An Alabama background check can protect your business

Do you own a business in Alabama that regularly hires people and need to make sure every new employee you hire is the right person for the job? Many businesses in the same position these days are making the decision to conduct a Alabama background check on prospective employees. This allows them to ensure they’re hiring trustworthy people with the experience, morals, and skills to get the job done. It’s as easy as heading to available online sites where companies and employers can quickly and efficiently do Alabama background checks on prospective employees.

You have spent years developing your business into something customers can trust to provide the services they need and one bad employee could ruin all of your work. Making sure you do an Alabama background check of every new employee you hire to work in your business is the best way to try to prevent this from happening. You don’t want to be trying to recover from the possible damage a bad employee could do to your business. Contact one of the available online resources that allow companies and employers to do an Alabama background check of an employee, before deciding to hire them.

Where can you employers and companies go online to conduct an Alabama background check of each prospective employee? The Alabama Background Check System (ABC) is a safe, online site where employers and companies can quickly and securely conduct an Alabama background check on a prospective employee. Here employers and companies can access the most up-to-date comprehensive  Alabama criminal records available, which means you can do a Alabama background check of a prospective employees criminal record. This online service is the perfect tool to help keep your business safe and growing strong, rather than watching customers go across the street to competitors because a former employee was less than honest.  

Companies and employers using this useful and efficient online system to conduct an Alabama background check on a prospective employee do need to make sure they’re seeking the information for the right reasons. It’s a criminal offence for any person to willingly obtain information on this site under false pretences, and the government and law enforcement officials are very serious about this. All transactions occurring on the site are monitored and logged by professionals hired to make sure each transaction is legal and above board. Conduct the Alabama background check you need on each prospective employee at this site comes with a responsibility you need to be aware of.

Protect your business by conducting an Alabama background check on any prospective employee using the Alabama Background Check System. In this way you can do everything possible to ensure new employees you hire are trustworthy and reliable, and will get the job done. You definitely don’t want to be wishing you had conducted an Alabama background check on each new employee, because a new employee was less than honest.

My conscious mind for its part would rather talk about the arrival of summer, the beauty and majesty of the universe,  the unlikelihood of the Pittsburgh Penguins coming back to win three straight games to capture Lord Stanley’s cup.  The shrinking value of what revenues I manage to earn as compared to the requirements of what has come to be normal in my life, and  believe me it is a Spartan enough existence for Canada, is the last thing my conscious mind wants to greet every morning.  Just waiting for me and beating the same tired drumbeat, my subconscious gnaws on the stark facts of life in Canada and the world, and I’m sure the same drumbeat reverberates in a large percentage of the minds I think about every day. 

My subconscious talks about how the coming changes to Canadian life will include less time spent on the road, at least in the gas-powered transportation we have been using, and in the ingrained recreational attitudes of Canadians towards recreational choices we have normally been taking part in every summer at the lake.  About how it expects to see less large gas-powered boats on lakes and rivers in some areas of the country it and the use of four-stroke engines in a lot more boats this year, which is a good thing for Mother Earth, and that it expects to see an unprecedented rise in new and inventive ways of using the natural forces that exist around us to provide the energy to transport us from A to B.  That at the very least we can expect to see a decrease in the amount of trips undertaken on a daily basis and a better plan of action underwritten by many Canadians in their daily activities in order to conserve and cut back on costs in all areas of life at the cottage.

It reminds me that Transport Canada estimates the average Canadian boater will use on average about the same amount of gas over the summer that it takes for them to fill their SUV three times, not a lot in comparison, so it probably won’t decrease the amount of time the average Canadian cottage owner spends driving around the lake in their boat. 

That there are a few basic ways you can save fuel at the lake if you’re planning on spending a lot more time on the water this summer.  First; move around at a steady pace, revving the engine requires more; second, always turn off your engine when your docked or just sitting for a while; third, make sure the engine and propeller are working efficiently and the boat is outfitted with the proper propeller and engine.

That all lake residents have a choice, they can always choose to do different activities then the gas guzzling ones they normally do if they’re feeling the gas-price-crunch.  Take a walk along the lake side with Mother Nature for a few minutes, kayak along one of her beautiful and shrinking coast lines, canoe along a lonely stretch of one of her wondrous and life-giving rivers, or give up your motorized boat for a more traditional and Earth friendly sailboat for a while and convene with Mother Nature, she is always there waiting for you, like your subconscious, only she is wiser and longer lived then your subconscious can fathom.  She awaits your arrival, like a long-lost child she has been thinking and hoping to see you and will welcome you home.

