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Surprising Science —

Is Voice Communication Over?

With AT&T announcing its free mobile to mobile calls to help fend off customers defecting for the iPhone on Verizon’s network, it’s time to recognize that voice is now worthless.
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Because voice is still profitable and represents a sizable chunk of operators’ revenue, operators won’t let it go without trying to recoup some of that average revenue per user with higher data charges for consumers. They’ll also turn to machine-to-machine subscriptions to make up profits and provide high-volume, lower-revenue subscriptions. I explained a lot of this last May, but today’s news is yet another data point showcasing the continuing decline of voice. Sure it’s good for those who use their phones for talking over cell networks, but thanks to VoIP, video chat, and increasing web use, that source of income is overrated.

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