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If WhatsApp gave you a phone number, are you willing to use only mobile data?

4 points by ashaker ↗ HN
WhatsApp is better than calling and texting because:

1. Audio quality is great

2. Messaging is more rich and can send files

3. No roaming - it works everywhere.

And if WhatsApp gave you a real USA phone number (instead of registering with your current, carrier-provided number) it would have benefits like:

1. A phone that works anywhere - with Wifi or mobile data. No roaming

2. You could call/text anyone with or without WhatsApp (because you have a real number)

3. It's just a better messaging experience: multi-device, send files, richer functions

... Would you cancel your expensive wireless plan and use (or port your number to) WhatsApp as your primary number?

If not - what would be your concerns?

10 comments

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f30e3dfed1c9
WhatsApp is owned by Facebook. Hard no.
ashaker
Well, it doesn't have to be WhatsApp.

What if this same concept applied to Viber or Telegram - would you do it?

Simply, would you feel comfortable using cloud-telephony with only mobile data?

f30e3dfed1c9
In principle, maybe. In reality, I'd have to see a real concrete offer that I could evaluate.
ashaker
Ok nice. The idea is to make something like Telegram (totally encrypted) but we give you a phone number.

So if another user has the app, all communication is secure and nothing is viewed or stored. Of course, no ads.

And if the user is communicating with someone without the app, the UI is the same except a few functions go away (like file transfer). Because now it can be only standard SMS.

But then your whole phone experience is synced in the cloud. It's cool!

fata1ity
1.1 Audio very fast only 2.3 ...
fata1ity
1.1 Audio very fast only 2.3 just because of the features
ashaker
Can you elaborate, please? The audio is too fast on Whatsapp?
gcb0
been doing that just fine for some 10years. have a few minutes early on just for emergencies out of 3g data coverage. but now its only data.

you can do that today and without whatsapp/facebook if you learn to do very basic online research and read a couple pages.

ashaker
Which service have you been using for 10 years?
gcb0
custom asterix (you do Not want to that route), then gizmo(?), then gvoive because of inertia (Google bought gizmo), now a custom sip provider (just because gvoice numbers are bogus and not accepted everywhere) which I forgot the name but will update here when on my phone