Tell her your subconscious sent you.

Since I don’t drive, my information concerning the fluctuation at the gas pumps in the last few months comes mainly from the people I talk to every day, and I have talked to a number of Canadians lately who are a little suspicious of the consistency in gas prices in locations that are in different cities.

These thoughts started running through my mind after learning that 13 people and 11 companies in Quebec were recently charged with fixing the price of gas in four cities in Quebec.

Three members and one company of what is being called a cartel pleaded guilty Thursday in Quebec Superior Court in Victoriaville, to conspiracy to fix retail gas prices.  Apparently, they phoned each other and agreed to a fixed price.  Penalties of over $2 million were imposed against the guilty parties who operated in the cities of Sherbrooke, Victoriaville, Thetford Mines and Magog, which are all south of Montreal.

The Competition Bureau stated that information they obtained suggests that an overwhelming majority of gasoline retailers in these markets took part in the agreement to fix prices.

The companies that were dragged into court are Les Petroles Therrien Inc., operating the Petro-T sign, and Distributions Petrolieres Therrien Inc. and Ultramar Inc.

This news sends a direct message that the Competition Bureau will take immediate action to bring to justice individuals and companies depriving Canadians consumers of the benefits of competition, like lower gas prices.

The Competition Bureau’s investigation into price-fixing of gas used wiretaps, searches and information provided by individuals that were given immunity from prosecution for testifying.

The Competition Bureau has said that their investigation into price-fixing at the gas pumps will continue in all markets in Canada, suggesting in their news releases that Quebec wasn’t the only province where gas price-fixing was suspected.

Conspiracies to fix retail prices of a product are difficult by their very nature to detect and prove since suspicions and evidence of identical prices are not sufficient to indicate an illegal activity has occurred.  Securing a conviction under Canadian law requires the Bureau to dig up evidence that proves beyond a reasonable doubt that competitors have agreed to fix prices and that any agreement will have a noted impact on the level of competition for their product.

It probably doesn’t surprise a lot of Canadians and gas consumers around the world that companies would consider making an agreement to fix the price of their product with their competition at a level that allows both to milk the public at a rate that most companies would kill for.

Many after reading this many consumers will be paying greater attention to the price of gas at different geographical locations they choose to purchase gas at.  The unearthing of this gas fixing cartel may cement beliefs that many gas buyers have believed for many months when they approached the pumps.  That gas suppliers were artificially controlling the price of gas at an unnecessarily high level and that suppliers may have made an agreement to fix the price of gas and in the coming weeks we may find out just how deep this rabbit hole goes.

According to Canadian researchers at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, who are tasked with monitoring Canadians consumption of alcohol, alcohol abuse costs each Canadian an estimated $463 per year.

The report just released by the center, The Avoidable Cost of Alcohol Abuse in Canada 2002, indicated that direct health care costs for alcohol abuse in Canada surpass those of cancer and create an additional economic burden for Canadians in access of $1 billion.

Scientists and health professionals have suggested six intervention techniques that would save upwards of 800 Canadian lives each year and more than 90,000 acute-care hospital days annually.  Additionally, they point out, implementing these policies would decrease productivity losses by about $600 million, health care costs by $250 million and crime-related costs by upwards of $180 million.

The scientists and health care officials say that Canadians don’t take alcohol and its possible effects on Canadian society as a serious issue, that alcohol abuse is one of the prime factors increasing costs in the Canadian health care sector, and that it’s preventable, providing Canadians take the issues seriously.

Officials have suggested increasing taxes on alcohol; studies have shown a link between increases in the price of alcohol and a marked decrease in Canadians consuming alcohol, suggesting that a hypothetical 25 percent increase in alcohol related taxes could reduce alcohol consumption by up to 4.1 percent.  Scientists also say that lowering the legal blood alcohol concentration limits to 0.05 percent from 0.08 percent to combat alcohol abuse and increasing the legal drinking age in Canada to 21 years of age could have a notable effect on alcohol related motor vehicle fatalities.

