has now gone public. You should always be careful with new hit companies like this. Just because they are huge out of the box doesn’t mean they’ll be strong in five years. Companies only have a dominant position for a short time in the technology world. Take Microsoft for example. The company thought it would be invincible, but it’s had trouble gaining traction in the Internet world lately. Right now Vonage, Packet8, Lingo and SunRocket are the major players in the VOIP market. But cable companies are getting into Internet telephony because they are able to bundle packages of services. People choose these deals because of the three services: high speed Internet, telephone service and television. All three packaged together are just $89! It’s almost a guarantee that people will get phone service through their cable companies in the future because of the great price!

Clark has been using Vonage’s VOIP service for about five years now. It’s basically Internet telephone calling with the technical name being “Voice Over Internet Protocol.” He switched to another company – SunRocket – for a short time to see what is like. It hasn’t been as reliable as Vonage in Clark’s opinion. CNet also rated Vonage slightly above SunRocket. The upside is that Sun Rocket gives you two cell phone numbers and has a number of special features. Christa, Clark’s executive producer, uses Packet8, which is another VOIP service. She said it was easy to get and she loves the price. But it has been slightly unreliable and somewhat difficult to set up. With any of these services, you lose the dial tone if the power goes out or your DSL line goes out. So, keep that in mind. We’ll keep giving you reviews and updates on these services whenever we get them.

Gas prices are moving up and it doesn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon. Do you feel like a sitting duck? There are things you can do, but you have to be a bit of a free thinker. If you have a diesel car, or can convert your car to a diesel, it will run on restaurant grease, for example. Another man, who recently sent pictures to Clark, runs his diesel Volkswagen Beetle on vegetable oil. Cars in Brazil are “multi-fuel” vehicles, meaning they can run on sugar cane and other types of fuel. The country made it a national policy to break away from foreign oil sources, and it’s working. The powers-that-be in the U.S. are trying to block the use of sugar as a fuel source and luckily it hasn’t happened yet. But they’ll continue to try. Our country should be in favor of any initiatives that reduce our dependence on foreign oil. So Clark doesn’t get it. In the meantime, consider converting your car if you really want to save money.

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In other car news, have you heard of “plug-in hybrids?” These cars can get up to 250 miles per gallon. So, some people are converting their regular hybrids to be plug-in hybrids, which allows them to run solely on electricity for quite a long time. All this news may frustrate you, but it’s becoming a reality. The answer is not to dig for more oil, but to come up with new ways to run our vehicles.

There will come a time when toll-free calling is a thing of the past. Internet phone calling is growing by leaps and bounds each year. The only problem is that some of these services do not reach 911. Several people have died because 911 could not be reached in the home. Apparently, it wasn’t a top priority of the Internet phone services when they started up and local phone companies have refused to connect people to 911 when they use one of these services. Now, Congress is pushing through a law that requires the four monopoly phone companies to connect people to the 911 centers when they call. Until that happens, use your cell phone to call 911 if you have an Internet phone.

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In other news, satellite phones are selling like hotcakes since Hurricane Katrina. According to the Wall Street Journal, satellite phones have increased by 1000 percent and have kept at that rate since the hurricane. They were the only phones working in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama when the hurricane hit. They are expensive, though, at about $500 for the phone and 35 cents a minute. In addition, Sprint is working on a deal that would allow your cell phone to work as a home phone when you’re at home and a cell phone when you’re not home. It basically links up to whatever service is available in your range, and that is where we’re headed down the road. You’ll have one phone that switches between home, cell and satellite.

A few weeks ago, Clark talked about a device called the “Internet Phone Wizard.” He said on air that he was going to try it out and see how it worked. It’s a tiny box that hooks up to your computer and telephone line. Then, if you’re subscribed to an Internet phone service such as Skype, you can talk to people on an actual phone for free. A lot of people don’t want to deal with Internet phone calling because you have to sit in front of a computer and wait for the call. But with the Phone Wizard it rings on your home phone, just like normal. What’s so stunning to Clark is that usually technology doesn’t work as it’s advertised. But the Phone Wizard works just like it says it will and it even improves call quality. If you make mostly domestic calls, it’s not worth it. But, if you have family or friends abroad, consider using it. It costs $50, but it will save you a ton in overseas calls.

