Phone service: 5 ways to cut bills.(CR Money)

When Clark Kent wants to slip into his cape and tights in the most recent Superman movie, he doesn't bother to look for a phone booth. That's a good thing, since he probably wouldn't find one, and even if he did, younger moviegoers might not know what it was anyway. Telephone technology has undergone dramatic changes in recent years, and so have the bills we pay for it. Competition among providers and the advent of new services have lowered costs in some cases and raised them in others. They have also complicated the decisions we have to make to ensure reliable service at a reasonable price. Here are five ways to lower your phone-service costs without sacrificing safety.

[1] Switch to Internet phoning.

Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, transmits phone calls via a high-speed Internet connection. VoIP providers include phone and cable-TV companies and some, like Packet8 and Vonage, that specialize in the service.

What it costs: About $20 and up a month for unlimited local and long-distance calling plus another $40 or so a month for broadband Internet service from a cable provider or $40 to $50 a month from a DSL provider. These prices exclude taxes and fees, although VoIP has an added advantage: It's not as heavily taxed as conventional phone services, at least not so far.

What you'll save: About $400 a year, assuming you're already paying for broadband. If not, you'll about break even (and get broadband in the bargain.

Trade-offs: VoIP requires not only an Internet connection but AC power, so if your electricity goes out, you're sunk. For safety, you should keep a landline as a backup. Basic landline service should run about $20 a month. If you use VoIP as your sole telephone at home, make sure that your provider has your address. That's the only way a 911 operator will be able to locate you in an emergency.

[2] Use your cell phone for everything.