Scientists propose a zero tolerance rule for drivers under 21, programs to educate servers of alcohol to recognize intoxication and additional screening by health care officials for drivers who have a history of drinking and driving.

The Canadian Medical Association, recently, urged the Canadian government to decrease the legal blood alcohol concentration levels, suggesting that such reductions have been shown to result in fewer fatalities and could reduce alcohol related fatalities in Canada by about 185 to 555 Canadians.

Currently, provinces issue 12 to 24 hour suspensions for blood alcohol levels over 0.05 in Canada, but under the new legislation that takes effect in Ontario later this year, a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.05 percent will be suspended for three days, up from twelve hours.

The problem of alcohol abuse in society is an old one that has been a part of human life for thousands of years and I would agree the only way that no damage will be done by individuals consuming alcohol is for alcohol to not be available.  This is of course not feasible considering the current laws in place; people should have the right to live their lives the way they want, provided their choices aren’t damaging others.

The suggested changes are just the same old ideas implemented with a new level of monitoring, no new ideas have come forward to help alleviate this problem, but then the problem is deeper then just people drinking.

The consumption of alcohol in society has a lot of origins, from stress relief, to an escape from reality, to a never-ending supply of money for suppliers and like all human inventions alcohol is relatively harmless if we control the amount we consume.

Humans are creatures of habit, we will continually come back to a familiar feeling, and this includes alcohol, even when the benefits are out weighted by the problems.  It’s easy to fall into one of these human pitfalls, the hard part is realizing the hole you’re in and getting yourself out of it.

If you drink daily, it’s likely you have lost control of your alcohol consumption and you should seek counsel from those who have been down this road.  Your not alone, many humans have suffered from alcoholism and the help exists to let you escape from the alcoholic-spiral you’re in, you just have to realize you need help and reach out for it.

Scientists prod, poke and alter experimentally processes of nature that have operated successfully and efficiently for millions of years, without the intervention of god-like humans trying to discover and understand the hidden mechanisms of the universe’s inner clockwork.

But, just how much about the possible results of their experiments are the scientists today aware of before their inquiries begin.  An experiment by experiment comparison of results would clear up this question, the results indicate that accuracy in scientific inquiry is more likely the result of chance, than human genius, while this doesn’t invalidate the results obtained, it does give us an indication of just how much about the results of their scientific inquiries they do understand.   “The more we discover, the less we understand.  Beyond every door of scientific discovery, lies another hallway of doors, each with its own hallway and set of doors of discover.”  (Warren Hayashi)

Scientists of ages past hid their discoveries and associated beliefs from the fearful eye of traditional religions and associations, behind jargon or code, renouncing their beliefs if questioned by authorities.  Scientists of today hide their discoveries behind corporate borders, professional-specific terms and expressions, and societies and associations requiring specific education, training and understanding to access.

The battle to open the doors of scientific inquiry to the non-scientist hoping to lift the veil of mystery surrounding scientific inquiry has raged since humans discovered the power of knowledge and the benefits of secrecy, a battle that has intensified with the increased refinement and specialization of all scientific disciplines.

Today, the god-like power being wielded by scientists, corporations and institutions is presently beyond the comprehension and understanding of the human intellect, despite what the human ego maybe telling us.  Maybe with time, if we survive our own devices, we may develop the ability to truly comprehend what we witness in a logical, rational, and non-emotional way, at least in the beginning of new inquiries.

The desire of scientists and corporations to hide their discoveries is certainly rooted in fear of misunderstanding and non-comprehension; humans fear what they don’t truly comprehend.  Just as the human need to understand and ultimately manipulate nature is human fear and insecurity of the unknown at work.  Fear has been and is still a powerful force that shapes the human mind and choice, a tool that can destroy life or create it, that if used constructively with logic and rationality, maybe able to help save us from ourselves.

Monsanto Corporation’s discovery of hidden scrolls detailing the process to produce synthetic recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), also known as recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), in 1994, has inflamed the battle between corporations and organizations dedicated to unveiling the mystery around many of today’s “discoveries”, by attempting to thwart attempts by consumers groups to provide consumers interested in trying to understand the facts surrounding these discoveries, with the information to make their own determinations about the safety of products obtained from today’s scientific discoveries.