Clark has been using Internet telephone service for 3.5 years, and he’s been thrilled with it. That’s why he was stunned to read that very few people are using it. Only 10 percent of the American people have even heard of “Internet telephones,” according to the Kansas City Star. Maybe when people hear the term Voice Over Internet Protocol, their eyes glaze over. But VOIP costs a fraction of what traditional monopoly phone services charge. It’s not perfect. Christa, Clark’s executive producer, has had problems with her service, which is different from Clark’s provider. So, be ready for some trials and tribulations. It’s up to you to decide if it’s worth it.

Tens of millions of Americans have a need or desire to make phone calls overseas. With students abroad, deployed military personnel and international workers, the numbers may even be in the hundreds of millions. Traditionally, international phone calls have been very expensive though, and it’s made it difficult to stay in touch. That was before Skype. The business plan of Skype is to use the Internet to make international phone calls for free or nearly free. The company has nearly no revenue at this point, but eBay is buying Skype for about $4.1 billion. Internet phone calling is getting so popular that eBay wants to buy into it. You don’t have to know anything about computers or the Internet because it’s so easy. In addition, new computer phones are coming on the market that will be used with your computer while making calls. The phones are about $100 and they fit in your pocket. You can take the phone to any Wi Fi spot and call locally for free or nearly free!

You may have heard Clark talk about the company Skype before. It’s one of those companies that is sneaking up on the world without any advertising. It’s basically an Internet platform that allows you to make long distance and overseas calls for next to nothing. If you call other Skype members, you pay nothing. For non-members, a lot of places in the world are 1.9 cents. Clark’s been using Skype for about five months and he has loved it. Sometimes people complain that he sounds tinny, but other than that the call is great. It’s an open platform kind, so you can also use your cell phone and potentially other devices to make Skype calls. These kinds of ingenious services could completely eliminate long distance from your life. How great would that be? All you have to do is pay a $10 yearly subscription fee and you’re home free. Skype also has a new gadget called the “phone wizard.” It allows you to switch back and forth from the local line with your long distance company to the Skype Internet line. Clark bought the device for $56 just plugged his phones into it. You phone plays double duty, saving you money on calls. These kinds of inventions are going to change the telecommunications industry.

What if you had a phone line that cost you just $4.95 a month? For that $4.95, you got unlimited incoming calls and outgoing calls for 2 cents a minute no matter where you call. That includes international calls. If you were traveling around the world, a call back to the States would cost you 2 cents a minute. It’s unlike anything we’ve heard of in the traditional phone business. We’re used to a phone line hooking into our wall and we pay whatever the phone company tells us to. But now there is “Teleo,” which is introducing portable VOIP. Your phone service resides on your computer and calls are routed through your computer. They are metered calls and the $4.95 a month includes unlimited voicemail, call forwarding and caller ID. It’s amazing! Pretty soon people with pocket PCs will be able to make calls through their handheld computers. We’ll see how Teleo fares, but the ideas and innovations are awesome.

Three million people subscribe to Internet telephone services across the nation. Three highly publicized events, involving people’s inability to dial 911 from Internet telephones, are creating change in the industry. Currently, nothing happens if you dial 911 from an Internet telephone. A Florida woman’s infant died after she had difficulty getting in touch with emergency services from an Internet telephone. She recently testified in front of the Federal Communications Commission about the tragedy. The FCC has decided to regulate the Internet telephone industry by requiring that all Internet telephones be able to reach 911. It will take place four months from now. Clark thinks this regulation is actually a good thing because everyone benefits. Internet telephone companies won’t have to make excuses anymore, and people will be able to receive a much needed service. Now if we could just get cell phones to comply with 911 regulations as well.

