bongo | # 1 | 2009-09-22, 22:43 | Report

It would be nice to have a phone/tablet with two sim cards. I could use my phone contract and my prepaid card for mobile internet with one device. Why are these devices so exotic?

zerojay | # 2 | 2009-09-22, 22:48 | Report

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of the people I know of that use dual SIM cards use them because they're in many different areas with different providers in a short distance... so probably European mainly. But only people that are going to be doing that very often would really want to spring for that, I guess.

I worked in cell phone gaming for a few years and I know I never saw a single dual SIM slot phone in the over 500 phones we had in inventory. I think there's just not enough demand for it.

Laughing Man | # 3 | 2009-09-22, 23:19 | Report

Demand and added cost. In the USA only two major networks offer SIMs (TMobile and AT&T). The other two including the giant Verizon, and Sprint don't offer SIMs. Thus phones designed for this market either have 1 SIM slot or none at all!

Then take into account European and Asian markets (and other countries like Africa) where they do have providers with SIM slots, most customers will not change SIMs often enough to warrant having two. Unless you were an employee whose company pays for work related calls and nothing else or they travel often enough where switching SIMs would be annoying (e.g. each day you travel say between Germany and Italy) or something.

GeraldKo | # 4 | 2009-09-23, 00:22 | Report

Heck, bongo, stuck in the US telecom scene, I find even a prepaid card for mobile internet "exotic"!

ruskie | # 5 | 2009-09-23, 08:51 | Report

I wouldn't mind it but as we use voip from a telco and they were kind enough to provide instructions on how to set it up on my N95 I have no need for dual sim anymore

Would be nice to get a decent international flatrate SIM as well.

TA-t3 | # 6 | 2009-09-23, 09:28 | Report

Where I work, around 95% of us are running around with two phones at all times,
the work phone and the private phone (we don't have landlines at the office
anymore). Only some of the marketing folks have a single, work-paid combo
(not an option for the rest of us due to current taxation regulations).

A lot of our bunch really wish for a dual-SIM phone. It would have to be in
the reasonably priced category (no smartphone) that the company currently
provides us with. I've looked at two Samsung phones, even though they're
not sold around here. Their dual-SIM feature looks good (get calls on any
of the two number, easy choice for which one to call out on). However, their
features are otherwise not up to the current choice of el-cheapo Sony-Ericsson
or Nokia phones.

Edit: Ah, and Bongo's thoughts about using a voice-plan + data-plan card at the same time.. that's interesting too. I've got one of those data plan cards too (which currently sits unused in my Huawei dongle)

vabgeo | # 7 | 2009-09-23, 12:29 | Report

I used a Samsung D880, the only respectable dual sim phone I found, the rest where from unknown brands.
I found that I could not use packet data while making a voice call,also the carrier I used, had very high rates for gprs. The D880 is not a smartphone so I used it for tethering with my N810.
When I came to the US, I couldnt use the secondary phone of the D880 since it didnt support any of the US frequencies.
I found it very useful instead of carrying two phones around, it only cost me 200$ unlocked

mikec | # 8 | 2009-09-23, 12:56 | Report

Same in my company, 80,000 staff and they all have work and home phones.

McChicken | # 9 | 2009-09-23, 13:18 | Report

As I mentioned here in Europe it is a ***** with different ( local) operators when traveling. so Dual SIM cards adapters is not that unusual. and one of the most respected companies is this http://www.simore.ch/en/index.php I have never used their products so I cannot say too much.

nowadays ( here in EU) it is not Phone Calls that is making a hassle, as call rates are acceptable even by using your local ( another country SIM) but instead it is Mobile Broadband that is difficult. ( as I use Skype, email , surf. GPS Maps)
and THAT be really expensive like € 15 / Mb, ( $20.-)
this have been my biggest issue when on travel

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Last edited by McChicken; 2009-09-23 at 13:47.

McChicken | # 10 | 2009-09-23, 13:47 | Report

Have emailed the Dual SIM guys, encouraged them to make a Dual SIM adapte for Maemo 5, gave them links to our community, if I get a reply will post.
it is amazing how few people that actually know about Dual SIM adapters.
OK they are not 100% perfect but better than carry two phones.