Since 1994, Monsanto’s synthetic replacement for naturally occurring BST protein hormone cows, rBGH, has become widely accepted and used as a management tool to increase dairy cow production.  In 2007, of the 9 million cows in the United States, approximately one-third, are in herds supplemented with Monsanto’s Posilac bovine somatotropin.  Posilac is currently sold in all 50 states and to meet growing world-wide demand for Posilac, Monsanto has sought and received FDA approval for a new multi-million dollar manufacturing facility in Augusta, Georgia.

Customer approval ratings have been excellent, with dairy farmers using Posilac reporting thirteen years of continuous use, with no “recorded” or “registered” problems with the synthetic product.  In fact, they attest to Posilac’s efficacy in increasing dairy cow production in their herds.

To date, products produced by dairy cows enhanced with rBGH aren’t labeled as produced by hormone-enhanced cows.  But recently, farmers choosing not to supplement their herds with Posilac decided that it was time to “tell the world”.  They began drawing up plans to label their dairy products as produced from cows not supplemented with Posilac, a normal business undertaking, and then announced their undertaking to the world, it was at this time their idea got caught up on a snag that wasn’t there before they decided to implement their new label ling plans.

In stepped “Big Brother Pennsylvania State to inform these farmers that the state would impose a February 1st, 2008 ban on farmers label ling their dairy products as obtained from cows not supplemented with Posilac.   The motivations of such a decision leaves much for the imagination to play with, a misguided attempt to protect little brother-consumer from some unseen danger.  Certainly, there is a danger of creating a two-tiered pricing system, where the non-hormone enhanced product is valued more, but is this really a danger or free market theory at work?

In response to this decision, a messenger rode out of the low-sun on the horizon, carrying a letter for Pennsylvania State governor, Edward Rendell.  Signed, notarized and sealed for delivery by a coalition of 65 organizations protesting the proposed label ling ban as an attack on free speech, free markets, sustainable farming and the consumer’s right to know.  The coalition is currently resisting similar proposed bans by other states, their letter moved governor Rendell to state recently, “The public has a right to complete information about how the milk they buy is produced.”

This came as he announced that Pennsylvania would accede to consumer advocates desire for the state to retract its announcement of a proposed ban on farmers label ling their products as produced from cows not supplement with Posilac.  By issuing new guidelines that allow dairy farmers to label their products as produced by dairy cows not supplemented with Posilac, a decision that is a victory for all consumers.

 Microsoft renamed all your old favourites and added a few more that will knock your socks off 

Microsoft’s new operating system Vista comes with a host of new bells and whistles, amazing features and of course a whole new jargon to learn, fortunately, the new language is pretty easy to remember.

The first thing we noticed was Microsoft had dropped their obsession with the word “My” in favors of a whole new terminology to sink you’re teeth into.  In stead of My Computer there is only Computer, how novel, maybe one day they’ll go with simplicity.  Many of the featured names have been dropped too, Outlook Express has now become Windows Mail as you will notice when you first try to e-mail.  The majority of the new language refers to new features never seen before, but the best way to learn the new lingo is to use these hubs to learn about the new features – the terminology you’ll naturally pick up the more you use it in every day business.

There have been specialized versions of Windows in the past – for example Windows XP Home and XP Professional – Vista is the full load of the segmentation of Microsoft’s product line.  There are four versions of Vista available on the market; Home Basic, (for users who want to upgrade but don’t have PC’s that run Home Premium), Home Premium (for the average user), Business (for the most businesses), and Ultimate (for the hobbyist and power user).  Microsoft has also included an Enterprise version for large businesses that require special functions in their daily business operations.

In this hub, we focus very often on Home Premium, a version very popular with average users and offering the vast majority of Vista’s most useful features.  We also discuss the other versions in order to cover new features Home Premium doesn’t include in its package.

Microsoft has included so many new and improved features that it will be easier to consider the major improvements in categories and we begin listing them below.

Security and safety for the data contained on Microsoft computers has been of great concern since Microsoft first brought out their first operating system.  With Vista Microsoft has increased the security features in order to try to rid themselves of the reputation for weak security on their systems.  Windows firewall makes a return appearance from Windows XP, while spyware fighter Windows Defender is now standard in Vista.  Also a standard is Windows Explorer 7, which also offers beefed up security and a host of new features and capabilities.  Vista’s User Account Control prevents changes to your PC by prompting you for permission before Windows allows any substantial changes to the system.  For the curious little ones, Parental Controls allow you to set the system up to keep prying little eyes away from the dark corners of your computer system and the Internet.

