I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I’ve noticed that the moment someone asks for my phone number, I begin to calculate the cost of giving it out. And, no I am not referring to financial cost, but rather the mental and emotional burden that can follow. I have to consider whether sharing it will expose me to calls that arrive when I am in the middle of important work or during moments when I simply cannot be interrupted. I also have to weigh the possibility that it could mark the beginning of another round of those familiar “We’re calling from your bank” scams. This is not a matter of paranoia; I have seen how quickly a single phone number, once it reaches the wrong people, can turn into a constant stream of unsolicited calls and messages, with no easy way to stop them.
That is not to say I am overly protective about my number to the point where I never share it. My phone can handle two SIM cards, and it even supports eSIMs. The problem is that adding more lines inevitably increases the complexity of managing them. Keeping track of which SIM is for work, which is for family, and which is for online transactions is like carrying several keys that all look similar but open different doors. Over time, this becomes difficult to manage consistently, and from the conversations I have had with friends and colleagues, it is clear that I am not the only one who feels this way.
What makes this more frustrating is that the problem is not a new one. In the banking sector, a similar issue has already been addressed with the introduction of virtual accounts. The concept has been tested, proven, and widely adopted in many markets. Customers can now receive payments without exposing their primary account numbers, simply by using virtual accounts that can be created and deactivated at will. There is no reason why the same idea could not be applied in telecommunications. If telcos could move away from the narrow view that their role is limited to selling airtime and data, they could open the door to an entirely new way of managing personal and professional contact points. The opportunity to rethink how people manage their numbers has been there for years, and yet it remains untouched.
The lesson telcos could learn from virtual bank accounts
Let’s take a moment to really look at how virtual accounts function in banking. If you have a bank account, you have probably been told more than once to be careful about where and how you share your account number. The reasoning behind this is straightforward: once that number is widely circulated, you lose control over who has it and what they might attempt to do with it. Despite the need for caution, there will always be situations where you have to provide an account number so that someone can transfer money to you. This is the gap that virtual accounts were created to fill, offering a safe, alternative channel for receiving funds without directly exposing the number of your actual account.
When a bank sets up a virtual account for you, it assigns you a secondary account number that is linked to your main account. Any payment sent to this virtual account is deposited into your real account, but the sender never sees the actual number behind it. The advantage is that you can generate multiple virtual accounts and dedicate each one to a particular purpose. You might have one that you use exclusively for business transactions, another for family and personal matters, one for online purchases, and perhaps another for a side project that you want to keep separate from everything else. If at any point one of these numbers is compromised or begins attracting unwanted activity, you can deactivate it without affecting the integrity or operation of your main account.
This arrangement is both practical and effective because it allows the account holder to maintain control over how their details are distributed and who has access to them. It is for this reason that I find it surprising that telecommunications companies have not adapted the same idea for phone numbers. The principle is almost identical: one primary number that stays private, supported by multiple virtual numbers that you can hand out for specific purposes. If banks have been able to make this work for money, it is hard to see why telcos cannot make it work for calls and messages.
What a virtual phone number could look like in real life
Imagine walking into a telco office and going through the same verification process they use for regular lines. You would present your NIN in Nigeria, National ID in Kenya, DNI in Argentina and the list goes on. You could also be asked to present your passport, or whatever other forms of identification required, and in some places like Dubai, the process would be far more extensive and thorough. The difference is that instead of leaving with a physical SIM card or activating an eSIM, you would be assigned a phone number that exists entirely in the cloud.
This virtual number would not take up a SIM slot on your phone or require you to manage an eSIM profile. It would function purely as a forwarding number, routing calls and text messages directly to your main line. For example, I could obtain an Airtel virtual number, link it to my existing MTN line, and then decide that only a specific group of people would have access to that number. This setup would allow me to keep my primary number private while still being reachable on a dedicated line for certain contacts.
I could choose to have one virtual number strictly for family and close friends, another for professional use, and a third that I give out when registering on questionable e-commerce websites that advertise unrealistic discounts but rarely deliver on their promises. By assigning each virtual number to a specific purpose, I would always know where it was shared and who might be responsible if it was ever misused. If unwanted calls started coming through on one of those numbers, there would be no need for guesswork, no endless speculation, and no playing detective trying to figure out who leaked my number. The source would be clear, and I could simply deactivate that virtual number while keeping my main line unaffected.
