AOL enters the Voice fray with AOL Phoneline

Today, AOL (LLC) announced the launch of voice integrated with instant messaging. The free service appears to give users a NANP telephone number, voicemail, and unlimited in-bound calling. For a fee, you can make outbound calls as well.

It looks like Broadwing is the carrier that is handling PSTN mediation as well as 911 and other carrier-type obligations.

Looks like an interesting VoIP application. Among other things, however, we wonder whether a "numbers"-based Universal Service contribution requirement would kill this fledgling service, not that the powers that be would mind, or anything.