Back in the days of rotary dial-up, you paid a monthly fee for certain “local” or “semi-local” calls from a telephone provider and if you were ahead of the times, you shopped around for a better deal for long-distance rates.

Many companies, such as Verizon and AT&T, are beginning to reduce their landline rates because so many people are using their cell phones as their primary phone devices, thus eliminating landlines and even cordless phones. At the same time, companies are expanding their fiber-optic networks, which allow them to compete with cable providers to offer a full array of telecom services.

Most cable companies now regularly provide phone service, commonly referred to as telephony, and the cable telephony option continues to grow. Cablevision was the pioneer in the cable world to include telephone service, but in the last few years, Comcast has led the market. To try to convert more phone customers, cable now uses fiber in parts of its networks.

With an abundance of technologies available today, many phone companies are turning to bundling (also called double-play or triple-play packages). Bundling means companies offer a monthly rate for your local landline service, long-distance service, Internet service, and even your cell phone service and television.

Bundling offers convenient consolidation of your telecom bills, but with so many plans out there, comparisons can be difficult to assess. Bundling usually involves at least a one-year contract, and the lowest offer is typically a $99-per-month package, though it usually includes a premium level of television service, standard-speed broadband Internet service, and telephone service with a variety of calling features.

Satellite TV providers cannot alone offer bundles but they are increasingly partnering with phone companies to create bundles comprising satellite TV, DSL Internet, and landline phone service. See more about: Finding the Best Phone Plan: 10 Tips.