Telephones remain in wide use in the 26th century, despite the development of more advanced videophony. The primary advantage of the telephone is that it remains useful in areas with less developed infrastructure; it works in “Grid Ghettos” and in areas with complete Grid coverage. Though there must be some kind of wireless communication framework to support it, the telephone works whether that infrastructure is a distinct telephone network or the more standard (in civilized areas) Grid-based communications infrastructure. The telephone’s infrastructure needs can be offset by adding +1 to the phone’s purchase DC and adding a micro-transmitter that allows the phone to communicate with similarly-equipped devices within 10 miles.