People who use internet-based companies for their telephone service will soon have to pay a fee for 911 service.

The fee has been charged to traditional land-line telephone customers since Wood County's 9-1-1 service was established a decade ago.

The county commission gave approval Monday to bill customers who get their phone service from cable and broadband companies as well.

"We need to research and find out who is operating in the county ourselves," said 911 Director Randy Lowe, "then notify them that there is a fee that goes along with that service, for the benefit of providing better service to those individuals."

Lowe adds companies such as Vonage and local cable providers are also trying to work out technical issues...which have prohibited their customers from calling into the local service.