The telephone is arguably one of the most significant inventions of the second industrial revolution. Invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, in less than 200 years it has dramatically impacted the way people communicate and conduct business. In an article written by retired MIT professor and social scientist, Ithiel de Sola Pool, the telephone is a principal invention that influenced the structural development of cities and surrounding suburbs, as well as providing companionship and security to the lives of lonely farm wives in the early 1900s. Pool says, "Before the development of the telephone, the company president located himself near the production lines to give instructions ... Then when the telephone network was brought into society; the company president relocated himself to a place where he could deal more closely with banks, customers, and suppliers." Suburbs also became more attractive because people could move away from the city but still communicate with those that remained there.

Today there are very few households without a telephone of some sort. Instant communication has replaced the written word as the conventional form of communication in most businesses. Telephones allow us to conduct business with people thousands of miles away instantaneously—even on different continents.

As a result of the incedible utility of the telephone, within four years of conception 60,000 phones were available in the United States, and by 1915 all of America was wired for phone service. Many businesses have emerged to support the enormous telecommunications industry. One such budding company is National ComTel Network, Inc. It is a privately held telecommunications company recently purchased and operated by Highlands Ranch resident, Todd McIntyre.

Todd has been with National ComTel Network for eight years. He began his career with the company as a technological manager in charge of customer service. He quickly rose through the ranks and was offered the opportunity to purchase the company six months ago. The company's headquarters are presently in Wooland Hills, California, but Todd has plans to relocate it to Denver in the near future.

The company has eight people on staff. There are five sales representatives covering six states and three customer service representatives. The company began in 1993 primarily as a residential long-distance provider, but through well-orchestrated growth 90% of their client-base today includes commercial entities such as hotels, hospitals, and even casinos in the Las Vegas area, Todd says.

There are many value-added options available today that enhance the usage of the telephone's functions. National ComTel Network buys services in bulk from large wholesale telecommunication companies, such as Qwest, MCI, and AT&T, so they have access to numerous services. They can also customize their client's communication packages to include the best of what is technologically available. National ComTel Network can provide you with whatever you need, from a single line phone to whole business multi-line phone networks, with add-ons like audio and Web-based conferencing and T-1 dedicated line Internet service, Todd adds. Many businesses are discovering that teleconferencing between locations is a much more cost-effective business tool than paying employees' travel expenses.

Other services National ComTel Network offers include international and domestic toll-free numbers for businesses, voicemail, caling cards, and vanity numbers, which are essentially toll-free numbers that spell out acronyms relevant to your business.

Todd is zealous about his business and believes personalized customer service is what sets his company apart from other telecom businesses. "My intention for the future growth of this company is not to become the largest telecom business around, but to be the one that really looks out for its customers," he says. "We want to provide quality services that make clients happy."

National ComTel Network puts this customer service philosophy into practice by providing its customers with a 24-hour emergency phone number that is answered by a real person and a one-person billing representative. You will never be transferred to a different department and have an unfamiliar person answer your billing questions.

Prce is a major factor that all consumers must consider when purchasing a commodity. Because National ComTel Network buys services in bulk from several wholesale providers, they can build a program that will be priced competitively and most likely save you money over large national providers, Todd says. Additionally, National ComTel Network does not offer introductory or promotional pricing to make a sale. The competitive rate that you start with will be the same one you continue to receive. There are no agreements or legalese contracts to sign to begin your service.

When visiting for the first time, Todd likes to appraise what phone sevices you are currently receiving. This is best accomplished by looking at a recent telephone bill or invoice. By doing this Todd is able to assess whether or not National ComTel Network can offer you something better than what you are currently getting. Todd's sales representatives have been known to review invoices and make recommendations for cost savings, even if they do not sell the customer any new services. One satisfied customer says, "After learning about your service through a neighbor and before even switching to your service, you were willing to assist me with a continual problem that I had with my current big provider for months. Within two days my service was restored." Todd says he is so confident that the company can provide you with the best package price, and customer service that they will pay your switching fees to change you to their services, and if you're not fully satisfied they will pay to switch you back.

So whether you are searching for a better provider for your home or need to make changes to your business' telecommunications package, give Todd a call at 800-987-0100. Or visit National ComTel Network's informative Web site at www.nationalcomtel.com to see what they have to offer. In an industry dominated by impersonal mega providers, I think it's refreshing to find a successful company that truly cares about its customers.