It used to be that cell phone numbers were virtually impossible to find owner information about.  Now, though, major cell phone carriers have begun selling the data behind the numbers to anyone willing to pay a small fee.  There is good and bad to this.  The bad news is that your cell phone now is susceptible to calls from people and businesses you would rather not have to pay to talk to.  The good news is that you can locate almost anyone with just his or her cell phone number. 

While there are more reasons than I can list here for why you may want to find people by phone number, I’d like to focus on how to do it.  When doing a reverse cell phone lookup, the first thing you’ll want to do is find a reputable site.  You’ll know one of these sites by three major features:

o    They disclose fees up front

o    Have a money back guarantee

o    Operate an available and responsive customer service department.

The only way to obtain owner information behind cell phone numbers is by paying a small fee.  Remember, major cell phone carriers sell this information to the sites that make it available to the public.  Sites that advertise this information for free will end up charging the fee in the end.  After being misled from the start, it’s not a good idea to trust the accuracy of their data.

After you have the site you want to use and have resigned yourself to paying a small fee – about the price of a pizza, the next step is to enter the number in question into a search tool bar on the site.  If the number exists in the site’s database, a results page will come up letting you know from what city and state it originated from.  From there, you can decide whether to purchase the results or not.  You can make a one-time purchase, or, for a little more, choose to pay a fee to do unlimited searches.  The results page will tell you:

o    Owner’s name

o    Billing address

o    Map location of address

o    Wireless carrier

o    Owner’s status with carrier

o    Previous owners of phone number, if any

So, if you find yourself in a position where need to find people by phone number, you’ll know how to do it.  There are a few very reliable reverse cell phone lookup sites online where you can be assured your search will be confidential and the results will be accurate and up to date.  One of those sites is referenced below.

So now I was forced to purchase a new phone. Not having had the smarts to purchase insurance on my phone I found myself in the cell phone store searching for my next phone. To my delight I found out that I was entitled to a pretty good-sized credit because I had my previous phone for so long. Apparently they were trying to get me to upgrade for some time now. I chose my phone and went through the process of purchasing it and getting it set up with my phone number. And by the way, I purchased the insurance this time, you just never know.

When I got home with my sleek black little number I immediately went for the guidebook. What exactly could this phone do? I was amazed to find that not only could I store all my phone numbers in the phone but I could also surf the web. I became instantly addicted to checking out the news on my cell phone’s tiny screen. Anytime I was momentarily bored, out would come the phone and off I would go to CNN.com or any of the other news organizations that traveled with me in my purse.

I gave an individual ringer to every name in my phone book and even used the alarm clock function for those twenty-minute power naps I am so fond of in my car. This cell phone has completely replaced my old phone in so many ways that I never dreamed possible. It actually had color on the screen instead of that funky green color my other phone had.

I have loved this phone for a great number of years now. I tend to hold onto things until I absolutely must replace them, but it is now time for a new cell phone. The one, four and seven buttons on this phone sometimes decide not to work. It’s a bit scratched and scuffed looking so it is well worn and well loved. It is now time for it to retire. Besides my cell phone company is offering me a great rebate on a new one.

As I search online for the replacement phone I am looking for something that will thrill me the same way that this one did all those years ago. It will have to do something pretty astonishing. The phones today have slide out keyboards, can play your mp3′s and will store pictures of your kids, but I am holding out for something pretty big. I am waiting for the cell phone that will cook me breakfast.

In the past, everyone had and primarily used landline home phone numbers. Now, many people do not even have home phones. These landline numbers are considered public access, and when you receive an anonymous call from one of them, you can identify the caller quickly through any number of free reverse telephone lookup directories. Many of these services are even offered by your home phone or phonebook providers. The bad news is that cell phone numbers are not public access. The good news is that reverse cell phone lookup directories also exist. They are no more complicated than regular reverse telephone directories, no less confidential, and also require no more than the 10-digit number.

As with any valuable information, you should be prepared to pay for a reverse cell phone lookup. While that may sound discouraging, the truth is that the services are actually quite reasonable and of course are a pretty small investment when your privacy or personal wellbeing is at stake. If you want to stop the repeated late night calls, or if you want to know for sure that your spouse is talking to someone of the opposite sex, then a reverse cell phone lookup is a far easier and cheaper option than hiring a private investigator and a more satisfying option than ignoring the calls or your suspicions.

