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Phone Numbers Go Locationless

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the and-where-are-you-calling-from dept.

flipper65 writes "Well, it looks like one of the last bastions of the regional Bells is under attack. Now your VoIP provider can give you their own area code and exchange. With the proliferation of broadband and voice services, your land line is now as mobile as your cell phone, and cheaper. Look for this to turn in to a battle royal. The regional bells will not go quietly into that good night."

9 of 233 comments (clear)

  1. I Wonder... by Supernoma · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...what the phone companies are going to try and do about this? I can see them charging long distance to people with the VoIP area codes.

    --
    I'll Find You Peer, If It's The Last Thing I Do!!!!
    1. Re:I Wonder... by poopdeville · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I suspect that law suits are soon coming. Not over any particularly obvious issue, but I bet the telcos are going to go through all of SBC's paperwork with a fine-toothed comb, looking for any reason to slow them down.

      If not that, I suspect the telcos will lobby for government subsidies.

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      After all, I am strangely colored.
    2. Re:I Wonder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I read the article (!).

      You must be new here (?).

  2. Yay. by Fookin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Welcome to caller-id hell.

  3. Competition... by ElNotto · · Score: 3, Insightful
    The regional bells will not go quietly into that good night.

    Of course they won't go quietly, but the competition will benefit the consumer with lower prices and more features. There was something to be said for the stability of old Ma Bell, but I think most people would agree they like having the choices and competition that have come with deregulation.

    This is just the next step and let's hope it just keeps getting better!

    1. Re:Competition... by smootherxp · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "The regional bells will not go quietly into that good night." "Of course they won't go quietly, but the competition will benefit the consumer with lower prices and more features. There was something to be said for the stability of old Ma Bell, but I think most people would agree they like having the choices and competition that have come with deregulation." SBC Southern Bell Corp. They are Ma'Bell!! They also own Cingular who purchased ATT-Wireless and are now purchasing ATT. They are trying to re-unite the old company for more services.

  4. Imagine ordering a pizza? by bs_02_06_02 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think that this will self-regulate itself very nicely.
    Here's why: I have friends who already live in my area code, yet use cell phones with numbers from out of state. If I call them on my landline, I incur long distance charges. They know this, and they don't really like it. It's tough to order a pizza from an out-of-state cellphone. Pizza shops don't like it.
    I use my cellphone more and more to avoid long distance, and I have really no interest in VoIP although I've been a courtesy customer, trialing VoIP for almost 18 months. I don't want to have a different area code than my neighborhood.

    There are a lot of things that won't be very pretty. 911 service will be the one that the phone company will complain about.
    People are used to area codes and exchanges being located in certain areas. Moving... well, it'll make the numbers less important. And wrong numbers could get to be VERY expensive.

    The saddest part is that most legislators aren't bright enough to figure any of this out for themselves. They'll go with whoever sends them campaign money. They'll say that they're looking into it, but really, they'll just vote by whichever lobbyist gets them the most money.

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  5. Re:How can I say ? by LinuxGold · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'm deaf too. This could be an advantage to the deaf as well. There is devices out there that enable us to use this technology. Remember, do not use "Deafness" as an excuse or to seek for pity. It's embarassing enough to read your statement, being part of deaf society.

  6. VOIP + Power out =? by rikkards · · Score: 3, Insightful

    During the huge power outage, I realized that a land line with a normal (not cordless phone can be very handy. We had two cordless phones but since there was no power smoke signals would have been just as effective. I assume VOIP would be the same.