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A: My phone bill's huge this month.
B: Why?
A: My sister's working in America, and phoning
abroad is really costly.
B: Oh, I see. How much does your home internet
access cost you a month?
A: It's a fixed charge, no matter how often I use
the internet. It only costs ?50.
B: Well why don't you use internet phone
technology to call your sister? It'll mean smaller
phone bills.
A: Oh, that's a good idea.

Internet phone technology allows you to talk to
another person across the internet, rather than
using a normal phone network. But, you'll need
internet phone software on your computer. You'll
also need to buy a microphone to speak into and
headphones to listen through. But - your phone
bills will be smaller!

Firstly, it's quicker to use the telephone.
Secondly, the sound quality isn't as good with an
internet phone. And thirdly, reliability isn't too
good, either. Think how often your internet
connection breaks downa