You don’t need to ask all your friends and acquaintances if they recognize a certain number, and you don’t need to eavesdrop on your partner as they whisper into their phone in the next room. You don’t need to confront an obnoxious caller or start a fight with your spouse or the person that’s calling them. All you need is that 10-digit number.

There are convenient payment options to fit your needs, whether it’s a single number you’re searching for or just a dozen, or whether all you need is a simple name and address search or you want something more. Once you choose the membership type that’s best for you, you’re ready to start your search and end your worrying. It only takes the reverse cell phone lookup program a few minutes to return all matches in the database. Why let yourself suffer from harassment or suspicion for days when all you need is a number?

The reason you cannot easily find a cell phone number online is because privacy laws have protected cell phone numbers. These privacy laws are a really good thing because this was not just anyone can find your cell phone number and personal information online using a search engine. This includes creditors, telemarketers, and in some cases even stalkers and scam artists.

Ever since cell phones came out, if you wanted to find a cellular phone number you would have to pay a private investigator something like a $150 cell phone number finder fee just to lookup a single cell phone number. This price seems outrageous but obviously getting in contact with a person was worth the price for all the people who have paid that much to a cell phone number finder.

Good news is that, you can find someone’s cell phone number right now using one of the few, only cell phone directories in existence. The bad news is, one of these cell phone number finders only contain phone numbers which have been submitted by the owner. It is unlikely you will actually find anyone’s phone number there, and honestly, I didn’t add my number.

Cancer warnings: The possibility or probability of cancer causing effects from cell phone use and exposure to cellular towers is a controversial topic. With over 200 million wireless phones in use and all the 195,000 plus cell towers that receive and transmit the signals to these devices are we safe? Are there dangers associated with living in near proximity? This is often a hot topic in the news when studies of negative findings are reported.

Some scientific studies have suggested a link between cell phones and brain cancer. It’s difficult to know whether these results are reliable. Although it is reassuring that the majority of published studies did not find any danger of cancer, there is not enough information available to say that this concern has been disproven.

Wireless telephones are two-way radios. When you talk into a wireless telephone, it picks up your voice and converts the sound to radiofrequency energy (or radio waves).

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) each regulate wireless telephones. FCC ensures that all wireless phones sold in the United States follow safety guidelines that limit radiofrequency (RF) energy. FDA monitors the health effects of wireless telephones. Each agency has the authority to take action if a wireless phone produces hazardous levels of RF energy.

Hearing loss: If you use a cell phone for more than 60 minutes a day, a new study finds that your hearing may be compromised.

The study, “Audiological Disturbances in Long-Term Mobile Phone Users”, was presented at the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation’s Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO conference by Dr. Naresh Panda. Findings were that those who used their phone for more than an hour each day, for more than four years, had noticeable losses in high frequency hearing. Long-term use of a cell phone also may cause inner ear damage and can lead to high frequency hearing loss, researchers found.

Users of cell phones are warned to look out for ear symptoms such as ear warmth, ear fullness, and ringing in the ears (tinnitus) as early warning signs of an auditory abnormality. Dr. Panda also suggested the use of earphones, which were found to be safer than holding a mobile phone up to the ears.

Distractibility is certainly a contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents. Answering, calling or texting from a cell phone while driving will detract from the attention given to the task at hand. Twenty million drivers having the chance to interact with a wireless device while driving is not something easily ignored. Another point of view often raised is whether it is any more distracting than casual conversation in the vehicle, adjusting the radio, changing a CD, drinking a cup of coffee, or handing an item to a child in the back seat? Several states have laws prohibiting cell phone use while driving. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lists states and localities with bans in effect.

News reports had linked the sharp decline in the honeybee population with mobile phone RF signals. Those claims have now been squashed. A three-year scientific study conducted at U.S. universities has uncovered a virus that is thought to have come from imported bees and royal jelly and then spread through apiaries, causing the death of the bees. The research also suggested factors such as the practice of transporting bees in closed trucks may put the bees under stress and make them more likely to contract the virus. The next step in the research is to infect a sample of bees with the virus to see if it is definitely to blame.

The following organizations can provide additional information and resources in regard to health and safety of cell phones.

-Federal Communications Commission.

-Food and Drug Administration.

-National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

-World Health.

First, I don’t think that is a question that can be easily answered as it depends on the user and what their usage profile is like. For example is this a business customer or a retail consumer? The needs and desires of both are very different. Email is much more important for business customers, while music and video rule the day for retail consumers.

