Microsoft’s Echo Does Or Does Not Eliminate Phone Numbers?

Interesting subject since we have two different stories covering the same subject, with two different points of view. First over at ZD-Net Mary Jo Foley describes the Echo system, as per Bill Gates, a system that eliminates phone numbers. In her article she states:

Starting with Echoes Wave 1 — the first iteration of Microsoft’s services platform for telco providers that is due out this summer — Microsoft plans to synchronize contacts. In other words, Live Messenger contacts will appear in a mobile user’s address book (if the carrier is using Echoes). The contacts will be synced via Windows Live Messenger, so duplicates are eliminated.

Source

On the flip side of the coin, over at Zoli’s Blog, he says hang on there. Phone numbers won’t be eliminated. He states:

Don’t worry, I am not about to walk through all the technology improvements in such detail, as most of my readers remember the rest. Phones with more memory, LCD screens, directories, cell-phones, PDA’s, PC-based programs..etc all have one thing in common: they still use phone numbers, we just don’t have to remember them. Heck, I don’t know all my own phone numbers (but GrandCentral does)

These devices did not eliminate phone numbers; they just made it more convenient to use them. Just like Microsoft’s Echoes (supposedly) will.

Source

So there you have it. Two different opinions. But there is more to this than just about Echo and whether or not phone numbers are eliminated. One of the prerequisite is that a Microsoft Windows Live ID must be used. Which for some may turn them off.

But what do you think?

Comments welcome.