"Steven Sumpter" <ssumpter@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:A0BWe.7745$st1.6325@newsfe3-gui.ntli.net

[snip]

> Mapping domain names to IP addresses may help a bit, but
> I think that we will continue to use phone numbers long
> after all phones are VoIP and we will continue to need
> phone companies to issue those numbers and provide
> additional services such as call records and voicemail.

Which is precisely the function of "eNum" (Electronic Number Mapping).
It's how Sipgate, Vonage or whoever allocate a normal phone number to your
account.

More info here:

http://www.ietf.org/html.charters/enum-charter.html
http://www.epic.org/privacy/enum/default.html
http://www.sipgate.co.uk/user/infotour.php?tp=5

A Google search on "enum" produces a load more..!

Ivor