Also…lets not forget the network service provider/coverage. Most phones can lose a lot of key functionality if the coverage is poor or non-existent.

That said….here’s some suggested cell phones to start your “educated search”.

- Apple iPhone (does what it says on the tin, nothing more, nothing less) Apple truly has shaken up the mobile industry the way they shook up the DAP industry with their iPod years ago. A new benchmark has been set with this device for sure.

- Palm Treo 750 (great usability, really is a mobile office)

- Blackberry 8800 (for lovers of BB’s, the 8800 makes life alot easier with integrated GPS, wi-fi and trackball) ….. It’s great to have email, the web and a GPS nevigator application right there. The biggest downside is that Cingular disables the Wi-Fi capability that is built in to the hardware, which forces you to use their EDGE network. It’s supposed to be usable worldwide as well. No camera – but that’s a plus for those who frequent places where a camera is not permitted.

- Samsung Blackjack /i600 (strong features in a thin package)

- Sony Ericsson P1 (vast improvement over previous P series phones with alot bang for your buck)

- Nokia E61i (many like the sleek form factor even though the phone is not too pretty to look at) ….. flawless functionality, stable OS, excellent hardware support for office software (pdf, table sheets, word editor, file archiver), video/audio support, wireless/bluetooth/IR/ connectivity, memory extension slot, OTA upgrade – all in a small quality pack for a fair price.

- Blackberry Curve 8300 ….. Any of my friends who have grabbed this device in the past two months have been blown away by its combination of sexy looks and trademark RIM usability. This is not your father’s 7290! Take all the Blackberry features that have made RIM so successful; on-demand (push) email, full Outlook integration for calendar, todos, email etc, add a blazing fast processor, a revamped web browser, and throw in full media-playing capabilities and a 2 megapixel shooter ….. and you’ve got the Curve/8300. By far the best data device on the market right now. [insider hint: if integrated WiFi really gets you going, hold out for the 8320 which will be launched this quarter.)

- Blackberry Pearl 8100 ..... Take the Curve, shrink it to the size of the average candy bar cellphone and colour it Black, White or Cranberry Red .... and you've got the Pearl. Well, not quite, the processor is one generation slower and the camera is only 1.3 mp, but at half the price of the Curve, this little prosumer-oriented Berry is a great option for business people who don't relish the thought of talking into a cigarette-box-sized device all day. With RIM's patented SureType predictive text software, even though there are two letters on each key of the QWERTY keypad, you'll be surprised how smart the device is and how quickly you'll find yourself able to type on the Pearl. [Insider tip: If you want a Pearl that's on par speed-wise and shooter-wise with the Curve, wait for the Pearl 2, expected to be released this quarter.]

- Sony Ericsson W580i ….. I’ve never been a big fan of Sony cell phones, in fact, I’ve found some of their previous phones to be gaudily designed and confusing to navigate. This brand new offering from the partnership changed all that. The demo that plays when you first power it up shows off its loud, stereo speakers and incredibly crisp high res TFT display. Quite simply put, this phone is beautiful inside and out and if you don’t need a Blackberry, this phone should be your number one choice.

- Motorola A1200i ….. Want a PDA-phone with a strong operating system (linux mobile) and a very powerful group of applications? Check the Motorola A1200i … the business card photo and scan is awesome.

- Treo 700w/700wx ….. With windows OS you can create, edit, send , and receive Word, Excel, and Powerpoint files…..as well as get emails and stay organized.

- LG vx-8700 ….. If you want a simple phone that makes and receives calls with txt messages and nothing else extra, go with this sleek phone. it looks stylish and feels good in your hand being made of brushed metal, its as good as it looks and looks as good as it performs.

- Blackberry 8830 ….. This Blackberry is nice as it keeps you up to date with one of the best email programs in any phone. Also its a world phone, you can use it anywhwere internationally. Its awesome that you can use this phone overseas by sliding in a sim card that you purchase abroad (pay as you go). It’ll save you from finding a pay phone and paying the ridiculous prices.

- Nokia N95 ….. Has enormous fun potential, plus the clever web surfing engine. Its cameras are good enough for serious photography and usable video (in fact, some broadcasters are using this camera as an option for reporters on the go and are broadcasting videos made with it in news shows in Brazil). Clever is the one word that describes this powerful machine. For serious business users the only thing it lacks is a qwerty keyboard.

- HTC Artemis P3300 ….. Super Slim “Unlocked” GSM Quad Band, 802.11G, Bluetooth, SIRFIII GPS with Tomtom navigator integrated, Win Mobile with Pushmail technology. Anything you might need from a business standpoint within a single phone/pda/GPS/mp3 player/photo.

Now ….. before you run right out to your nearest mall kiosk to hunt down the phone that’s caught your eye …. sit down. Here’s a tip that will save you time …. AND money.

Stop in at Broadband Nation and peruse the articles there (be sure and search the archives). You’ll find such information as individual cell phone reviews, how to find deals on family cell phone plans, and online resources for comparing cell phones and providers. Including a neat little online tool where you can find pricing details for every cell phone available in your location ….. specials, rebates, family plans, and so on. This free online tool evens shows accessories (Chargers and Batteries, Cases and Holsters, Bluetooth, Memory and Data, Faceplates & Covers, Headsets, Value Bundles, Wireless Signal Boosters, and more). It’s as simple as searching by your zip code.

Now you have all the information you need to make a smart buying decision on your next cell phone. What you do with it is up to.

TechNewsWorld broke the scoop on an exciting union that bodes well for Motorola cell phone gamers.

Chinese gaming company Shanda Interactive and Motorola have just signed the ink on a partnership.

Figures from the same article suggest a mobile game scene in China reaching a lofty US$714 million by 2008.

Fortunate Motorola E680g cell phone owners can now look forward to mobile versions of Shanda Interactive’s World of Legend and Magical Land games on upcoming customized versions of their handset hardware.

At least this will give some Pocket PC game aficionados something to grin about in the future.

Especially if you’re prone to display damage from an overly enthused stylus-stabbing six year old.

This will have to be in reference to future upcoming Motorola cell phone game releases from Shanda as I’m still yet to encounter a six year old capable of role playing game comprehension.

Pocket PC gamers will have to be content with using this as a Motorola cell phone platform backup while their iPAQ or Axim is docked, at least until some other titles are released.

As for covert gaming at the office, you may have to choose between staring fixedly at a Motorla cell phone or your Pocket PC.

It’s really no contest if it’s a matter of corporate gamer subterfuge as the former is decidedly more conspicuous.

Not that Shanda Interactive’s initial offerings are anything to sneeze at in the RPG category, though.

Admittedly, I haven’t played a whole lot in the way of Shanda Interactive titles.

It might have more to do with their immense popularity placed smack on the Chinese desktop PC game scene.

Still, it will be interesting to see how closely they can emulate the gorgeous anime-like visuals of Magical Land and the sharp, detailed textures of World of Legend, as evidenced by their screenshots.

The Pocket PC isn’t a slouch in the role playing game department, either, with popular PPC releases like Ancient Evil featuring the same Diablo-esque dungeon crawl creature kills as its desktop PC cousin in full isometric real-time lighting glory.

I’ve tried steadfastly avoiding desktop PC MMORPG games (massively multiplayer online RPG) games featuring large numbers of online players interacting in virtual worlds due their extremely addictive nature.

A recovering RPG addict, I have already succumbed to the frenzy invoked by Blizzard’s Diablo dungeon crawl hack-and-slash series on the desktop PC platform a few years ago.

Interestingly enough, these first two releases from Shanda will appeal to the darker RPG junkie side that seems to inflict so many.

Virtual denizons of the desktop PC virtual worlds in World of Warcraft and EverQuest (dubbed EverCrack by my colleagues) will know exactly what I’m talking about, and Motorola cell phone gamers could soon be foaming at the mouth for more.

I personally know of one World of Warcraft addiction leading to divorce.

By her account, her ex-husband was pretty chuffed about achieving the elusive Level 70 cap.

He perpetuated his delusions of grandeur during his real life career as a pizza delivery guy with strange and somewhat sad Superman-like bravado.

Post-divorce, his obese flights of fantasy resulted in some 90 pounds in weight loss with no one around to remind him to eat during his megalomaniac maneuvers online.

Most will probably agree that shuttling to and from a Pizza Pizza parlour out of the Greater Toronto Area isn’t necessarily conducive to ego-tripping.

Not unless you’re a powerful Troll warlock, I suppose. Invariably, I can see this becoming a domestic issue of gigantic proportions.

It seems like massively multiplayer Motorola cell phone gamers can look forward to that next hardware upgrade to the Motorola E680g.

