T-Mobile's New 'Digits' Service Lets Customers Use Multiple Numbers Across All Their Devices

[bbbggg]

I'm assuming this will work about as well as TMO Wi-Fi Calling. Which is to say, terrible. I finally had to turn it off — despite having a solid 60/5 mbps connection with <20 ms latency — because during every other call, people would say "I can't hear you" or "You sound like you just stepped into a cave". This even happened on Wi-Fi connections at friends' houses with different providers, so it's something on TMO's end. I never have this issue with LTE.

 

[Derekuda]

This will be huge!! Lots of people dealing with carrying two or more phones.

This will FAIL huge!!! Google Voice already does the same thing and is 100% free!!! Digits requires YOU (might happen because your cheap), or your business (not gonna happen in a million years) to have t-mobile service as your primary carrier. Lets not forget the add-on fee T-mobile plans to charge for the service as well.

 

[zaaach48]

T-Mobile is famous for uncoupling device costs from mobile service plans through its "Uncarrier" initiatives, a move that changed the entire smartphone industry, and now the company is aiming to do the same thing with phone numbers.

T-Mobile's newly announced "Digits" service lets customers use their phone number across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, wearables, and PCs, while also allowing multiple phone numbers to be used on a single device.

Many people have separate phone numbers for work and personal use, and the Digits service, which is a souped-up blend of AT&amp;T's NumberSync and Google Voice, puts both numbers on one smartphone. And then those numbers can be used on any device a customer owns, even if it's not on the T-Mobile network.

While Digits is built directly into newer Samsung smartphones like the Note 5 and Galaxy S6 and later (purchased on the T-Mobile network), on iOS devices, Digits will be available through an iOS app. On the Mac, Digits will work through the browser.

When Digits is used on a device without cellular service, voice calls and texts will be received over a Wi-Fi connection, delivering "crystal clear HD voice quality."

Simple Choice and T-Mobile ONE customers can sign up to test a beta version of the Digits service. iOS 9 and newer, Android 5.0 and newer, and Firefox or Google Chrome are required.

During the beta testing phase, Digits is free, but it will require customers to pay an additional fee when it launches next year. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Article Link: T-Mobile's New 'Digits' Service Lets Customers Use Multiple Numbers Across All Their Devices

I don't understand...I already use Call and Text forwarding to forward everything from my Tmobile work iPhone to my personal Verizon iPhone. How is this different?

 

[ewkp]

I don't understand...I already use Call and Text forwarding to forward everything from my Tmobile work iPhone to my personal Verizon iPhone. How is this different?

how are you doing that? does t-mobile have a special app for it?

 

[ghost187]

VERY Innovative T-Mo, Good Job!

 

[jclo]

Check your source MR - they haven't said it'll cost money. In fact, they said they haven't even determined pricing yet if you read their FAQ.

https://explore.t-mobile.com/digits-landing

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T-Mobile has actually said this service will not be free at launch, but yes, there's no word on pricing yet.

https://twitter.com/TMobile/status/806573377091575808

 

[UltimaKilo]

I've been carrying two phones for three years now and it's annoying as heck. I've been dying for a solution that can have both my work and personal phones on one device. I just need it to say something like "incoming call from xxx to personal line."

 

[feldpos]

I'm assuming this will work about as well as TMO Wi-Fi Calling. Which is to say, terrible. I finally had to turn it off — despite having a solid 60/5 mbps connection with <20 ms latency — because during every other call, people would say "I can't hear you" or "You sound like you just stepped into a cave". This even happened on Wi-Fi connections at friends' houses with different providers, so it's something on TMO's end. I never have this issue with LTE.

Charter? They have 60/5 and 100/7. And their routing is terrible and broken. The jitter alone kills voip. This isn't T-Mobile's fault, it's your ISP's fault.

 

[jclo]

Here are a few more tidbits from the Q&A Twitter session:

- It won't work with iMessage

- It uses the CallKit APIs on iOS, so incoming calls look like standard phone calls

- Works with Apple Watch

- It will support voicemail transcription in the future

- You'll be able to buy a standalone phone number from T-Mobile

- It'll be priced "disruptively"

- You can add up to five numbers during the beta, domestic only

- You have to be the account holder to enable Digits. So if you have a work phone number you want to use on your personal phone, your employer will need to sign up for the service.

 

[Rigby]

I don't understand...I already use Call and Text forwarding to forward everything from my Tmobile work iPhone to my personal Verizon iPhone. How is this different?

For example, you cannot forward calls to other devices than phones (such as an iPad or computer) or multiple devices at once, and you cannot call back other people from your business number using your personal phone (so that the business number shows up as the caller ID on the other end). And of course, with Digits you wouldn't need two phones and two lines in the first place.
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- It uses the CallKit APIs on iOS, so incoming calls look like standard phone calls

I hope they have good integration on iOS for outgoing calls as well. In the video they showed how it will look on Samsung phones, where you can simply choose one of your numbers right in the standard dialer. I'm wondering if Apple is working on directly integrating it as well ...

 

[zaaach48]

For example, you cannot forward calls to other devices than phones (such as an iPad or computer) or multiple devices at once, and you cannot call back other people from your business number using your personal phone (so that the business number shows up as the caller ID on the other end). And of course, with Digits you wouldn't need two phones and two lines in the first place.
[doublepost=1481143108][/doublepost]I hope they have good integration on iOS for outgoing calls as well. In the video they showed how it will look on Samsung phones, where you can simply choose one of your numbers right in the standard dialer. I'm wondering if Apple is working on directly integrating it as well ...

