Pssssssst. C'mere. Have I got a deal for you!

No, it's not a hot watch or TV set --- it's the answer to the nagging question "How can I cut down on these (expletive deleted) long distance telephone charges?"

What if I told you, you could not only cut them down, but also virtually eliminate them?

The folks at Zyxel and Actiontec have climbed aboard the broadband telephone bandwagon with the Prestige 2000W broadband phone ($216.95) and the Internet Phone Wizard ($69.99).

Now, before you start jumping up and down and shouting "I've gotta have it," there are a few things you should know. First, you have to be using a broadband Internet service (DSL or cable) and, second, you will need to subscribe to a broadband phone service such as Skype or Vonage.

Zyxel Prestige 200W Broadband Phone

Zyxel's broadband phone allows you to make calls using any 802.11a or 802.11g wireless network and, according to its manufacturer, will work with any PBX or VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) system. You pay a small subscription fee for whatever broadband provider you choose and then, depending on the provider, either a miniscule per minute charge or no charge for your long distance calls.

Other features include:

• It can be used as a wireless telephone for either residences or businesses.
• It reduces interference, giving you clearer calls, by reducing bandwidth consumption caused by voice traffic.
• It has range of 300 meters outdoors or 75 meters indoors, which means you don't need to be in the same room as your computer to use it.
• It has a built-in web configurator.
• It supports auto-provisioning.
• It has an LCD screen to display phone numbers and other data.
• It has a built-in phonebook
• Stand-by time is up to 24 hours and talk time is a maximum of four hours before it needs to be recharged.

Actiontec Internet Phone Wizard

Actiontec's Internet Phone Wizard allows you to make broadband calls using a standard analog telephone. Just plug it in and, voila, you have an instant second phone line or broadband connection.

The folks at Actiontec say you can use this device with any modem-based connection, but I wouldn't suggest using it with a standard 56K modem. Broadband is faster and the signal is a lot cleaner.

Also, the unit is made to work with Skype, which was just gobbled up by eBay. The advantage to using Skype is that you get free calls to other Skype users and pay a fraction of what you're paying now for calls outside of their network.

Using it is fairly simple. You'll hear a standard dial tone when you pick up the phone, giving you the option of using your land-based phone line or the Internet. If you want Internet service, just tap a couple of keys and you're connected. Tap the keys again and you're back to normal phone service.

Additional features include:

• You can use the same phone for Internet and normal calls _ just plug your land line into the back of the unit.
• The Phone Wizard will automatically detect whether an incoming call is Internet or analog and will switch to the mode being used.
• You essentially have a free second line, which means you can make Internet calls while someone else is using another telephone.
• It uses echo-cancellation technology to give you clear calls.

More information on these items is available at www.zyxel.com or www.actiontec.com.

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