I Quit The iPhone:

Apple and AT&T are now blocking the iPhone version of the Google Voice app. Why? Because they absolutely donโ€™t want people doing exactly what Iโ€™m doing โ€“ moving their phone number to Google and using the carrier as a dumb pipe.


The dumb pipe phrase is well said.

Seriously, though, why didn't AT&T (well, SBC and friends) get waaaaay out in front of this and innovate a little with phone numbers while they were still a serious player in the home, before cell phones were quite as ubiquitous as they are now? Why wasn't there a smart phone from AT&T the same time there was an iMac? What was their R&D division doing with their time? Heads on pikes, Mr. Tony. Heads on pikes.