Logan Abbott

One of the major trends in phones this year is color. Many of the most popular phones are seeing their time on the market extended as new hues are released. Here's a list of some popular phones and their color variations:

Verizon is now offering streaming LIVE television broadcasts, available in select cities. Only a couple of recently-released headsets are capable of supporting this feature. As of this writing, these include the LG VX9400 and the Samsung U620. For $15 to $25 a month, you get 8 channels, including Comedy Central, ESPN and MTV.

If you live in an area with AT&T local phone service, and are considering Cingular/AT&T wireless service, check out the new AT&T Unity cell phone plans. For the most part, these are priced the same as existing Cingular plans but have a couple big differences.

When filing your 2006 taxes, don't forget to claim your one-time refund for federal excise taxes paid on your telephone bills, available to anyone who has paid for long distance or bundled service since February 28, 2003. Rather than requiring people to dig up old phone bills, the IRS has set fixed amounts for the credit.

Earlier this fall, T-Mobile introduced a series of myFaves rate plans, providing unlimited calling to any 5 numbers that the subscriber selects. These numbers need not be T-Mobile subscribers, nor do they have to be cell phone numbers.

Sounds good right?

Later this year, T-Mobile is expected to roll out plans for a new generation of cell phones, ones that work on both cellular networks and the Internet (via wireless / WiFi connectivity).

The LG VX8500Chocolate for Verizon is one of the most popular phones of 2006. Part phone and part MP3 player it is Verizon's attempt at competing against the iPod. Oddly, unlike almost every other cell phone launched in the last two years, the LG Chocolate did not have a speakerphone.

Once again taking advantage of its very low rate of customers leaving (churn), Verizon has announced some changes to try and further separate itself from the pack. Details aren't available yet, but the CEO of Verizon announced these changes, for implementation later in 2006:

The 3% Federal Excise Tax, dating to the Spanish-American War will end on July 31st for all but local phone service. This includes long distance on your home phone, wireless and/or VoIP phone service. In addition, it is likely that most will be able to claim a refund for the tax paid over the last 3 years with their 2006 tax returns (the ones filed in early 2007).

After months of negotiation, OLN and Dish Network have agreed to a new contract, and OLN, with their NHL games, is now back on Dish, available to subscribers in America's Top 180 package. To check out Dish Network's current promotion, including $100 in bill credits, click here.