02-14-2003, 01:30 PM
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Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 15,171
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US Urged To Merge IP and Telephone Numbers
"The Department of Commerce on Thursday threw its weight behind an emerging standard that could simplify personal communications by providing a single point of contact for telephone and Internet communications.
The Commerce Department said it will support an electronic-numbering system, known as ENUM, which would allow consumers to specify a single identifier for their telephone numbers, e-mail and Instant Messaging addresses, fax numbers, and mobile phone numbers."
The implications for something like this could be staggering if done right.
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02-14-2003, 02:05 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 95
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Theoretically, email spammers would then be able to fax, phone, and IM even more spam? What about telemarketers? They can now email me? They can call my cell phone?
I personally like the idea of having separate numbers/addresses. I can have "private" ones, like my personal email, which I give out only to trusted people/websites, and more "public" addresses, which I use for message boards (like this one!) or whatnot.
I think what is really happening here is with the skyrocketing numbers of fax machines, cell phones, etc., there is a serious shortage of available 10-digit numbers. Rather than move to 11 or 12 digits, just reduce the number of...uh, numbers. :?
Anyway, I'll stick to keeping my cell phone and email addresses to myself.
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02-14-2003, 02:39 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 248
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I like it
I liek the idea. thgouh I may still want to retain separate addresses, as long as this is an option instead of a requirement it could have significant effects. I already go in snd select home/office/cell, why not have them the same number?
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02-14-2003, 02:46 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 12
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I would fight this tooth and nail.... imagine every spammer and telemarketer having every way to contact you. It be a nightmare. Not to mention the ability for whoever to spy on you with just a few cracks of passwords
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02-14-2003, 02:54 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 48
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They must be having reading about SNMP when they came up with that. It reminds me of a MIB (except for arpa appendage).
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02-14-2003, 03:11 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 95
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Don't get me wrong. I like the IDEA of having one number. It would certainly make it easier to remember numbers and as an added bonus, would reduce the file size of my contacts 
However, I don't want certain phone numbers/addresses of mine (or my wife's) known to the public. I enjoy my right to privacy. I might support this if I could optionally add communication devices (phones, fax machines, email addresses) to my "one-number" list and still have private, unlisted numbers.
My local telephone company (Cincinnati Bell) already does something similar. You submit your cell phone, work phone, etc., and when someone calls your home phone number, all the other phones ring as well. I started using it because it was cool (W?BIC!), but turned the feature off after 2 days. W?BIWA! (Why? Because it was annoying!).
With this proposed "standard," will all of my phones ring when someone calls me? I hope not. How can I differentiate between my wife's cell phone and my own? Will my wife have a separate "one-number"? What about my 2 week old daughter? When does she get her "one-number"? When she gets her driver's license? When I sign her up for a cell phone? When she registers to vote? I know it's very early, but there are WAY too many questions for me to jump on the bandwagon.
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02-14-2003, 03:16 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 206
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...mmm...
Total Information Awareness anybody?
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02-14-2003, 03:56 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 360
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Interresting, appealing, yet terrifing.
The ramifications are going to big. This is worth paying attention to.
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02-14-2003, 04:12 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 47
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 Its a little worry some to me. There's the obvious problems of loss of privacy as others have mentioned. There are some people I don't give my cell phone number too because I don't want them calling him on it. Plus, I don't want telemarketers calling me at work.
Beyond that, I'd worry about the techno-fumbles. Not to be mean, but there are, frankly, some people who do not handle new concepts well at all. I just have this feeling that I'd get faxes sent to my home line or people trying to call me on the cell getting my fax instead.
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02-14-2003, 04:21 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 98
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Gee - can anyone say "Number of the Beast?" I feel like the next logical step is to get the modern-day barcode (a wireless chip implant) stamped on my forearm.
I like the concept, but am sick of spam and wouldn't give up my privacy for the convenience of others being able to contact me.
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