ELI5: Why do newer messaging/calling apps including Allo/Duo, WhatsApp, and Signal REQUIRE a mobile phone number?
As the world moves more and more to internet-based communication, traditional phone plans and SMS are becoming more and more obsolete.
Personally, I have access to WiFi at home, school, and work. I have a data plan for my tablet so that I can stay connected even when I'm out and about. So with the growing ubiquity of VOIP and online messaging, you'd think I should be in constant contact with almost everyone I know at all times. I can say goodbye to the silly, outdated cost of a calling/SMS plan from a mobile provider.
But there's a missing link in the chain: since I don't have a mobile phone, I don't have a mobile phone number, so I'm not allowed to use several of the most popular VOIP or messaging apps.
So what the heck is going on? That doesn't make any sense. Since these apps are aiming to disrupt the traditional messaging paradigm, shouldn't they be actively facilitating the abandonment of traditional phone numbers?
It of course makes sense that these apps can link to your phone number to find contacts. Such a move makes it easier for people to find each other on the apps, which means a quicker death to traditional phone calls and SMS. But they REQUIRE a phone number? I just don't get it.
Submitted July 25, 2016 at 07:25PM by uoxuho
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SmithersTech 
The reason why men are reucruted over woman because in reality men think technical but woman dont…eg. (how many woman inventers do you know off or heard about)..
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The word virtual means a concept in the mind that is real but cannot be touch phically..an app is a form of virtual intelligence so is your phone.for it to locate you it need to have some sort of identification..your phone number and your location are your virtual id.
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