> i used to have a "number to nowhere"... no lines or anything... it 
> was a "remote call forward" number that was programed by the telco to 
> forward to my main line... it was $9.00 a month... then it started 
> going up... a whole slew of additional fees authorized by the FCC (i 
> think)... things like long distance access, tty service, 911, ...

 WD> You have to pay for "911"?

no, not really but yes, kinda in a way... the cost of operating the 911
service is spread out to all telco users... the private telcos are not
"forced" to pay for this service out of their pockets and the FCC
allows them to pass the cost on to the users... i'm not saying that 911 is
run and/or operated by the telcos... there may very well be a private
company handling the service in some areas... an example of like situation
is that the local DMV license plate agency (for vehicles, if someone
doesn't know) is operated by a private company that is contracted to the
state... same possibility for 911 service...

 WD> Overhere emergency services are free and can even be dialed from
 WD> "disconnected" phones and cells.

we can also call 911 from "empty" cell phones but landlines are
generally "dead" to anything once dialtone is gone...

)\/(ark