While emails and a few other instant messaging services follow us across devices, the traditional phone functionality still doesn’t. We need separate phone numbers (SIM cards) if we wish to use phone functionality on separate devices, which becomes clumsy at times. Mobile network service provider, EE, however, has plans to streamline this. The company has announced a new “smart number” technology that lets you use the same phone number across multiple devices.
Smart Number Technology
Smart number technology lets you share the same phone number across up to six devices letting you send text messages and make calls. It means you can make and receive calls and texts across your tablets, smartwatches, and laptops using the same phone number. You don’t even need to have your primary phone with you. In fact, you’ll continue to get calls and texts on your other connected devices even if you let the battery die on your primary phone. However, it must be subscribed to EE’s network, and other devices must be connected to the internet.
The feature also lets you switch the call between devices. So if you’re chatting on your laptop and then suddenly need to leave the house, you can simply switch the chat over to your phone. You can also make multiple calls at the same time. And tell you what? All this is available at no extra cost!
“Our new smart number technology is a great example of how we’re helping customers to seamlessly connect their favorite devices — whether on laptops, tablets or smartwatches, even if they’re away from their smartphone,” says Max Taylor, EE’s managing director of marketing.
EE smart number technology is currently limited to Apple devices in the UK only. Your main device has to be an iPhone 6 or newer, running on iOS 11.3 or later. Then you can pair up to 5 other Apple devices such as an iPad, Apple Watch, MacBook, and more. You can find the full list of compatible devices below (source). Support for Android products is on the way, EE says.
How to set up EE smart number technology
Before you proceed, make sure that all of your devices, including your iPhone (main device), are signed into and using the same iCloud account with Facetime. If you have an Apple Watch, turn on Wi-Fi Calling in the settings. Now follow the following steps:
