Do you wonder if you're paying too much for your utilities? Wish you could compare it to what your neighbors pay?

The White Fence Index allows you to see the averages for utility bills in more than 20 cities. Just click a city and you'll see the average for home phone, television, high-speed Internet, electricity and natural gas.

Here's a topic we most likely never think of - telephone copper wire theft. I know sounds pretty boring, but do you know the affects that it can have on you? Sure the repairs of such a theft could drive up phone service prices but did you know copper wire theft could hurt you, especially during an emergency?

As the price of copper continues to climb, currently $3.00 a pound, so does the temptation to steal it. Thieves today are stealing copper wire to then sell it to scrap metal yards for a nice profit. Although this kind of theft is nothing new, authorities have seen this in years past, the amount of copper being stolen is what is catching their attention.

In the past, copper wire theft was seen almost like a small infraction because it was random and not done too often. Perhaps it was a drug addict stealing some copper plaques from a church to score the next fix, but today copper theft is growing with each year. Damages from these thefts are costing phone companies hundreds of thousands of dollars.

It is no longer just a copper downspout here or an AC unit there; it more like thieves stealing miles of telephone copper wire phone service, and the latter is the major problem.

When thieves steal telephone copper wire that can leave hundreds of phone customers without service until the repair men can fix the problem. What if you were one of those unfortunate folks and to make matters worse you had an emergency? How would you call for help without a phone?

Copper wire theft is a growing problem that might just take a community to bring it to a stop. Let us all do our part, so if you see any suspicious activity just make sure to call your local law enforcement.

In this great age of wireless technology is easy to get caught up in all the hype. Of course a cell is more convenient because you can stay connected to friends, family and even co-workers no matter where you are throughout the day. Now for some of you out there going completely wireless is the right thing to do, but before you make a rash decision let's find out why a landline can be very important.

Reason 1: Did you know that when you call 911 from a cell phone the operator cannot pin point your location? When you using a landline, the 911 dispatch center has an address database for every landline number so help can be sent to you right away. Calling from a cell you'd better hope you're not injured enough to remember your address.

Reason 2: What type of Internet do you have or plan on getting? If it's broadband via cable modem service, wireless Internet or satellite, then cutting that landline would be fine. Keep in mind that DSL and dial-up Internet services use a landline. Now with technology always improving, there is a wireless Internet for your laptop through your cell, but check out those outrageous prices first.

Reason 3: Teenagers, need I say more. If you have teens then you must know by now they are phone magnets, and they can talk till the cows come home. Do you have enough minutes to cover those long calls? Most landline plans have unlimited local calling, so you don't have to worry about unnecessary teen texting, going over your minutes or paying those over the minute fees. Also with children in the house, will they be able to call you or make an emergency call without a landline? How will you reach them to check on them if they don't have a phone at home?

Reason 4: Do you have a home security system that notifies authorities? Most of them use a landline unless you have a more expensive model with a dedicated line just for the system.

Reason 5: Do you have a fax machine in your home? I know you know it uses a landline number but it's easy to over look it if you don't use it every day.

Reason 6: How's that cell reception throughout your house? With a cordless landline you can talk from every room in the house, even the basement. Can your cell do that?

Reason 7: Goodness you got rid of your landline and with your busy schedule you forgot to juice up your cell. Now what? Can you imagine if you actually lost your cell? That would mean you would be out of reach until you had enough money and time to go buy another cell phone.

Reason 8: Weather can sometimes be sever enough to knock out the cell tower of your provider and a landline would be a great back up.

Reason 9: Do you have enough minutes on your cell? Do you see yourself paying too much for unused minutes? Most landlines have plans that offer unlimited local and long distance calling that might be cheaper then your cell plan. It's worth investigating.

Reason 10: Do you have a satellite receiver or a digital video recorder? Well in case you didn't know, those products plug into a landline to update programming schedules and allow you to place orders for pay-per-view movies.

Like I said before, for some of you it might be feasible to just go with a cell, but for the rest of us it's worth researching providers for cheap deals to have the best of both worlds.

For further information see our press release.

In the new era of digital gadgets it seems the old copper wire analog phone might just be loosing its appeal. The new generation of high-tech folks are demanding better quality and advanced technology, which brings me to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or digital phone.

Now you might be asking yourself what exactly is VoIP. Well it is the latest in phone technology where you can use a high-speed Internet connection to have a phone conversation. You use an adapter to connect your phone to a high-speed Internet connection. Your voice is transmitted digitally over the Internet. What's amazing is that since a digital format uses less space than say analog, it is possible for you to be surfing the Web and talking on your digital phone simultaneously. These computer geeks sure think of everything.

You're probably wondering why you should change to VoIP. Well a digital phone is probably not for everyone but if you call long distance and overseas frequently then VoIP might just be the way to go. With VoIP you will not have to pay taxes like on your regular phone bill. Most VoIP providers will charge you one flat monthly rate to call locally and nationwide. Also if you travel frequently, you can take the phone adapter with you and plug it into the
high-speed Internet connection at your hotel. Since your VoIP phone number is local to the city you live in, calling home to friends and family will actually be considered a local call even if you have traveled to another state.

I read this great article on Pacific New Service where immigrants are taking full advantage of digital phone plans. The are able to live here in the U.S. and give their families back home in India, for example, a local U.S. phone number, so essentially when they are calling back home it is only a local call. Calling over seas can cost you hundreds of dollars a month, but what these immigrants have discovered with VoIP will only cost them their usual low monthly rate established by their provider.

So like I said before, VoIP might not be for everyone but it can save you money if long distance calling is what you do frequently.