Will Windows Phone Usher In The Age of The Data Only Plan?

The more I use Mango the less I use text. I find myself using messenger a lot more than text and while I mostly use it with people on Windows Live Messenger it would easily cross-over to users that use Facebook chat as it’s also fully integrated. From my perspective, I don’t really care what the form of communication is, whether its text or messaging, but messaging gets an edge from being free and also not locking me down to 160 characters.

We also know that Microsoft’s Skype integration is going to be ‘native’. So once the merger is completed you will see your Skype and phone contacts integrated into the same list and just like text/messaging you’ll be able to choose which way to call someone. No separate app needed and it’s essentially invisible to you whether it’s a Skype or traditional call. Skype already has a massive base, which is only increasing with Facebook integration, and of course it will grow when Xbox integration is rolled out and with Windows 8 which will also have it natively. But Skype is looking well beyond this with an aim of 1 billion users, which is a huge jump from the current 170m users and expected 200m by year end. That growth comes from continued growth between desktops, mobile phones, tvs, cars, you name it.

But as a Windows Phone user if I can do without a texting plan by using messenger/Facebook chat/Skype chat and without a cell phone plan thanks to Skype, this may mark the start of an age where you only have a data plan. And yes, I know that Android can use GVoice and Google Chat but that’s more proprietary in the end and you don’t see the adoption of the Google products like Skype is about to have, since native Outlook integration and Facebook integration are a pretty big deal.

So am I right here or did I drink too much of the Windows phone Kool-Aid? Can you see yourself getting rid of a traditional phone plan and having a Skype number and doing without texting?