Charter Dials Into Reno for Phone Service

Charter Communications is ringing up Reno with its rollout of Charter Telephone service in the Nevada resort town.

The voice-over-Internet-protocol service offers unlimited local and long-distance calling and a lineup of popular call features including caller identification, voice mail, three-way calling, call forwarding, custom ring and speed dial for a flat $34.99 monthly fee if customers also opt for Charter Digital TV and high-speed-Internet service. Stand-alone phone service is priced at $44.99.

That puts Charter in competition with incumbent Bell operator AT&T and Clearwire Internet Phone, a wireless-broadband alternative recently launched by wireless pioneer Craig McCaw’s Clearwire.