Just to clarify, the default config, as well as the ability of adding new endpoint configs, is still available and included in the JBoss AS 7.1 domain. I've just added some documentation at https://docs.jboss.org/author/display/AS71/Web+services+configuration
AFAIU what Ron is talking about is that ATM you can't drop a standard-jaxws-endpoint-config.xml ina deployment and expect the default config in there to be picked up without adding any annotation to the endpoint(s). You can use descriptor contributed endpoint configs, but those needs to be linked to the endpoint(s) using @EndpointConfig.
If any has a specific need and/or want to argument on this / see a feature request, please open a forum thread on this topic. Perhaps we can work on extending / improving the feature.