I support this decision, I don't use SMS and I'm in support of everything that kills SMS.
Next step: Please stop using phone numbers as a user ID. I have lots of throwaway phone numbers, but many people don't want to leak their phone number to every single person they want to have an encrypted conversation with.
Yeah, I'll just tell the gas company, electric company, internet provider, my bank, my elderly neighbor who can barely use a phone and I taught how to text, every restaurant I order online from, the plumber I just texted literally an hour ago due to a pipe leaking to just... not use SMS. I'm sure they'll listen.
I assume you live in a place where SMS isn't necessary? In the U.S. it is.
> my elderly neighbor who can barely use a phone and I taught how to text,
I tell them to either e-mail me or stick a handwritten note on my door. E-mail is WAY easier to use for elderly people in my experience. You get nice big keyboards, big fonts, big screens, and it works on any device you own, not just one. But if they disagree they can still handwrite a note to me
> every restaurant I order online from,
I use a fake number for these. They don't need my number any more than I need their wait staff's phone numbers. Never been a problem. I just go pick up and say my name, no SMS bullshit.
> gas company, electric company,
Especially when there are issues that's how mine send updates. To say nothing about companies that require 2FA through text!
> bank
I can't use VOIP numbers with them, not sure about Twilio.
> my elderly neighbor who can barely use a phone and I taught how to text
You make the assumption that they even have a computer: they do not. They do normally just knock on my door, but they want to send and receive pictures to their family and other people who do not live close by.
> every restaurant I order online from
I want to know when my order is ready.
> the plumber I just texted literally an hour ago
He asked for a picture of the leak and to text it to him. He's reliable and has done good work before, I'm not going to switch just because he doesn't use email.
My point in all of this is that in the U.S. SMS is ubiquitous. As much as I would love to leave it behind, there are just so many situations where you need SMS.
Honestly not really, in the US. You can usually find ways around it if you tell the business that you don't have SMS. With governments I don't think they can legally require you to have SMS.
When they find out it's incredibly difficult to deal with you because of the design choices they made, it helps dethrone SMS, one business at a time. Vote with your behavior. Make them realize they made a bad choice by picking SMS.
I hate SMS too, but I think this decision will hurt Signal infinitely more than it will hurt SMS. By that I mean it will not affect SMS at all and only Signal.
I tell everyone I don't use SMS. The only ways to message me are e-mail, Signal, WeChat, FB, and Instagram.
E-mail is the best "generic" way to reach me that isn't tied to a company's platform, and a much, much better UX than SMS in almost every way, especially when travelling internationally with multiple devices.
Next step: Please stop using phone numbers as a user ID. I have lots of throwaway phone numbers, but many people don't want to leak their phone number to every single person they want to have an encrypted conversation with.