More so than MMORPG-less Pocket PC game freaks, anyway.

Nintendo DS WiFi gaming is becoming increasingly ubiquitous as aggressive marketing takes off in parts of Asia and Europe, bolstering their position as king of the handheld wireless gaming kingdom.

This is even more telling as it flourishes in spite of initial WiFi game Nintendo DS setbacks resulting in irate forum poster feedback.

Once again another platform is stepping up as the PDA falls off the MMORPG stage like a Miss Universe pageant winner whose dress is just a little too tight.

We can still take comfort in signicantly larger displays and more prevalent VGA units, but hopefully PPC game developers will chew on this news and respond in kind.

The actual phones offered with these deals are typically available at a below average price. They were originally phones that were designed to include only the bare bone essentials but with the evolution of the prepaid cell phone phenomenon the available phones have grown more appealing. Furthermore, a lot of companies are now offering more expensive, “fully loaded” phones with their prepaid alternative. And because this kind of package is so appealing to those purchasing the plan as a gift, better offers are always turning up that include rebates and starter airtime.

Unlike the more conventional cell phone services that are more regularly promoted, prepaid cell phone plans do not call for a long term commitment. While monthly phone plans usually require a contract to be signed with the promise of several years of payments, the prepaid phones offer more freedom. The user of the phone only has to pay for the airtime they use and they pay pretty much while they use it. Typically the airtime is sold in the form of a phone card, much like a long distance or payphone card. Each prepaid cell phone card has an allotted amount attached to it and money is deducted from it as the phone is used. Depending on the card and the service provider each prepaid card is good for up to a couple months after purchase.

Prepaid cell phones were born out of the need to offer cellular service to consumers who wanted a phone for occasional use only. People who were worried about needing to make emergency calls or get roadside assistance would turn to cell phones but then get scared away by high monthly fees. After all, even paying for a low monthly plan of thirty dollars is expensive for someone who may only make the one call a month or just wants to leave it in their car for insurance. This marketing strategy has paid off well because these types of consumers have found the packages to be quite appealing.

What is important to understand when getting these phones, however, is that they still aren’t entirely free when left unused. As mentioned, time purchased for the phone will eventually expire if it isn’t used—often the time it takes to expire depends on the initial block of time purchased. Furthermore, there has to be an active balance on the phone account in order to keep it from being canceled. If the prepaid cell phone is really going to go unused for long periods of time, the minimum cost of having it is usually between five and ten dollars a month.

Finally, be wary that the per-minute costs of these phones are a lot higher then you may expect. So make sure you understand the terms of use before you settle on which phone to buy, just in case you do end up using it more then expected.

If you are brand new to the cell phone market—though let’s fact it, that isn’t likely this day and age—then the prepaid cell phone plan may be the best way to dive in. These plans come with no long term commitments and, for the most part, you pay only for what you actually use. This route involves a lot less paper work as there aren’t credit checks to go through. In the world of telephones, it’s the closest thing to a quick over the counter transaction there is.

Without a prepaid cell phone plan there are typically contracts to sign. By doing this you are pretty much forced to look into the future and determine how much you are going to be using that phone. Is it just for emergencies? Will you need more time on weekends? What kind of features would you like to add on to it? When shopping for this prepaid alternative you’ll be wanting to predict things like long distance usage and the time of day your calls will be made. If you commit to more then you need then you’re usually out of luck as these plans can only be altered to add services, not take away. Is the prepaid cell phone plan looking good already?

For someone who is actually going to use the phone for hours every week then weeding through all that contract information is still the best bet. But if you’re in a hurry or just want to feel things out then there is rarely anything to lose by getting a prepaid cell phone plan first. Try it out for a couple of months and determine just how much you are going to use it. Do you receive more calls then you make? Do you find yourself using it in the evenings? Do you not touch it at all during the day time?

Another good reason for turning to a prepaid cell phone plan is if you are getting it for a family member who just needs security. Grandma or Grandpa may be amongst those avoiding cell phone technology at all costs but you may feel better knowing they have a way to call for help when in trouble. This is just as important for children. In these cases the phone will be sitting in a glove compartment or schoolbag for most of its life so paying a monthly contract fee is just wasteful.

Be wary though. You still need to determine whether or not the service provider offers enough range for your needs. Then how much does each minute actually cost? If it’s nothing but an emergency phone then what is the monthly minimum? Though it’s not a lot, even prepaid cell phone plan [http://www.westminsterweekly.com/category/technology-news] deduct a certain amount each month if you use it or not.

