Richard Notebaert, CEO of Qwest Communications phone company, is having technical issues. He isn't so sure about "portability" of phone numbers Chicago Tribune: New twist to phone number portability I have noted the trend to "cut the cord" and replace a landline phone with a cellphone. This makes sense for those 24-34s who move frequently, stay overnight frequently at a current love interest's home, and just aren't home much. But it is starting to sound good to business customers and others, especially if the phone numbers become portable. Mr. Notebaert and other telco-types who are tied to particular hardware systems in their thinking as much as in reality, can't imagine this coming. I expect that telcos, like news organizations, are going to either learn that they are in the information transfer (or information business), not the telephone wire/handset/hardware (or newsprint business) or they will go belly-up and be replaced by new companies that managed to hop on the Cluetrain. Think "common carrier" for telcos, and "content provider" for news organizations. Talking WIFI , Notebaert says "The challenge some of us have with Wi-Fi is to do it in a metropolitan area it's still hard for us to see the economic model. If customers want it, we'll do it." according to Staci Kramer in an article in Wired News . I think WiFi will be just part of the "carrier" that folks will pay for to be "connected". Its not about charging customers for each piece of electronic hardware or gear. Its about coming up with a charge for sending info around on the "highway" you provide. The user doesn't care or want to know, and I don't think will ultimately pay for wireless and for landlines, and for cell lines, and for whatever. The user wants to do what they want to do--they want to transfer their info, be it photos, their conversation, their spreadsheets, their money--when they want to, and they are looking for a seamless connection.