(NAPSA)—It’s important to know what you’re agreeing to when you sign with an Internet, phone or cable provider—because in some cases, you may be committing to more than you thought. Current law allows companies that provide cable, phone and Internet service to remove the existing copper lines that run into a house when they install new types of fiber-optic cable needed to deliver their service. Keeping your Internet service provider options open could save you money. While doing away with the copper lines is technically legal, opponents of the practice say it is not necessary and that it unfairly locks consumers into fiber-optic service, since the copper network is almost impossible to restore once it has been disconnected. One solution is to look into companies such as Covad Communications, which offers broadband service over existing copperlines. Keeping those lines intact could makeit easier to shop around for new service providers in the future—and that might save you some money. For more information, visit www.covad.com.
