Method, system, and apparatus for access of network services using subscriber identities

A method comprising:

• associating a user identity of a first device with a network service based on an account identifier generated by the network service and a phone number of the first device, wherein the network service is external to a network operator that is associated with the phone number;
• receiving, from a second device, a request to utilize the network service;
• sending to the second device a new identifier that enables access to the network service;
• receiving, via a communication channel that utilizes a phone number of the second device, a registration that includes the new identifier;
• associating the user identity of the first device with the second device based on a determination that the phone number of the second device matches the phone number utilized by the communication channel;
• and
• fulfilling the request to access the network service by the second device using the user identity of the first device.

An apparatus comprising:

• at least one network interface capable of being coupled to a network of a network operator;
• a processor coupled to the network interface;
• and
• memory coupled to the processor and having instructions operable by the processor to cause the apparatus to,
• associate a user identity of a first device with a network service based on an account identifier and a phone number of the first device, wherein the network service is external to the network operator that is associated with the phone number;
• receive, from a second device, a request to utilize the network service;
• send to the second device a new identifier that enables access to the network service;
• receive, via a communication channel that utilizes a phone number of the second device to establish communications, a registration that includes the new identifier;
• associate the user identity of the first device with the second device based on a determination that the phone number of the second device matches the phone number utilized by the communication channel;
• and
• facilitate fulfilling the request to access the network service by the second device using the user identity of the first device.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising:

• instructions which are executable by an apparatus for performing steps that include:
• accessing a network service that is external to a network operator associated with a phone number of the apparatus;
• receiving a new identifier for the apparatus from the network service;
• registering with the network service via the network operator using a communication channel that utilizes the phone number of the apparatus to establish communication, wherein the phone number of the apparatus comprises the phone number of a second device as defined by a subscriber identity of the network operator that was transferred to the apparatus from the second device, and wherein the network service associates an existing user identity with the phone number;
• and
• in response to the phone number utilized by the communication channel matching the phone number of the second device, accessing the network service using the existing user identity.