Bron, our local calls are not charged by length of time. We pay a 'flat fee' for monthly telephone service. I pay about $30 a month for each line into my house. One line is for the phone, and the other line I use for the modem and fax. My internet service provider charges $19.95 a month. I dial a local number to use the modem, but the cost of the service and extra phone line make me stay online ALOT... just to get my money's worth ;-)

If I had to pay an additional charge for the time spent online, well, I guess I would have to give up being a Mudcat.