FrontDoor.com

Most utilities -- cable, phone, gas and electricity, and Internet -- let you sign up for service or change your existing service online, which would already be a substantial improvement over signing up for each service over the phone.

Or you could go through one of several new services that let you do all your utilities hookups online, like WhiteFence.com. Not only can you sign up for all of the services at once, you can compare the providers of these in one simple place online, shopping for the best price in a way that would be unheard of only a few years before.

The online providers are able to offer you geographic-specific information, as well as when you'll be needing the utilities. Enter your zip code in the proper form on the site, and you get customized prices from the available providers at your new home. You can also get special offers and discounts, and as well as the applicable bundling services in the areas to which you'll be moving.

And because they have your move-in date already, the utilities can be hooked up before you arrive, so no waiting around for the cable company to turn on your cable.

This article was written by a staff reporter at Relocation.com, a leading provider of information about moving companies, home improvement and insurance issues related to the relocating process.

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