As we all know, Uber is a company that focuses on mobility services, from getting customers from point A to B, bringing customers food to their front door and offering customers rented electrical scooters in big cities.
They have their fingers in a lot of mobility related pies but ultimately, they’re most famous at this moment in time for their taxi service and food delivery service.
Due to the nature of their services, customer interaction is almost guaranteed. All their correspondence is via apps which means that users typically need to register their phone number in order to access their services.
Occasionally, one of Uber’s apps will send you error messages (either if there are issues on their end or yours) or your Uber may stop working completely. One of the most common messages you may get say that your mobile number is not supported.
In this article we are going to explore exactly what that means and how to resolve he issue.
Uber your mobile number is not supported – What it means
If you receive a message off Uber saying that your mobile number is not supported then the it usually means one of two things.
The most common occurrence for this error message is during the signing up process.
If you have previously signed up to an account on any of Uber’s apps and you’re trying to sign up again and are entering the same phone number, then Uber will let you know that your mobile number isn’t supported.
To get around this issue, just log in to your previous Uber account. If you can’t remember you login details then select forgot your password and follow the on screen instructions to regain access to your account.
Alternatively, use another phone number to register for a new account if you no longer want to use Uber on your former account.
Another reason why you might receive this error message is if you are trying to use the account after changing your phone number.
This is a particular issue if you have two step authorisation set up on your Uber account meaning that you’ll need to enter a code sent to your phone from the app in order to gain access to its services.
To fix this issue you will need to access your account on the Uber app and change your phone number.
You will also be able to turn off two step authorisation within your account settings if you no longer want to have to get through his hassle every time you want to log in to one of Uber’s apps.
What do Uber do with your phone number?
For those of us concerned about data protection and/or personal security then handing over your phone number is something you will understandably question.
Add in to the fact that Uber has a history of safety issues and it just adds more reason for people to feel unsure about handing over their personal phone number.
The only times when someone from Uber should contact you via your phone number is;
- if you have ordered a taxi via them and the driver is contacting you to let you know that they have arrived at the pickup location, and
- If you have ordered food via their delivery service and the delivery driver is letting you know that they can’t find your address.
This is just a way to make it simpler for you and to get you your food in as quick a time as possible.
Can you use Uber without a phone number?
Although Uber is built for smartphones, it is possible to use its service without having a smartphone/phone number.
In order to this, you will need to visit their website on a web browser such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome. Once on the website you will asked to login and you can do this by either using a Facebook account or Google account.
This is a handy bit of information for anyone who isn’t comfortable sharing their personal phone number with strangers.
Conclusion
To conclude, your mobile number is very important when it comes to using any of Uber’s apps.
While we would recommend that you ensure your registered mobile number on each of their apps is up to date and verified, we understand that some people may not be comfortable with handing their phone number over to an app.
By following our advice above, though, you can still use your Uber account without having to use your phone number at all.
