AT&T and T-Mobile working to enable one number to work on multiple phones

T-Mobile Operating Chief Mike Sievert has stated that the company is working to offer customers the ability to share a single phone number across multiple devices. This could certainly be a useful feature if you’ve ever had to keep track of several numbers and devices, and is seen as a key marketing strategy to drive adoption of additional cellular connected devices, such as smartwatches and tablets.

T-Mobile is not the only company working to implement this type of technology. Rival carrier AT&T announced on Wednesday that it is working with device manufacturers to allow customers to use their phone number on multiple devices, including wearables and tablets. Automotive set-ups and number sharing across multiple smartphones are also apparently planned for the future.

“What we are working on will make this version one offering from AT&T look small … Our strategy is to ask customers what they want and need, and then build it. AT&T’s is to build or buy things, and then try to convince customers they asked for it.” – AT&T’s Mike Sievert

AT&T dubs its technology Number Sync. The first device supporting NumberSync are expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with additional products planned for the 2015 holiday season.

T-Mobile boasts that its implementation will go beyond what AT&T is planning, but declined to offer any specific details about how it will go about this. Neither Sprint nor Verizon have commented on any plans that they might have for number sharing on their networks.

Do you see yourself making use of a single phone number across multiple devices?