A dual-SIM smartphone in your hand beats two in the bush

Smartphones packing two SIM slots are set to grab a third of the overall smartphone market, according to Strategy Analytics. Dual-SIM phones are already big business, the firm reckons, with about 431 million of the devices to ship this year. Come 2016, the firm says, expect 19 per cent growth to take the dual-SIM total to …

[Anonymous Coward]

Great phones

I got a dual SIM phone a couple of weeks ago (pretty cheap Moto G 2) and it's great not having to cart two phones around or have the hassle of charging two (one work, one personal). Some carriers will let you have two numbers on the one SIM, but dual SIM is the only way to go if you don't want to go with the same carrier on both services.

[JamesJFoley]

Re: Great phones

Hi Graeme,

smartnumbers mobile permits two GSM mobile numbers to exist on any IOS or Android smartphone today. The service works across any and all UK mobile networks, with both mobile numbers being in-bundle and in-tariff with all the UK mobile network operators. Full support for SMS, roaming - and no VoIP required!

[a_a]

Re: Great phones

I also took delivery of a Moto G 2 just last week, a great phone for £135. Hacked my Blackberry SIM down to micro size with a pair of scissors and off I go.

The UI for SIM selection is really good and it can remember which SIM to use for a given number for calls and messages.

Only minor wrinkle is that my personal SIM is Three which means I have to use the data on that, when I was hoping to use the corporate SIM for data, but I don't use much so shouldn't be a problem.

[redneck]

texas

dual sim's are great in Texas, where some of the carriers are a bit spotty. (there's an asian version of the lumia 640 which is dual sim. So far Windows has been delightful.)

[James 51]

Nokia had a great line of cheap dual sim phones. It didn't make them megabucks but was still a nice earner for them. UK networks won't be offering these kind of handsets any time soon.

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't think any networks will have them as standard offerings - "Why would you want one? We're all you could ever need!"

Some of the MVNOs here in Australia offer them, but only as an outright purchase. The one I have was an outright purchase from an electrical retailer. Our last few phones have been outright purchases and I don't think I'd ever go back to a plan/subsidised mobile.

[Roq D. Kasba]

I actually asked in CPW (the only remaining independent high street phone shop in UK) if any models were dual-SIM, as I'm often overseas. To my surprise, the sales guy knew what I was talking about. It's upsetting that mere competence and a basic interest in the product is comment-worthy, but possibly a good sign in the longer run until they sack him?

Anyway, yes, clearly not available from the carriers as they want you to pay £diamonds for data or MMS, but huge in the wider world.

[JamesJFoley]

James - no need for UK networks to support dual-SIM phones. smartnumbers mobile permits two GSM mobile numbers on any IOS or Android smartphones today. Pick your carrier, your number and you're good to go.

[MrXavia]

But coverage is dismal, multiple sim support would be very useful!

[Anonymous Coward]

Useful for travellers, both for business and pleasure

I've used a dual SIM phone for years, I can keep my home SIM in there for calls, and a local SIM for cheap calls/internet access.

[100113.1537]

Re: Useful for travellers, both for business and pleasure

Spot on. Can't see myself ever going back to a single SIM 'phone for this very reason.

[jjcoolaus]

They will send SMS

A problem that has plagued many dual sim phones in the past is that the 2nd SIM slot is 2G only, as in it can't do 3G text or calls.

So when the 2G networks go dead, those dual sim phones will be pretty useless won't they?

Australia and Singapore are planning to shut down 2G within the next year, but in the case of Australia it's only 1 carrier (Telstra) and fortunately they don't have the largest 2G coverage in the country anyway.

Taking Australia as an example, 3G coverage far outstrips 2G coverage by a 3:1 ratio at least, aren't there other countries where this is a problem also (ie networks stopped putting up new 2G cells years ago in favour of 3G/4G only rollouts)

[Dan 55]

Re: They will send SMS

That's why you check the specs beforehand.

Although most dual SIM phones restrictions are 1) data off one SIM only and 2) no juggling calls on both SIMs at the same time with call waiting (if you're talking then a call to the other number goes straight to voicemail).

Which is perfectly reasonable for saving money while travelling. If you have business use with data then maybe not.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: They will send SMS

"3G coverage far outstrips 2G coverage by a 3:1 ratio at least"

Not so in the UK, where you can turn that ratio right-around. I see that f*cking useless "E" symbol on my phone MUCH too often, sadly :-(

[pompurin]

Re: They will send SMS

The THL Chinese phone I had allowed you to switch the 3G between each SIM within about 15 seconds. You could use both SIM cards as 3G, but only one at a time. I think that's a fair compromise that works for most people.

[a_n_k_u_r]

Dual SIMs are god sent for international travellers

Given the extortionate international roaming costs from the operators, dual SIM phones make a lot of sense. You can have one SIM of your default country and have the other one locally acquired in the country you visit for cheap incoming and outgoing calls and data/SMS.

