Cheap residential phone service

Verizon and Straight Talk are teaming up to introduce Home Phone Connect, which promises unlimited local and long distance calling, voicemail, caller ID, three-way calling and more, all with no contract!

This home phone service does not require an Internet connection. You basically purchase a $49 wireless base station that you put wherever you happen to get a good signal in your home. It's compatible with your existing corded or cordless phone. You can even port your number over from the monopoly local phone company.

One word of caution: This is not compatible with home security systems, fax machines, DVR services, credit card images, or medical alert systems. (This is true for many home phone systems now, and so each of these industries has adjusted to allow you to connect different ways, such as with medical alert systems and burglar alarms that work free of a home phone line.)

But if this works for your life, it will allow you to fire the monopoly local phone company and stop paying $35 or more for their service that doesn't include any special features!