Add up what’s best for you and then dial away.

These phones are likely to alter the telecommunications industry and change the way consumers use phone service. They may spell the end of conventional wired telephone services.

As much as 30% of cell phone calls are now made inside homes. If those calls could be made more cheaply by means of the internet, wireless companies could free up capacity, and both businesses and consumers could save money.

The technology is still in an experimental stage, but some companies have already begun to offer cell-Fi phones on a limited basis.
USA Today August 24, 2005

Dr. Mercola’s Comment:
Earlier this week New Scientist reported that 4G cell phones(not land lines)in Japanusing this technologycould receive data at 100 megabits per second on the move and at up toone gigabit per second while stationary. To give you an idea of that bandwidth power, you could look at 32 high definition (not regular TV) video streams at once while you were travelling in your car.

The US is making some limited progress in 3G phone networks.

Verizon has already rolled out its 3G networks in 14 US citiesand you can connect unlimited wirelessly to the Internet for $60 a month in these cities. Unfortunately Chicago is not one of the cities, but within a year they should have most of the US covered.

The Sprint Nextell mergeris rapidly following with their 3G EVDO systems. However, it is my belief that you and I will not have to wait ten years for 4G phones or expensive 3-G wireless as Wi-Max is on the way and will be here in 1-2 years.

Wi-Maxis already being tested in remoate areas of Argentinafor widespread access to the Internet.

WiMax isshort for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Accessandcomes in two flavors. The first, known as fixed wireless, is similar toWi-Fi, but on a much larger scale and at faster speeds.

Unlike Wi-Fi, Wi-Max can transmit up to 30 miles. Yes, you read it right, 30 miles. It doesn’t take many Wi-Max towers to cover most cities. Most communities will only require a handful of Wi-Fi transmitters to provide coverage to their residents.

Thereally exciting development though is nomadic Wi-Max whichwould keep WiMax-enabled devices (like your “cell” phone)connected over large areas. Intel is projecting that they will have this deployed in their notebooks in late 2006 or early 2007.

I have had conventional VoIP (voice over internet protocol) phone service for nearly three years and over 2. 5 million Americans have now made a similar choice. Next year, WiMax will be widespread.

What is the Exciting News for You?

In the next few years it is clear to me thatyou will have the ability to connect wirelessly to the Internet nearly everywhere in the country.

If you have a VoIP wireless phone that connects automatically to the Internet you can make a call on the Internet. Just like current systems like Vonage, there is a fixed monthly fee and you can make as many calls as you want for a fixed amount. This includesmany countries like Canada and Mexico.

Other plans allow you to add up to 35 countries to the list.

The major innovation here is that you will do this wirelessly and not be fixed to the few hundred feet you can walk in your home on your portable phone.

So rather than use your cell phone, you will connect to the Internet wirelessly and use VoIP as an alternative to your cell phone carrier. These new VoIP wireless phones are essentially alternatives to your cell phone.

Just as many people dropped their land lines nearly everyone will be dropping their cell phone carriers. The reason? Rock bottom prices. No longer will you pay over $100 a month for your cell phone. You will pay $25 for your home AND cell phone for UNLIMITED use. Also remember that you avoid paying taxes or hidden fees. Just $25 a month.

So you can call anywhere in the United States and Canada for one low monthly fee. If you have to call internationally the rates are typically 3 cents a minute. Compare that to the nearly universal $1 per minute or more for most international cell phone calls.

Very exciting and one of the major fruits of Moore’s Law.

In one month my technical staff is deploying an open source VoIP system in our office called Asterisk that is equally amazing. I need to make a one time purchase of about $10,000 inhardware and rent a voice T1 line for about $500 a month, but after doing that I will be able to have nearly 200 phone lines that I can have unlimited calls on.

Absolutely amazing considering that this would costs hundreds of thousands of dollars in conventional PBX systems and tens thousands of dollars in monthly phone fees.

It could not be clearer that the death bell is tolling for the conventionalAmerican phone system.

One thing you can count on in this life is change.

Who would have thought thatAT&T would have ever collapsed as in its hey day it was one of the largest and most powerful corporations on earth.

Well technology can do that.

That is why I am equally convinced that even though the top ten drug companies have more wealth than the rest of the Fortune 500 companies combined, it is clear that they, like the phone companies, will fall.