4 ms·

Much like 3G is being shut down, maybe SMS should be shut down too. It’d be easier for carriers to make sure the last email address holdouts make accounts than

Much like 3G is being shut down, maybe SMS should be shut down too. It’d be easier for carriers to make sure the last email address holdouts make accounts than trying to play wackamole with such an insecure protocol. Then we don’t have to worry as much about SMS unfortunately being used so heavily for web auth

rhinoceraptor 5y ago
There's no viable replacement, much like there's no viable replacement to email. There are plenty of other ways to accomplish what SMS and email do, but you will always need SMS and email. And the world is not creating standards like SMS and email anymore, at least with any widespread adoption success.
- jedberg 5y ago
  I'm not sure about that. I almost never use SMS anymore. When I'm messaging with someone on an iPhone, I use iMessage with my email address as the identifier. When I'm talking to someone on Android I use Google Messages (again no SMS). The only time I actually use SMS is when I'm getting a text for a service like my car is ready for pickup or my table at the restaurant is ready, but those could easily be switched to IP based notifications, especially since they are already coming from a computer.
  - rhinoceraptor 5y ago
    SMS is simply the lowest common denominator. If you want to send someone information given a phone number, SMS will work. That isn't true of iMessage, Google Messages or even RCS. Any method other than SMS or a phone call, requires more information than just the phone number.
    - jedberg 5y ago
      That's not true. With just a phone number I can send an iMessage. Their number turns blue when I type it in letting me know that they have an iPhone. This type of support could easily be added for Android, which would cover most use cases. My point is you're right no replacement exists today, but the technology does and could easily be expanded if the phone companies agreed to phase out SMS.
      - tjoff 5y ago
        Just because apple has a terrible system doesn't mean the rest of us should suffer. Of course the technology exist, it's not like sms is some marvel that humanity could never reproduce. It is just that noone has the right incentives to do it properly or with users interest in mind.
dotancohen 5y ago
I personally use SMS because I refuse to accept Whatsapps terms of service. I'll take an exploited open protocol over spyware.
- JetAlone 5y ago
  I have had plenty of people ask me for Whatsapp contact info. It's frustrating to tell them I don't have it. At one point it was a real estate agent who insisted on it, and refused to use email, or any of the other popular apps I use. I found it difficult to believe that he'd rather lose my business than use another system for me, but, there you go.

rhinoceraptor 5y ago

There's no viable replacement, much like there's no viable replacement to email. There are plenty of other ways to accomplish what SMS and email do, but you will always need SMS and email. And the world is not creating standards like SMS and email anymore, at least with any widespread adoption success.

jedberg 5y ago
I'm not sure about that. I almost never use SMS anymore. When I'm messaging with someone on an iPhone, I use iMessage with my email address as the identifier. When I'm talking to someone on Android I use Google Messages (again no SMS). The only time I actually use SMS is when I'm getting a text for a service like my car is ready for pickup or my table at the restaurant is ready, but those could easily be switched to IP based notifications, especially since they are already coming from a computer.
- rhinoceraptor 5y ago
  SMS is simply the lowest common denominator. If you want to send someone information given a phone number, SMS will work. That isn't true of iMessage, Google Messages or even RCS. Any method other than SMS or a phone call, requires more information than just the phone number.
  - jedberg 5y ago
    That's not true. With just a phone number I can send an iMessage. Their number turns blue when I type it in letting me know that they have an iPhone. This type of support could easily be added for Android, which would cover most use cases. My point is you're right no replacement exists today, but the technology does and could easily be expanded if the phone companies agreed to phase out SMS.
    - tjoff 5y ago
      Just because apple has a terrible system doesn't mean the rest of us should suffer. Of course the technology exist, it's not like sms is some marvel that humanity could never reproduce. It is just that noone has the right incentives to do it properly or with users interest in mind.

dotancohen 5y ago

I personally use SMS because I refuse to accept Whatsapps terms of service. I'll take an exploited open protocol over spyware.

JetAlone 5y ago
I have had plenty of people ask me for Whatsapp contact info. It's frustrating to tell them I don't have it. At one point it was a real estate agent who insisted on it, and refused to use email, or any of the other popular apps I use. I found it difficult to believe that he'd rather lose my business than use another system for me, but, there you go.