This almost sums up why I want to sign up for . Vonage, the Voice-over-IP phone company (phone over your broadband connection).

Slashdot has linked to a story done by Forbes (click here to read the Forbes article) on how the phone companies are bilking us, normal consumers, out of billions.

After years of declining revenues, the Bell companies, working with the long distance carriers and the FCC, came up the with the “FCC line charge” item you see on your bill every month. But in 2000, when FCC auditors went to audit the equipment that makes up this charge on your phone bill, they found that the bell companies listed $5 billion in equipment that couldn’t be found, and another $5 billion in equipment that varied in prices – from $4 for the exact piece of equipment that the same phone company line listed for $133,000 elsewhere. Or $458 for a pair of gloves.

Instead of declining revenues, phone companies have posted an 18% growth in revenues — and how much of that is due to this line charge?

Read the article linked above and think for yourself.