In a global first partnership, Vodafone has announced that customers with Amazon Echo at home are now able to use their devices to make and receive mobile calls. The new collaboration means that Echo users with Vodafone OneNumber can use Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa, to make or take phone calls hands-free simply by linking their existing Vodafone number to their Amazon devices.
Most people will be familiar with the experience of getting a sudden mobile call while they’ve got their hands full. You’re digging the garden, taking care of household chores, preparing the family’s evening meal, when suddenly your phone rings and you have to drop everything to pick it up. With the new service, you can simply ask Alexa to put the call on speaker.
Customers can also make calls over the Echo with a simple voice command. To make life even easier, users of the service can designate exactly which of their Echo devices will ring if a call comes through.
Receiving calls over the Echo has a number of benefits. Not only can users take calls hands-free but it’s a great way to share a conversation with family and friends. Several people can participate in the call at once – they just have to be within speaking distance of the Echo device.
Max Taylor, Consumer Director at Vodafone UK commented, “We are of course proud to be the first to offer this service globally but more importantly provide another easy way for our customers to stay connected. Vodafone UK customers can now tap into their mobile call allowances, doing away with their landlines, and through an integrated address book make or receive calls over Alexa devices in the home.”
Besides convenience, the new service can also give users peace of mind. If you mislay your smartphone or the battery runs out, you can still make calls via your Echo device.
As well as the Amazon Echo, customers with Vodafone OneNumber can also share their plan’s allowance of call minutes, texts and data across other devices, including smart watches and Alexa-enabled units.