[Nigel 11]

The other reason?

I'm surprised no-one has mentioned cheating on your spouse yet.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: The other reason?

Wouldn't that be a bit like putting your mistress in the spare room? Were I to indulge in such behaviour I think I'd want a completely separate phone that could stay in the car, and be deniable ("oh, Fred was wondering where he dropped that").

[Nigel 11]

Re: The other reason?

A SIM is a lot smaller than a phone.

I only mentioned this because of today's news. Also I'd heard that cheating was one of the reasons for the popularity of dual-SIM phones in China. No idea if it's true.

[BristolBachelor]

Re: The other reason?

"Also I'd heard that cheating was one of the reasons for the popularity of dual-SIM phones in China. "

Yeah, but that's the networks complaining that their marks were cheating on them by using another network.

[Philippe]

Dual SIM on iPhone is a bit rough but doable too.

One of my UK colleague is based in the Netherlands.

He uses a iPhone case with two SIMs in it.

You need to manually select sim card 1 or 2 and the phone needs to be unlocked but it seems to work OK.

Data and voice both work.

[JamesJFoley]

A 20th century way to solve a 21st century problem

The *requirement* isn't dual-SIM. That's the solution. Or at least, that's one solution.

The *requirement* is for a single handset to have two mobile numbers, each supporting both calls and SMS, each supporting their own contact directory, and each being billed separately. Earlier attempts at this using VoIP clients etc weren't fit for purpose, since most didn't support SMS, and all of them required a good wifi or 4G coverage that rendered them unfit for purpose as a business mobile device.

A much more cost-effective solution to the requirement isn't to wait for manufacturers to build a limited set of dual-SIM phones, but instead to leverage cloud services to enable this second number. Services such as 'smartnumbers mobile' provides a second GSM mobile number on any IOS or Android smartphone today. Choose your device, choose your number and hey presto, off you go. And unlike earlier attempts at this, the smartnumber mobile services are full GSM with no requirement for VoIP. Furthermore, if you want to keep your existing business and personal mobile numbers then you can port these numbers into the smartnumbers mobile service.

With today's focus on all-things Cloud, do the analysts really think that hardware is the answer to what are user/functionality requirements ?

There's gotta be a smarter way....

[Down not across]

Re: A 20th century way to solve a 21st century problem

With today's focus on all-things Cloud, do the analysts really think that hardware is the answer to what are user/functionality requirements ?

There's gotta be a smarter way....

Yeah yeah. I get that you want to sell your stuff. In fact that is all you've posted here looking at your posting history. Maybe we need a badge that identifies a commercial poster with commercial interests...

Anyway..

Sure its a solution. However I'd rather not get yet a another 3rd party, even less a cloudy one, when 2 SIM slots is a perfect solution for most purposes. Even more so if you want to temporarily add a local SIM while travelling.

[x 7]

Re: A 20th century way to solve a 21st century problem

JamesJFoley

do you work for smartnumberrs mobile by any chance?

[a_a]

Re: A 20th century way to solve a 21st century problem

So when I make an outgoing call how do you bill it to a different account?

[AbortRetryFail]

Re: A 20th century way to solve a 21st century problem

The early Orange phones did exactly this. You could have two numbers (both with Orange, obviously), and the phones would handle it all on a single SIM.

Then as new phones started to come out, only some supported the Line 2 functionality, and as time passed the choice of phones that supported it began to shrink until none did and eventually the service disappeared altogether. Which was a shame.

[Rob Davis]

Saygus dual-sim dual microsd waterproof android phone

Hi folks, checkout this phone: https://www.saygus.com/

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/saygus-v-squared#/story - for more detailed specs and video.

(I don't work for them or have any interest in them financially, only discovered them myself recently)

[David Paul Morgan]

Re: Saygus dual-sim dual microsd waterproof android phone

nice unit, but not dual-sim (and a bit chunky for my taste). however, worth a look!

[Rob Davis]

Re: Saygus dual-sim dual microsd waterproof android phone

David Paul Morgan: "nice unit, but not dual-sim (and a bit chunky for my taste). however, worth a look!"

Thanks David - but I have some good news - the phone is dual sim:

Sources:

- https://youtu.be/UL0FbvymfBo

- "Up to 464 GB storage|Wireless HD beaming|Harman/Kardon sound|21 MP OIS Camera|Dual sim|Waterproof" - "Saygus Team Email Verified" - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/saygus-v-squared#/story

- twitter @saygus https://twitter.com/Saygus/status/610494731143884800 "Yes, that is Type-C you see. Yes, we now have dual-sim. Yes, prior backers will receive new features. Yes, yours will ship before indiegogo."

[David Paul Morgan]

Re: Saygus dual-sim dual microsd waterproof android phone

nice to know, but "dual sim" does not weem to leap out at me, from the website(s).

Perhaps I need to put my specs on!

:-)