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Once there are universally reachable cellular data networks, the days of the phone network are numbered. A "phone number" is an antiquated concept, and the netw

Once there are universally reachable cellular data networks, the days of the phone network are numbered. A "phone number" is an antiquated concept, and the network has been ruined by spam. Messaging apps will prevail.

supertrope 4y ago
There will never be universal coverage. Even in the largest cities there are dead zones. A car rental business that assumes 100% Internet access availability discovered the problem of customers parking the cars in parking garages (signal dead zones). They did not have an offline activation mode and had to tow the car. When any given customer triggered too many tows, they fired the customer. The PSTN is not going anywhere. You can choose to cut yourself off from it by refusing to take calls unless it's via an app.
- smallerfish 4y ago
  > There will never be universal coverage. Even in the largest cities there are dead zones. Bold claims. You're willing to bet this is still the case in 20 years?
  - mcguire 4y ago
    In my more cynical moods, I might be willing to bet there will be massive dead zones outside of cities.
- nerdbert 4y ago
  I expect we will see a low-frequency supplemental band carved out to ensure low-bandwidth connectivity in cellars and carparks before too long. You won't be streaming movies over it, but they'll be able to talk to that car.
  - 310260 4y ago
    With all the incumbent users lower than 600 MHz, I don't know how realistic that is. They've already been pushed out of 600/700/800 MHz. Those pushed out won't want to invest in another move.
lxgr 4y ago
So far I've received all B2C messages (e.g. dentist appointment reminders, airline boarding notifications, promotional spam etc.) via SMS, and none via any messaging app (and registered with my phone number with almost all of them). > A "phone number" is an antiquated concept As much as I wish that was true, my observation is that phone numbers aren't going anywhere, both as an addressing and authentication layer.
- smallerfish 4y ago
  For the last 2 years I've received 100% of my B2C messages via email or whatsapp, and none via SMS. I keep a phone number as a DID on a voip service, and can receive SMS through it (to email), but the only actual texts I get are personal (and those from the handful of friends who aren't on telegram or whatsapp). I almost never take phone calls, because they're universally spam; I chat to family & workmates on whatsapp, zoom & gmeet. > as an addressing and authentication layer Phone numbers are a horrendous authentication layer. That'll hopefully die sooner than phone numbers for addressing.

supertrope 4y ago

There will never be universal coverage. Even in the largest cities there are dead zones. A car rental business that assumes 100% Internet access availability discovered the problem of customers parking the cars in parking garages (signal dead zones). They did not have an offline activation mode and had to tow the car. When any given customer triggered too many tows, they fired the customer. The PSTN is not going anywhere. You can choose to cut yourself off from it by refusing to take calls unless it's via an app.

smallerfish 4y ago
> There will never be universal coverage. Even in the largest cities there are dead zones. Bold claims. You're willing to bet this is still the case in 20 years?
- mcguire 4y ago
  In my more cynical moods, I might be willing to bet there will be massive dead zones outside of cities.
nerdbert 4y ago
I expect we will see a low-frequency supplemental band carved out to ensure low-bandwidth connectivity in cellars and carparks before too long. You won't be streaming movies over it, but they'll be able to talk to that car.
- 310260 4y ago
  With all the incumbent users lower than 600 MHz, I don't know how realistic that is. They've already been pushed out of 600/700/800 MHz. Those pushed out won't want to invest in another move.

lxgr 4y ago

So far I've received all B2C messages (e.g. dentist appointment reminders, airline boarding notifications, promotional spam etc.) via SMS, and none via any messaging app (and registered with my phone number with almost all of them). > A "phone number" is an antiquated concept As much as I wish that was true, my observation is that phone numbers aren't going anywhere, both as an addressing and authentication layer.

smallerfish 4y ago
For the last 2 years I've received 100% of my B2C messages via email or whatsapp, and none via SMS. I keep a phone number as a DID on a voip service, and can receive SMS through it (to email), but the only actual texts I get are personal (and those from the handful of friends who aren't on telegram or whatsapp). I almost never take phone calls, because they're universally spam; I chat to family & workmates on whatsapp, zoom & gmeet. > as an addressing and authentication layer Phone numbers are a horrendous authentication layer. That'll hopefully die sooner than phone numbers for addressing.