Gotcha...However, you can forward calls and SMS messages to your iPad or Mac if you want to, it's a fairly recent setting. But you're right, i didn't think about calling back and how it would still come from my personal number. I guess the last thing i ever do with my iPhone is place a friggin phone call. I mean, honestly...

 

[GIZBUG]

Wonder if I can lift my google voice number to this, then ditch google voice

 

[zaaach48]

how are you doing that? does t-mobile have a special app for it?

Settings -> Phone -> Calls on other devices
Do the same in Settings -> Messages, turn on iMessage and ensure all numbers are checked off

Ensure all devices are signed in to the same Apple ID. This way when someone calls or texts my work phone, both my work and personal phone ring and I can pick up/respond from either one. Same the other way around.

however if i call someone back from my personal phone, and they called my work phone, they will see my personal number show up

 

[Carlanga]

It it will suck on iPhones because when an iPhone user tries to iMessage your number, it will not be forwarded to other devices.

The idea of this is that you will stop using iMessage and phone apps and instead will use their new app for that.

 

[GoodWheaties]

For example, you cannot forward calls to other devices than phones (such as an iPad or computer)

Continuity has been available since iOS 8 and Yosemite IIRC. Unless I've just magically been answering calls on my iPad and iMac for 2 years. But maybe you were talking about forwarding it to another number.

Edit: also haven't there been apps that have enabled multiple numbers for awhile now? Burner comes to mind, but maybe having carrier support will be an improvement.

 

[Zakzilla]

Hilariously true.

I had T-Mobile for a time several years ago. The unlimited data for music was awesome but my god, the service was terrible. I've been on Verizon and will refuse to switch again.

Honestly T-Mobile has come a long way since a few years ago. Service back in 2012 was garbage. I just switched back and love it, better coverage than I had with ATT. Verizon is superior in remote areas, but I really dislike them as a company so I refuse to give them my money.

 

[coolbreeze]

This is what I was wondering how it will work, iMessage on one phone/SMS on another? I feel like this would mess up or cause a loss of texts between two devices.

This is my question. I have a 7+ and am knee-deep in iMessage (Mac, Watch, iPad). I also have a Lumia 950XL that I love. When I switch the SIM, it tosses iMessage into a tizzy with authorizing, deactivating, etc. It's a major hassle.

I'd love to toss a T-Mo SIM in the 950 and use it on occasion...but I'm betting the iMessage tie-in would cause headaches.

I mean, all this is call forwarding...which breaks iMessage registration.

Edit: the video shows standard SMS messaging (RCS). So you will have to use a separate app (not iMessage).

Not that revolutionary, but nice try. Does nothing for iMessage users.

 

[sudo1996]

Sounds cool, but I just want something that'll prevent robots from calling me (several times a day).

 

[coolbreeze]

This is why I love T-Mobile. The subtitles are amazing... at 6:16, "It's advanced AF" ...

Yeah, the subtitles are pandering to millennials. That's their angle, obviously. Rare meme bruh.

 

[C DM]

Sounds cool, but I just want something that'll prevent robots from calling me (several times a day).

Perhaps an app mentioned/discussed at https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-ios-10-call-blocking-identification-apps-thread.1996281/ would help?

 

[djeeyore25]

Now I can have multiple phone numbers that nobody calls me on.

 

[coolbreeze]

Perhaps an app mentioned/discussed at https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/the-ios-10-call-blocking-identification-apps-thread.1996281/ would help?

Hiya works great.

 

[Vikassara]

Check your source MR - they haven't said it'll cost money. In fact, they said they haven't even determined pricing yet if you read their FAQ.

https://explore.t-mobile.com/digits-landing

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This in T Mobile and they truly know how to give ... free..
don't make me prove it... unlimited data plan ( I use 25GB +) free Tuesday Promo, no data on streaming includes you tube, Netflix, etc etc...
free iphone 7 .. on launch and on black Friday...

and 2 FREE LINE .. YES .. 2 FREE LINE even I did not ask for ... I was talking with supervisor ... who told me vik I am going to send 2 free line ... and yes I do have 2 free lines send to me which has unlimited call, text and unlimited data with no cap...

this is call giving ... I am not an employee of TMO.. a customer who appriciate enough a company who so different then these crooks... at&T Verizon and all..
[doublepost=1481149814][/doublepost]

This is why I love T-Mobile. The subtitles are amazing... at 6:16, "It's advanced AF" ... and at 11:55 the phone representing "Discount Carriers" with the Sprint logo under it, next to phones for AT&T and Verizon.

I'm sure there are variations on this product around, but if it works as advertised (and I'm curious to see just how they integrate that), it'll have major advantages over so many other services. Specifically that i'll work with messaging, single voicemail stores, etc, AND incorporate use over traditional phone networks.

Yeah, T-Mo may not work everywhere, but they work enough of the major places, and tech like this covers the last mile beautifully.

indeed ...... yes i do get 2 bar less most of the time .. but who cares ..... I have to back up a company like TMO and I stand with them in every step...

 

[Michael Sanders]

I had two numbers on my Orange phone 20yrs ago. Amazing its taken the industry this long to get the functionality back.

 

[moonjelly]

Charter? They have 60/5 and 100/7. And their routing is terrible and broken. The jitter alone kills voip. This isn't T-Mobile's fault, it's your ISP's fault.

Do you wash your hands after typing the C-word?