Vista is designed to allow the user to get more out of a work day with features designed with this specifically in mind.  Windows Mail and Windows Calendar offer substantial upgrades from previous functionality of the programs.  You can share you’re event schedule with online friends, while Mail has improved security and a better interface than its predecessor, Outlook Express.  Windows Meeting Space allows you to collaborate with others on your network from the comfort of home or office. 

Vista comes with a new interface, Windows Aero, which is the most obvious difference when you first turn on a computer system using Vista.  Windows Aero comes with many bells and whistles to entrance you, one of which is they are now partially transparent so you can see what’s underneath the top window.  The new Sidebar contains useful “gadgets” that allow you to put useful little tools within easy reach such as a view of upcoming events on your schedule, breaking news stories, or put notes on your screen so you never forget and new ones are being created all the time that you can downloaded from the Internet. 

Microsoft has announced they will be taking computer gaming seriously with improved gaming game play elements and improved functionality.  Games Explorer is a new way to categorize and browse installed games so you don’t have to memorize in which file location you have put a certain game or under what name.  The new DirectX 10 offers better graphics and audio output to improve the immersive ability of games.

Yes, Vista does require more hardware to run quickly and efficiently but the operating system includes a host of new tools for improved performance and system stability.  You can even use a memory stick to improve performance through Windows Ready Boost.  Microsoft’s new Self-Healing System and Shadow Copy features help keep Windows Vista running cleanly and efficiently if you forget to tweak your system.  Vista even comes with Backup and Restore Center, a feature much improved from earlier such capabilities.

Microsoft has also built-in some capabilities that are harder to see in action, unless you have x-ray vision.  SuperFetch speeds the way Vista uses your PC’s memory in order to increase the systems performance.  Vista even automatically defragments your hard drives, before decreased performance reminds you of your neglect.  ReadyDrive offers support for hybrid hard disks that might not normally perform well otherwise, which should offer improved reliability and performance.  Vista new features keep an eye on your systems performance behind the scenes in an effort to head off trouble before you see issues and take some workload from your plate.

Vista comes with features for mobile computing like Windows SideShow, which allows compatible hardware to show information in a secondary screen on the device.  Notebooks have received added attention this time, receiving better support with a new interface that allows most commonly changed notebook settings (volume, brightness, battery status, wireless networking, etc.) to be constantly monitored and changed in one location.  Microsoft has included better support for tablet PC’s with Vista so users can enjoy the full benefits of Vista’s added features.

Well that’s it for this hub.  Join me tomorrow for more information on Microsoft’s new operating system Vista.  Happy hubbing!

 After nine years and a highway of hype Vista has finally arrived on the newest Microsoft computers, was it worth the wait? 

 Longhorn, now called Vista, has finally arrived! 

The nine years of build up to the final release date resulted in more of a yawn from consumers compared to previous Windows operating system releases – were thinking in particular about the circus-like environment surrounding the release of Windows 95.  Having finally made an appearance we can expect Vista to have a major impact on the computing industry as a whole.  So, how can we expect it to affect our computing lives?

Even if Vista didn’t offer any new capabilities and features to the user, it would still dominate a majority of the computing time of daily users of computers.  The biggest software company on the planet cannot drop a new version of its flagship product onto the global market without creating a few waves in the industry.  And don’t be fooled, the percentage of Microsoft’s market share in desktop operating systems – consistently over 90% during the last decade – means any changes made to Windows reverberates right through the computing industry.

The biggest effect a new operating system for Windows has is in the sales of hardware necessary to upgrade to Vista.  If you want to upgrade you may find you will need more memory, more processing power, more power in all aspects of computer architecture to get your upgrade to operate efficiently and make the upgrade worthwhile.  In fact, Microsoft recommends that your computer have at least a 1 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive with at least 15GB of free space to load Vista, a graphics card that supports DirectX 9, Pixel Shader 2.0, WDDM, and includes 128MB of graphics memory, a DVD-ROM drive, and Internet access.  So, obviously, many people looking to upgrade to Vista will have to upgrade their hardware before partaking in the benefits of Vista.  In addition, if you wish to use new features like SideShow, Vista’s technology that lets the user display data your system pushes to secondary screens, you’ll be shelling out a few more shekels at the counter for additional hardware upgrades.

