EE is first UK network to launch smart number technology: Plan lets you share your number across all your devices

While email and instant messaging follow you across devices, traditional phone functionality has remained stuck in the past. Is it any wonder than SMS and, to a lesser extent, voice calling has fallen out of favour when it’s at the dual whims of battery life and human forgetfulness? Well now, EE has an answer that it’s rolling out to its customers at no extra cost: it’s called smart number technology, and it’s the first UK network to launch the functionality.

What is smart number technology?

Smart number technology lets you have just one number that can be used across up to six devices letting you send text messages and make calls from your phone, laptop, tablet or smartwatch. You can even switch the call between devices if you’re chatting on your laptop and then suddenly need to leave the house.

The feature uses Wi-Fi calling, so you’ll need an internet connection, but it does mean you can make multiple calls at the same time, so you can chat to a friend while on hold with a utility company, for example. Be warned though, this does mean you can blow through your monthly minute allowance six times as fast if you really push it…

“We’ve made it our mission to give our customers amazing new technologies that make the most of our award-winning network to help keep them connected, wherever they go and whatever they want to do,” said EE’s managing director of marketing Max Taylor. “Our new smart number technology is a great example of how we’re helping customers to seamlessly connect their favourite devices – whether on laptops, tablets or smartwatches, even if they’re away from their smartphone.”

There are a couple of caveats, one minor and one pretty major. The first is that you need to be on a pay-monthly contract to benefit. The second, more significant, issue is that for now the smart number technology feature is limited to Apple devices. EE says support for Android products will be coming “at a later date”. iPhones from the 6 and SE onwards are supported, with support for 2012 Macs and later, alongside various iPads and all generations of Apple Watch.

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