Socket and Mediacom To Offer Telephone Services-Inside Columbia

Socket Telecom, a new Missouri telephone service provider under the parent company Socket Holdings Corp., recently announced it is offering local and long-distance telephone service to Columbia businesses. Combined with partner company, Socket Internet, this arrangement means business owners can choose to combine telephone service and Internet service from one local company. On the heels of that announcement, the city's cable operator, Mediacom, unveiled plans to offer local land-line telephone service beginning in the fall. Columbia will be one of the earlytestmarkets for Mediacom phone services. So far, the service is offered only in Gibson City, Ill., and Valdosta, Ga.