>> Did telephone service become cheaper before or after 1/1/1984? It's a
>> serious question, I don't know.
> In general, long (both regional and national) distance and
> international calls become MUCH cheaper. Pre-1984, we used to worry
> about how much a call to a relative in another state would cost and
> we'd keep the call as short as possible. International calls would
> cost a goodly portion of the national debt.
> However, a POTS line for local (or incoming) calls only has become
> more expensive; it's now $20 or so instead of $6 (and that's assuming
> that you have long distance disabled or you have to pay an additional
> set of fees for the long distance privilege).
> Fortunately, the advent of DSL, cable modems, etc. have eliminated the
> need for modem lines. I once had four POTS lines (voice + three
> data); now I have just one.
> I understand why many of the kids choose not to have POTS service at
> all. The argument about POTS being more reliable than cellular/VOIP
> doesn't hold in my neighborhood; POTS *always* goes down during a
> power outage (an event that happens several times a year).
Where the hell can you get basic unlimited service for only $20 a month? I'm sorry but I consider all the little 'fees' to be nothing but legal extortion.
Here in RI a basic line will run you $45 a month.