| Ever
since the Scotsman Alexander Bell invented the telephone, it has been an indispensable
part of American life. A lot of American homes have
extension phones in every room, even the toilet, and separate lines for parents
and children; this is because American teenagers tend to spend a lot of time talking
on the phone. Telephone users are charged a monthly
rate for the right to make unlimited local calls. Only
long-distance calls outside the person's local area are charged. Since
America privatized its telephone company, many new companies have been created
and this has started strong competition between them. The
results of this are new services and cheaper rates for the customers. The
use of answering machines is so widespread in America today, that people almost
always expect other people to have them. The telephone
industry is constantly changing, modernizing and inventing new products and services
for its customers. Now, with the growing popularity
of cellular phones, people can call or be called from almost anywhere in the world. However,
like all technological advances, these developments also have their drawbacks. Salesmen
call potential customers without permission or warning and some men use the phone
to harass women. Although telephones are very convenient,
they also result in loss of privacy, which is not always appreciated by everybody. | 
