41.   And referral and informational phone services are ethically viable, Nagy said.

42.   And the regional Bell telephone companies, once portrayed as the most daunting threat to cable, are turning their gaze away from video to long-distance phone service.

43.   And those lucky enough to already have phone service may lose their line for months after a big rain.

44.   And the cable companies in the Western states where U S West is the local phone company now can offer competing phone service.

45.   And the erratic quality of local phone service limits them even more.

46.   And thus the Newnan utility company is now offering TV, Internet connections and phone service, employing the last word in technology.

47.   Another source of potential competition is cellular and wireless phone service.

48.   Another optimistic sign is the decision by Time Warner, the second-largest cable company, to provide phone service in parts of New York and Ohio.

49.   And, unlike conventional phone service, both have to be on-line at the same time.

50.   Armstrong said the joint venture will test local phone service in one or two cities later this year and expand the test next year.