The TechCrunch article rightfully pointed out why this is a huge win for Twilio.
Quoting how other carriers embarking on API failed:
WAC — a “unified open platform” that was being built as a joint effort between AT&T, Verizon, China Mobile, Sprint, and others — imploded before it even left the gate. Orange quietly killed off all of their API efforts last month, and mentions of things like Telefonica’s BlueVia seem to come up once every never.
Developers, it would seem, just don’t care to work with carriers when they can avoid it.