Tuesday, February 22, 2005
WSJ.com - In Tiny Towns, New Call Options Shake Up an Old Phone System
WSJ.com - In Tiny Towns, New Call Options Shake Up an Old Phone System: "Until recently, Westhope, N.D., a windswept town six miles from the Canadian border, had 533 people, one bank, one bar, one gas station -- and one federally subsidized phone service.
But seven months ago, Cassidy Sivertson, a 27-year-old who runs a computer business out of his home here, bailed out of the subsidized plan, which was costing him about $165 a month. Instead, he signed up for a new Internet-based service from Vonage Holdings Inc. Now, the subsidy-free Vonage phone service, a high-speed Internet connection and an additional toll-free line cost just $60 a month. 'It surprises me we can have this type of service out here,' says Mr. Sivertson, who says several of his friends have made a similar change thanks to him."
But seven months ago, Cassidy Sivertson, a 27-year-old who runs a computer business out of his home here, bailed out of the subsidized plan, which was costing him about $165 a month. Instead, he signed up for a new Internet-based service from Vonage Holdings Inc. Now, the subsidy-free Vonage phone service, a high-speed Internet connection and an additional toll-free line cost just $60 a month. 'It surprises me we can have this type of service out here,' says Mr. Sivertson, who says several of his friends have made a similar change thanks to him."
