AT&T, Inc. announced in a blog post a new service that will allow users to send text messages using any device, but with the same phone number number.

Called NumberSync, the aim of the service is to eliminate the need to be constantly tied to your smartphone to be able to communicate with others, or even get the benefits of using connected devices such as fitness trackers, as they will no longer have to rely on Bluetooth for connectivity.

In the future, NumberSync will allow devices to have additional levels of mobile freedom:

• You will no longer need a fitness band and your smartphone to stay connected when you go for a run.
• Forget your phone on the way to the store? You won’t have to turn around to be able to ask your spouse if eggs should be on your list.
• Stay connected with your friends on the soccer field on Saturday afternoon even if your phone is in the car.
• And you can text your boss from across campus when your phone is sitting on your desk and she will know it is you.

According to reports, NumberSync will utilize Rich Communication Suite (RCS) and IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) infrastructure AT&T built initially for its Voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) service, which makes it a network-level service that is able to work with any device, on any operating system.

What this means for users is that even if they own a bunch of other devices – fitness trackers, tablets, smartwatches – they can use all these devices to send a message and it will all use the same number. The receiver won’t even know that you’re not on your smartphone, as your contact information will remain the same.

Before you go on thinking that you can use NumberSync to dupe AT&T and use the same number for multiple phones, it has already stated that only one phone can be linked to a single number.

Similar to Apple’s existing features

The concept is quite similar to Wi-Fi calling capabilities on the iPhone. All you have to do is link other Apple devices such as an iPod touch, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac to your Wi-Fi calling-enabled iPhone, and you can now use these devices to call people without having to worry about call costs. NumberSync is similar to this but on a larger scale.

David Christopher, Chief Marketing Officer at AT&T, explains that the company is working hard on integrating NumberSync to its future devices. Christopher also announced that the company’s first device with NumberSync will soon be launched, possibly before the end of the month, and other NumberSync enabled devices will come in time for the holiday season.

Photo by dan taylor