Let’s put aside the shekels Microsoft’s new operating system is going to make and is currently making for hardware vendors around the global marketplace for a second.  Vista does include a slew of new and improved capabilities and features that will make operating a Windows PC a lot more fun, it’s always fun to learn new stuff, and easier once they learn the ins-and-outs of Vista.  Vista improvements in security were needed with this new Microsoft operating system as they have been a major issue with previous Microsoft operating systems in the past and should contribute to increased productivity for all users and fewer global security crises due to inappropriate behavior of individuals.  Vista also represents another major move toward having your PC at the center of home entertainment, by controlling audio systems, TV, and other multimedia components around your home.

In short, Vista provides many new features and capabilities for you to grab onto and enjoy.  While no one feature will knock your socks off, you should find a few tidbits to keep make the nine-year wait (four years from the expected release date) for Vista worthwhile, and hopefully justify your upgrade to Vista and probably some new hardware as well.

Vista: The Last Chapter?

We’ve listed the five carriers in order or relative overall performance below, because we feel a carriers performance is most customers primary consideration when first considering a carrier.  However, if you tend to travel a lot internationally or through backwash rural areas of the United States, the type of network that your carrier uses and the way you use your phone maybe worth examining as well.  After the list below you will find our suggestions if you’ve decided to change your carrier and you want some advice on how to go about this complicated process.

VERIZON WIRELESS

How good – consistently a top performer in customers surveys by independent sources like Consumer Reports and in our own independent surveys.  Always among the better national carriers in responsiveness to customer questions, inquiries and complaints.  Networks – CDMA and analog.  Verizon offers analog access on only a few of its new phones, which could mean less coverage in some rural areas of the country.

ALLTELL

How good – Alltel has been a consistent top performer in all three metro areas where they have sufficient data to rate it, but only three of course.  Notably good for both connectivity and customer service in all areas, including helpfulness in responding to questions, inquiries or complaints.  Networks – CDMA or analog.

T-MOBILE

How good – A solid consistent performer in all the metro areas where there is sufficient data to rate their service, but marred by lack of service in some places.  Also ranked among the better providers in responsiveness to customers questions, inquiries and complaints.  Networks – GSM only.  Most of its phones can be used outside the United States because of this fact though.

CINGULAR

How good – Middle to low levels of consumer satisfaction with sound and voice quality.  Static and busy circuits were common problems, as they have been in previous surveys conducted.  Relatively low performance for helpfulness in handling customer questions, inquiries and complaints.  Networks – Primarily GSM, some TDMA and analog.  Most GSM phones can also be used in many parts of the world.

SPRINT

How good – One of the poorest performers in terms of overall performance and customer satisfaction.  Had more dropped calls than other carriers in all situations?  Sprint merged with Nextel in 2005, and out results do not include former Nextel customers or those who receive Nextel service from Sprint, because their phones operate on a different network than Sprint customers.  Networks – Sprint uses CDMA but can roam using analog.    If you’re ready to switch to a different cell service provider, here’s how to find a carrier more likely to meet your personal standards:

If you live in a major metropolitan area focus your search on the carriers at the top of the list, in most of these population centers there are up to three carriers to choose from when making your choice.  To choose from the top carriers in your area, check the online coverage maps for each carrier at their Web sites, paying special attention to where you live, work and plan on traveling.  These on-line maps can vary in detail and accuracy, so you should go one step further and ask people you know who travel, work and live on the same streets as you which carrier they use and if they get consistently good service.

Depending on how often you use your cell phone while in rural areas or outside the continental United States, you’ll want to pay close attention to which network the carrier operates on.  The major digital networks are CDMA (code division multiple access) and GSM (global system for mobile).  The advantage of CDMA is that many CDMA phones incorporate analog backup for roaming in areas where a digital signal is unavailable.  Many GSM phones, however, provide coverage in other countries, a plus for those of us planning to spend a lot of time away from home.

Once you choose a carrier, be sure to take advantage of the trial period most carrier offer.  If you find that the service is poor of nonexistent in places where you need it most, cancel that contract and try another of the highly rated carriers on the list.