For the past three years Clark has been raving about Internet telephone service, also known as VOIP (voice over internet protocol). It will eventually be the only phone system used in the United States, but for now it’s still growing. Vonage is the largest of the VOIP services, and there are others including Packet8 and Skype. Well, telemarketers are catching onto the new trend and they’re creating new start-up VOIP companies and selling service over the phone. The problem is that the people who jump on the bandwagon to help sell are sometimes blinded by the promises and the idea of making lots of money. If you are asked for money to join one of these start-up VOIP sales teams, run the other way. You should not have to pay anything to get involved if the company is legit and the main priority is to sell the service. Some companies may be fronts for sales companies that are really trying to make money by recruiting fresh blood. Be careful!

Clark has been excited for years about Internet telephony, which is also known as VOIP (voice over internet protocol). Clark uses a service called “Vonage” and he has been very happy with it. But there are some pitfalls with these services. For example, people who sign up for Vonage must take extra steps to set up 911 service on the line. A young girl in Texas was unable to reach emergency services on her family’s Vonage phone recently and had to run to a neighbor’s house to get through. Now the state of Texas is suing Vonage over that incident. The state’s attorney general thinks Vonage should provide that service. But, as of now, the owners have to program it into the phone. That information is in the disclosure and directions people receive when they sign up, but it’s in very small type and people often don’t know it. Clark thinks the Internet telephone service such as Vonage need to be more upfront about the fact that calling 911 is not automatic. It’s a hazard that comes with a new technology like this, and Clark thinks it’s a topic that needs more publicity. So, be aware!

Internet telephone companies are huge these days. Clark has had Vonage in his home for about three years, for example, and he gives it an “A” so far. Mainstream players are now starting to adopt the idea, as well. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, is going to offer Internet phone service for $40 a month with unlimited local and long distance calling. That is 50 percent higher than typical phone services, but Comcast will monitor your burglar alarm and will allow 911 calling, something others have trouble with. Clark doesn’t think that price will last for long, either. It will move down after a while, so keep an eye on this one.

Internet telephone companies are huge these days. Clark has had Vonage in his home for about three years, for example, and he gives it an “A” so far. Mainstream players are now starting to adopt the idea, as well. Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, is going to offer Internet phone service for $40 a month with unlimited local and long distance calling. That is 50 percent higher than typical phone services, but Comcast will monitor your burglar alarm and will allow 911 calling, something others have trouble with. Clark doesn’t think that price will last for long, either. It will move down after a while, so keep an eye on this one.

You are one step closer to ditching your monopoly phone line in your home or business. This is fantastic news for consumers, who have had no voice in this fight - until now. The Federal Communications Commission issued a unanimous ruling that consumers will be able to sign up for Internet phone service without interference from the state. There had been a lot of concern that states were going to try to protect traditional phone companies by interfering in the VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) craze. VOIP is the modern way to place and receive phone calls and it’s replacing traditional monopoly phone service. If your Internet connection is good, your call quality is just as good. And the cost is very reasonable because the medium carries so much more calls. Usually packages include unlimited local and long distance calling in your home for about $20 to $25. It comes with voice mail, three-way calling, caller ID and all of the other amenities of regular phone service. All you need is a high-speed Internet line. If you’re served by Qwest, all you need is a cable line and your set. The other three local monopoly phone companies - BellSouth, Verizon and SBC – require you to get an obsolete phone line in order to get high speed access. With cable companies, you don’t need the phone line. The services have no junk fees, either. Eventually, they’ll add junk fees to the Internet phone bills, but it will never equal the amount of fees you get from a regular monopoly phone company. There are several other services that require a monopoly phone line, however. Many of the Internet based systems make it difficult to call 911, so a phone line is good for that reason. Secondly, if you have a burglar alarm or a digital video recorder, you need a traditional phone line.