Why this could be a win-win for everyone
The most immediate benefit would be for individuals like me who are tired of juggling multiple devices or SIM cards just to manage different aspects of our lives. A virtual phone number would make it possible to keep personal and work communications completely separate without physically carrying two phones or constantly swapping SIM cards. Travelling abroad would also be much easier, since I could keep my local virtual number active and simply have it forward calls to my foreign line. This means staying reachable to people at home without the inconvenience and expense of roaming or the hassle of maintaining multiple physical SIMs.
From the perspective of the telcos, the revenue potential is hard to ignore. Every forwarded call or text message generates activity on the network that can be billed. This allows telcos to earn money even when they are not the primary service provider for a customer’s main line. Just as banks make money from operating multiple virtual accounts without having to build more branches or expand their physical infrastructure, telcos could grow their earnings from virtual numbers without the cost of installing new towers or expanding coverage areas. The business model is straightforward, and the financial upside is clear.
Friends and family would also benefit from this arrangement. They would have the assurance that when they call the virtual number assigned to them, they are contacting a line dedicated to their relationship with you. They would not have to worry about their calls competing with unsolicited marketing calls or random strangers who somehow managed to get hold of your number. This creates a more direct and reliable communication channel, which works well for everyone involved.
The identity and security side of it
Some people will immediately raise concerns about fraud, as if fraudulent activity is exclusive to virtual numbers and not already a challenge with regular numbers. The reality is that the level of identity risk would be no greater than what exists today with standard SIM cards. Minimum KYC requirements would still be in place, and the same checks you already perform for traditional lines would apply to virtual numbers. Whether it is verifying a National Identification Number (NIN) in Nigeria, a Rwandan National ID, or a Colombian Cédula, the process for confirming identity would not change. In countries where passports or residency permits are the primary verification documents, those same procedures would continue to apply for virtual numbers. There would be no lowering of the bar for security or verification.
The real difference lies in the nature of the number itself. A virtual number is not tied to your entire communication ecosystem in the same rigid way a permanent line is. It is designed to be functionally disposable, which means that if it is ever compromised or begins to attract unwanted calls and messages, you can deactivate it without creating a chain reaction of disruption in your life. You can set up a new one quickly, update only the relevant parties, and move on. This is significantly easier than replacing your primary line, which often comes with the risk of losing access to two-factor authentication codes, interrupting business communication channels, missing important calls, or forcing you to notify a long list of personal and professional contacts.
And let’s not forget the diaspora
For people living abroad who still want to maintain a phone number back home, this option could be financially practical and far more convenient. Instead of paying the often high costs of roaming or struggling to keep a local SIM card active from thousands of miles away, you could simply retain a virtual number linked to your home country. All calls and messages to that number would be forwarded directly to your current foreign line, removing the need for multiple devices or complicated SIM card swaps.
Allowing your local caller to pay local rates ensures that people back home can reach you without worrying about expensive international tariffs. At the same time, telecommunication companies would still generate revenue from the international forwarding charges, while you maintain consistent accessibility to friends, family, and business contacts at home. This setup also avoids the awkward “this number is not reachable” message for callers in your home country, which can create the impression that you’ve disconnected or become difficult to reach. In this way, both sides benefit: the telcos keep a steady revenue stream, and you remain reliably connected.
So, telcos, what’s the hold-up?
The infrastructure for this kind of service already exists, and the demand for it is undeniable. Customers are constantly looking for ways to share contact details without exposing themselves to unnecessary risks, and the potential for revenue is clear to anyone paying attention. Yet, in 2025, we are still in a situation where people have to give their primary numbers to almost anyone who asks, from the mechanic fixing their car to strangers selling products online.
If banks could figure out virtual accounts years ago, telcos have no excuse. The banking industry has already shown that it is possible to roll out such a system in a way that balances customer convenience with strong fraud controls. Banking regulators require that virtual accounts be linked to a primary account, and they enforce KYC rules to verify identity, monitor suspicious transactions, and block bad actors. These measures have kept the system from becoming a free-for-all while allowing millions of customers to enjoy the flexibility of using dedicated account numbers for different purposes without risking their main account.
Telecom regulators could take a page from that playbook. They could require that every virtual phone number be tied to a verified SIM registration, with similar monitoring for misuse. Just as banks flag suspicious transfers, telcos could flag patterns of spam or fraudulent calls and shut them down quickly. The technology to monitor call patterns and message volumes already exists, and so does the regulatory framework to make it work without stifling innovation.
If the existing players are unwilling or unable to make this a reality, then perhaps the market is ready for a new entrant that is willing to act. Customers will naturally gravitate towards providers who understand their needs and are prepared to innovate in ways that make communication safer and more convenient.
Until that happens, I will keep hoping for the day I can share my phone number without also compromising my peace of mind.