Later in the summer, we were shipped special Internet phones that used the same satellite connections as our email.

Still, nothing may dissuade hackers from seeing Internet phones as the next big challenge.

Some companies are also using the technology to provide Internet phone and video services to residential and business customers.

That makes an Internet phone superfluous, unless you want two lines.

Cable giants, too, are taking Internet phones to the masses.

For now, in any case, even calls placed by Internet phones are dependent on the conventional network.

That requirement, they say, could undermine some of the reasons Internet phones are starting to become popular: lower cost and more flexible features.

In tapping an Internet phone, police first need to find out which company is responsible for maintaining the phone number.

"It took the development of Internet phones and wireless to even the playing field with the Bells."

Internet phone calls to international destinations are billed separately, but in most cases still cost pennies a minute.