Why do long distance telephone calls cost more money?

Question

I mean, you dont have to pay more for long distance e-mail, so why does it cost more for a phone call to go farther?

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Because the signal is longer, and takes longer to get to

Answer 2

Long distance e-mail is not the same thing as long distance telephone. It's a different system the only thing really being the same is the actual telephone line.

As I understand it, there's a whole series of switchings and stations that have to be worked just right across thousands of miles of line. We're lucky here to have such a good system and the cost is pretty reasonable. It cost $12 for 3 minutes to call coast to coast in the late 1950s, from what the advertisements say. It's also pretty secure. How many times have you actually seen the phone line power off? In my whole life I've noticed a phone line power off once! I'm 45!

I make a lot of long distance calls within California and to other states, even Australia, and my LD bills are within reason. I'm paying around 3 and a half cents for state to state. Not more than about $20 total, and that's the highest ever. Normally far less than that. It's the people who compulsively call on cell phones who have ridicules bills.

D.J.