Telecom For Dummies [Paperback]

Find out how to manage your telecom services and save your company money!

• Worldwide telecom spending was over $4 trillion in 2004, and virtually all 12 million businesses in the U.S. buy phone and other telecom services
• Our book shows people at small and medium-sized businesses how to make sense of telecom lingo and get the best deals
• Includes an overview of the major players in the telecom industry and an easy-to-understand explanation of the existing telecom infrastructure
• Helps people pinpoint the telecom services best suited to their business needs, understand billing, and troubleshoot problems
• Covers emerging industry trends, such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and how they can help businesses cut costs

Introduction 1

Part I: The ABCs of Telecom Service 7

Chapter 1: A Buyers Scoop on Telecom 9

Chapter 2: Making (And Living with) Telecom Decisions 23

Chapter 3: Getting Around the Telecom Neighborhood 43

Part II: Reviewing Telecom Products and Prices 53

Chapter 4: Understanding Dedicated Service Requirements 55

Chapter 5: Meeting Toll-Free Service, the Red-Headed Stepchild of Telecom 65

Chapter 6: Getting the Non-Accountants Guide to Your Phone Bill 89

Part III: Ordering and Setting Up Telecom Service 111

Chapter 7: Ordering Regular Phone Lines and New Long-Distance Service 113

Chapter 8: Ordering Dedicated Service 133

Chapter 9: Ordering Toll-Free Service 165

Chapter 10: Activating Your Dedicated Circuit and Toll-Free Numbers 193

Part IV: Taking Care of Yls'