Internet phone calls, no computer necessary: when calls go through cyberspace, the cost can drop considerably, and it still sounds like Mom

Article Abstract:

Internet phone companies are attracting callers with low rates and similar quality of connections. One customer pays about 48 cents a minute for calls to Argentina using prepaid phone cards from New Jersey-based IDT, which routes many of its phone-to-phone calls over the Internet. By comparison, the customer said she paid about 89 cents over traditional communications networks that featured phone companies's different rates. Internet phone calls are less expensive for most US metropolitan users because they use network space more efficiently, plus Internet phone companies frequently are exempt from national and international regulation fees. The FCC earlier in Apr 1998 recommended applying the same fees paid by traditional phone companies to some cyberspace phone carriers. Cyberspace phone calls traditionally have been reserved by technologically savvy users since the early 1990's, but some already are using regular telephones to make calls over the Internet.

Services, Prices and rates, Internet, Computer-telephone integration, Computer telephony, Internet/Web technology application, Technology application

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On Web, new threats seen to the young

Article Abstract:

With an increasing number of children spending time on the Web, parents and a number of concerned children's advocate groups are questioning the availability of innappropriate Web content to children. Previously Web pornography has been the focus issue of these groups, but now the advertisements of beer and liquor companies and even tobacco companies has drawn their attention. Public health officials and other groups, including the American Psychiatric Association, the National Parent Teachers Association, the Center for Science in the Public Interest and the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. are alarmed by the Web sites accessible to children that provide on-line chat rooms, games and other entertainment containing messages that encourage drinking and smoking. Many of the sites require personal information that could be used in other forms of marketing.

Methods, Advertising, Internet/Web overview, World Wide Web, Social issue, Social conditions, Advertising and children

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Small, local phone carriers go in search of big suitors

Article Abstract:

Young local telephone service companies are starting a trend of looking to be bought out. Tired of competing with well-funded baby bells they are looking to get out of the local exchange carrier market. These companies are known as CLEC's (competitive local exchange carriers) and started out when deregulation was instated in the 1996 and have come to the point where they cannot compensate for their weaknesses when compared to the baby Bells . Many of these companies simply do not have the vast resources available to them and are currently too far in debt to acquire the means to catch up.

United States, Asset sales & divestitures, Acquisitions & mergers, COMMUNICATION, Communications, Broadcasting and Telecommunications, Statistical Data Included, Economic aspects, Mergers, acquisitions and divestments, Internet service providers, Forecasts and trends, Industry trend, Acquisitions and mergers, Deregulation, Intermedia Communications Inc., ICIX, e.spire Communications Inc., ESPI, GST Telecommunications Inc., IGG Communications Inc., GSTX

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