If you’ve settled on a carrier, you can go directly to its Web site and compare the plans it offers.  As we’ve noted in the past, however, you might have to poke around a little to find the cheapest plan the carrier offers, or else call the carrier directly and ask.  Comparing plans of different carriers is relatively simple at Web sites like Letstalk.com (click on Service Plans, then compare).

If the amount of shekels you spend is your primary concern, the best way to compare is on a per-minute basis.  For example, when we recently checked rates for Tampa, Florida, Sprint and Verizon were both offering 450-minute plans for $39.99 a month, or about 9 cents a minute.  T-Mobile offered 600 minutes for the same $39.99, or about 7 cents a minute. 

If you only use your cell phone for roadside emergencies or make very few calls, consider a prepaid or “pay as you go” plan.  When comparing prepaid plans, pay special attention to what the carrier charges per minute, how soon minutes expire, and whether your minutes can be roller over.  Although we haven’t rated prepaid carriers, some of the major providers are T-Mobile, TracFone, Verizon, and Virgin.  You can buy prepaid phones and refill minutes at electronics and office supply stores, as well as online and in Canada online or at specified stores.

Saying goodbye to your old carrier will be very easy if your contract has expired.  Just ask your new carrier to switch your existing (and, by law, portable) cell number to your new cell phone.  If however, you still have months or years to go on your contract with your current carrier, the switch is a little trickier, especially since you could be facing a whopping early termination fee.  If you’re desperately unhappy with your plan and carrier, you may want to just pay the fee and get them out of your life forever.  As much as we hate to admit it, paying a penalty of $150 to get out of a deal may be no worse than paying $50 month after month for service you’re not getting or drives you insane.  Well that’s it for this hub, join me next time as we will talk about the new fee-based features cell phone makers are adding to your friend and some things to pay attention to.  Happy talking!

  Recent surveys of customers using Voice over Internet Protocol shows increasingly happy customers, but nothing is perfect. 

Tired of paying large telephone bills for traditional landline telephone service, looking for a little monetary relief from the onslaught of your progeny’s social needs and your wife’s marathon telephone sessions, take a look at the improved service of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).  Called VoIP by many users who are saving as much as $20 to $50 or more a month by using the service, it transmits your telephone calls over the same Internet network that delivers your e-mail messages.

Providers of this service are telephone companies, cable operators, and newcomers such as Vonage but check in the area your using your service in to find the one that suits you’re need best.  Typically unlimited local and domestic long-distance plans cost around $25 to $40 a month, depending on your provider and services with you’re plan.  Just about all include telephone features normally seen, such as voice mail, caller ID, and call waiting and additional services not available with a landline, such as the ability to make local calls with your home phone number even when globetrotting thousands of miles away from your residence.

The combination of price and services is heads above typical land lines, but does VoIP deliver on the promised services or is it just more hype.  Surveys conducted by industry specialists with individuals who have used this emerging technology for at least one year indicate customers are generally satisfied with the service provided.  Over fifty percent indicated their telephone bills had dropped and the level of service about the same as traditional landline service.

Users indicated dissatisfaction with issues like the 911 emergency service so we suggest you keep your landline even if you opt for VoIP for day-to-day use.

Around fifty percent of the VoIP consumers surveyed cited reducing local and domestic long-distance phone bills was the main factor in their decision to try VoIP.  Surveys indicated that around 80% of users with lower bills saved around $20 a month, and 34% saved over $40 or more.  Sound quality and unreliability were not an issue they had to live with to achieve the monetary savings provided by this emerging technology.

Around 57% of those surveyed who used both VoIP and landline service reported Internet phone calls sounded at least as good as calls made on their traditional landline phone, while the other 43% said their landline always sounds better. 

Half the consumers with VoIP and a landline reported no difference in their ability to make and receive calls reliably, but the rest were split down the middle in rating either VoIP or landline as the most reliable.

Generally, users of both VoIP and a cell phone reported Internet phoning to have more reliable connections that their cell phone and comparable sound quality. 

While many of those surveyed had no problems with VoIP, almost 33% reported at least one dropped call or difficulty making or receiving calls within a week of the surveys and some had occasional problems listening to callers or being heard by callers.

The typically positive reports of VoIP user’s maybe piques your interest in buying the VoIP service, but here are a few things you should be aware of before signing on the dotted line.

