Why use multiple apps to text people? I don't us FB messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, or any of that. I use Signal. Signal lets me send a message to ANYONE else with a phone number protocol agnostic. That's very useful, especially when I'm talking to committed iMessage users.
I get you but it feels like a weird hill to die on. Questionable why SMS support was added to Signal in the first place but removing it makes sense in the context of where they want to take Signal (e.g. usernames).
The problem is that for many other people, this one feature is the only reason to even have Signal - they won't bother with it if it can't be used to message random people already on their contact list.
And then once those people drop it, you have to do so as well if you want to keep talking to them.