although VCI and Qwest have some similarities, they are also very different. VCI charges a $150 connection fee that you pay $25 the first time, and $10 a month addition to your regular phone bill for 1 year. They charge $15 a month for local service plus tax; in addition, they offer call waiting, three way calling, and caller Id. There is no long distance offered in this package. The bill would total anywhere from $35 to $45 a month. If your bill is late they charge an additional $10 for a late fee; on the other hand, Qwest offers no connection fee for service and free local calls for the first three months with no deposit, just for hooking up service with them. They charge $15 a month for local service + tax with voice mail, call waiting, and caller Id. They also offer unlimited long distance for $20 a month. They charge no late fees for late payments; however, with long distance the bill would total about $50 a month. Both VCI and Qwest offer necessary service to the public; However, their service rates are different.