Cell Phones, Electricity, Water, Heat, and more... UTILITIES : GETTING YOUR PLACE CONNECTED

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You will need to arrange and pay for the utilities that are not included in your rent.
 
PHONES

Cellular (Mobile) Telephones: Cellular phones and service plans are available from a number of providers – see Yellow Pages under “Cellular/Wireless Telephone Equipment & Supplies”.  Many companies will not provide serves to those who do not yet have a US social security number (SSN).  Therefore, you will need to find the two or three companies that will (Sprint is one of them).  For these companies, they compensate for the lack of and SSN by charging you an extra deposit when you set up service (about $150).  You will receive your deposit back when you finish your contract.  Pay-as-you-go and pre-paid cell phone plans are usually not as a good a deal in the U.S.  Most people sign up for a plan with a 1 or 2 year contract.

Local Telephone Service. Local phone service may be included in university residences. For private apartments and houses, local phone service  in Charlottesville is provided by Embarq.  Call 811 or 1800-535-0189 to establish service for a landline.  There is an installation fee, a monthly rate, plus taxes and surcharges.  An initial deposit may be required.  In addition, you will be asked if you would like to select a long-distance plan, which is optional.  The service takes several days to set up.  A telephone handset can be purchased from WalMart, Best Buy, Circuit City, Sears, Target, or K-Mart.
 
When making a local call, dial the 7-digit telephone number.  Local numbers of individuals are listed in the “White Pages” of the phone book under “Residential”, while businesses are listed in the White Pages under “Business” and in the Yellow Pages.
 
Long Distance Calls.  There is an additional charge per minute for long distance telephone calls outside the Charlottesville area.  Within the U.S., it usually costs 3-10 cents per minute depending on the time of day.  The least expensive times to call are usually on Saturday and Sunday, or during the night.  Besides Sprint, you may choose to use a different company to supply long distance service, like Adelphia 1888-374-8444, AT&T 1800-222-0300, Alltel 973-5022, NTelos 760-0141, or Qwest 1888-807-3329.  Check for special deals.  If you have a cellular phone, then long distance calls may already be included in your cell phone plan.  Also, check out dial around services like http://www.1010297.com/ or http://www.clearchoice.net/. To compare different plans, see: http://www.allfreelongdistancephonecalls.com/.  You can also obtain a prepaid phone card from a store like Wal-Mart or Sam’s Club, and add minutes over the phone using your credit card.
 
When making a long distance call within the U.S., dial “1”, then the 3-digit area code, followed by the 7-digit phone number.  Telephone numbers with “1800”, “1888” or “1877” before the 7-digit phone number are toll-free.  These are free calls and can be made from any phone.  Emergency “911” calls for the fire department, police, or ambulance service are free from any phone.
 
Pay Phones.  Phone calls from public pay phones are 50 cents for a local call.  Long distance calls may be made using a calling card or credit card.
 
International Calls.  Rates vary widely, depending on the country and the service provider.  Contact the long distance providers above to compare rate information.  International calling cards usually offer better rates, and these are available from local ethnic grocery stores, and over the internet. See: http://www.callingcards.com/.
 
ELECTRICITY
If you are renting an apartment or house, your landlord should inform you of your electricity provider.  Contact the provider to set up electricity supply.  For Dominion Virginia Power, call 1888-667-3000. 

GAS & WATER
For gas and water services, contact City of Charlottesville Utility Billing, Tel: 970-3211.  See: http://www.charlottesville.org/ under “Gas & Water”.  For Albemarle County, call Albemarle County Service Authority, Tel: 977-4511.

WASTE RECYCLING
Recyclables like glass, metal cans, paper, cardboard, newspaper, magazines, and #1 & #2 plastics should be deposited in apartment recycling bins or brought to the McIntire Road Recycling Center.
 
LOCAL BROADCAST TELEVISION
The following local television stations are broadcast free in the Charlottesville area:  NBC29 (WVIR), CBS19 (WCAV), ABC16 (WVAW), FOX 27 (WAHU), PBS41 (WHTJ), and PBS50 (WVPT).
 
CABLE TELEVISION (Optional)
To set up cable television service, contact Adelphia 1888-683-1000.  They offer several packages that include local broadcast channels.  Check for special offers.
 
SATELLITE TELEVISION (Optional)
Satellite service is available through Dish Network 1800-333-3474, and DirecTV 973-0601.
 
INTERNET ACCESS
Internet access is available in all UVA libraries and computer labs.  High-speed internet access for your apartment or home is available from providers such as Comcast (cable internet) and Embarq or Earthlink (DSL internet).

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