You will probably be moving to a new phone company that provides the VoIP service, some landline and wireless providers, such as AT&T and Verizon, offer VoIP service, but you’ll also encounter names you haven’t associated with telephone service.  Including cable giants like Cablevision and Time Warner Cable, as well as businesses that specialize in VoIP, like one of the largest mainstream VoIP providers Vonage, a VoIP only provider.

The good thing about VoIP is you can use any standard touch-tone phone with the service, and the person you’re contacting doesn’t need special equipment or Internet access to receive your calls.  Typically you plug your phone into an analog telephone adapter, called an ATA, which you can purchase at a retail store near you for about $100 or less; some companies even provide one at little or no expense to the user.  The adapter hooks to a router or modem, which in turn connects up to the cable or DSL line that serves as your broadband connection.

Only one phone needs to be connected to the VoIP adapter, but if you have more than one phone connected to the line you can use a cordless phone with several handsets or a multiple-jack device with the adapter.  You could use the existing phone wiring and jacks to plug your phones into the VoIP line, but only if your willing to give up your landline, which we don’t recommend just yet.

You might be able to have your landline phone number reassigned to the VoIP line you’re planning on using, but only if you cut your landline service and as we said this is not recommended.  It will take a few weeks for the transfer to go through, so you’ll be using a temporary number during the transition period.  The only exception to this rule is if you’re using a broadband access is through DSL, in this case you may have to keep your current number for that line and get a new number for the VoIP line.

If you would rather have a new phone number with your new VoIP line, you can usually choose the area code yourself. 

Like any service VoIP has its drawbacks it clearly isn’t for everyone, some of the reason indicated for not using the service are.  It requires a broadband Internet connection that can cost up to $30 to $45 if you have in installed so you can use VoIP.  You will need to know the ins and outs of a computer to get VoIP up and running, about 40% of those who installed it themselves reported problems and even experts can have problems.  They said it took them more than two hours to install, several return visits or even some replacement hardware to get it up and running.  If you lose power or you’re internet connection at your residence your VoIP phone won’t work, we suggest buying a backup battery that will provide about four to six hours of talk time.  Security is an issue with any emerging technology using the Internet because of the risk of vulnerability to viruses, hackers, and denial of service, but no incidents have been reported so far.

The bottom line indicates the need to deal with potential problems associated with the phone service to make it work, but VoIP will increase the time you can talk on the phone, save you shekels on you’re phone costs and add useful features not seen on with typical landline phone service.  We urge you to keep a corded phone requiring no power and a traditional landline for emergency situations if you do opt for the VoIP phone though.

If you have a cell phone that works on the GSM network, used by T-Mobile and Cingular, ask the new provider whether your old phone will work on their network. Even if you can keep using your old cell phone though you may have to pay your new provider or a third-party, such as www.unlockmyphonenow.com, $10 to $40 to free it up. Unfortunately, if your phone works on the older CDMA network if probably can’t be transferred to your new provider, so your next option may be to donate or recycle it. For more information on what to do with an old cell phone, visit the website www.GreenerChoices.org.

If your under contract currently switching providers in the middle of the contract can have financial consequences, with you paying around $200 in early termination fees per phone number. If you can tolerate your existing service, try living with the contract until it is over, it will simplify you’re life.If the price is the issue, remember you can usually make a deal with the provider to move to one of your current carrier’s other plans, without additional financial penalties. But be aware that switching can mean having to extend your current contract, pay new activation fees, or surrender any rollover minutes you’ve accumulated while using your original agreement.

Surveys indicate that nearly half of respondents who switched plans did so because they wanted more minutes, a move that can save you nasty charges for exceeding your monthly allotment. But, if you don’t use your cell phone much, consider switching to a more basic monthly plan with fewer minutes and this will save you money. Replacing your cell phone is usually not a good idea while your still under contract with a provider, unless you absolutely need to, because the carrier or other authorized dealer won’t be as generous with discounts. If you have lost or broken your cell phone and don’t want to pay through the nose for a replacement, don’t worry, you can often find a less expensive replacement on eBay or other related websites.

That’s it for this hub, look for additional hubs on related material to this article in the next few days, I will be talking about my survey of carriers and which one maybe the best for your needs and purposes. Happy phoning!