Since most of the game is instanced, this limitation means that we cannot talk to most of our friends most of the time. For a MMO, a "social" game by essence, I find it to be very problematic. It actually makes it difficult for us to keep in touch with others. The game made some people I know (very good friends) more apart than they were close, before the game started. Simply because they can't talk to each other, and spend a lot of time within the game. This decision to limit talking is bad, it needs to be reversed.