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You can get a wired phone line from Verizon for about $25/month, plus installation of $24).


 * Verizon:   800-837-4966

They will try to sell you their $90 wireless line instead.

To get the low rate for the more-reliable wired phone, you'll have have to be persistent and patient. If someone tells you they don't have it, hang up and call back. Keep notes, because the prices will keep changing. Eventually they'll tell you about the $20 rate.

When you get it, they probably won't tell you what you need to know to call others in leisure world: you have to dial 1-301 before the local number, even though you have a 301 area code.

If you use the line for fax, you must call them to make sure the line is set up for faxing. Test it by sending and receiving, even if they say they did it.

Comcast has an internet phone service.

Cell
Cell reception is poor in most places here.

Apparently residents of the tall buldings here have blocked transmitters from the roofs because they were irrationally worried about increased cancer risk, even though the companies would pay for access.

You may be able to greatly reduce your cell phone bills by switching from the biggest companies to Consumer Cellular.