The availability of Google Voice features on smartphones illustrates why number portability may not be as important as previously thought. As Greg Sterling discusses on our companion Local Mobile Search site, the mobile instance of Google Voice tangibly introduces mobile users to the power of having a single-number for life.

It’s not a new idea, but linking enhanced telephony features to the full-spectrum of Google’s collection of applications is truly the next generation of single-number service. While I continue to believe that the ability to BYON (bring your own number) would be a plus. The advantages that Google Voice brings in terms of user control and inexpensive international calls trumps the value of retaining an existing number.

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Tags: Recombinant Telephony, Google Voice