bukzin

Any one have experience with active dual SIM usage?

Is there a way to have both operational at the same time?


ie. When on a call with Sim number one, Sim number 2 rings and I could

put 1 on hold and answer caller on 2?


Current phone is Pixel 6 with Android 12, also have older iPhone.

paperwastage

for typical dual sim phones (without DSDV), the workaround is to have callforwarding between 2nd sim to 1st sim
( I believe Pixel 6 doesn't have DSDV)

how old is your iPhone?
newer iPhones have this DSDV. i believe both lines must support VoLTE for this to work
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads...m-q-a.2150226/

draver

For several years you did not even need dual sims for a second call on your primary line to give you the Hold/Answer/Decline options on iPhones at least. The newer dual sim lines operate the same and have been this way since 2018 with the XR and XS.

I activated an esim in Dec. 2018 and had a second line also active since then. The feature was called DSDS or Dual Sim/Dual Service and had some limitations but the voice service was fine and is described on the Apple website.

bukzin

Found this definition at GSMArena…

This specifies whether a device is capable of supporting two SIM cards. The two major types of dual-SIM phones are active and standby. Dual-SIM Standby (DSS) requires the user to specify which of the two SIMs is able to make and receive calls, while Dual-SIM Active (DSA) enables both cards to receive calls at the same time. This latter feature usually requires an additional transceiver for the secondary SIM card, and as such consumes more battery life. More recent models feature Dual SIM Dual Standby (DSDS) technology which enables them to have two active SIMs with only one transceiver.


Can anyone speak to if the Pixel 6 (with Android 12) supports this Active switching?

nerd

Pixel's have DSDS, not DSA:

https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/9449293

Not sure if that supports your use case above. DSDS works just fine (though I have a Pixel 5) but I've never tried to put a call on hold on one number while picking up another (my 2nd SIM is data-only so I can't test it).

bocastephen

how does this work for texting? I have Line2 for my business phone number and not particularly fond of their service. I am thinking to get a talk/text prepaid or postpaid account with Verizon for better coverage to use for the business line, and keep my primary on TMobile, but not sure if you can integrate the messaging from both numbers into the messaging app, and have it reply from the correct SIM number?

nerd

It will depend on the messaging app.

bocastephen

so iMessage will only connect with one SIM at a time?

nerd

​​​​​​Can't answer that - I've never used it.

tai4de2

Yes you can do this. That’s a baseline feature in a modern dual SIM phone.

Polytonic

Both lines should work for iMessage just fine. You can also add the second line as a "trusted" number on your AppleID and it can be used for recovery/verification (granted, less relevant if on the same iPhone). SMS (green bubbles) work right away. Once Apple detects that the second line is active on an Apple device, you can enable iMessage and you'll start getting iMessage (blue bubbles) messages thereafter.

I have an iPhone 13 Pro with a T-Mobile SIM (primary) and a Google Fi (secondary, runs on T-Mo) SIM for international data at uncapped speeds. Haven't had a chance to test the international coverage, but I ported in my Google Voice number and everything was working fine within ~5min of getting it all setup. iOS will display a small letter (e.g. T or G in my case) denoting which line the call or text originates from. In all, it's seamless on Apple devices.

draver

On iPhones you can choose which line(s) you wish to be active for text messages. These options are in Settings-Messages-Send & Receive. Currently my phone is set to 2 phone numbers and email, for 3 total. I can also choose which line I wish to "Start New Conversations From" while in the Send & Receive settings.

bocastephen

This is great, thank you! Now the bad news I discovered is Verizon no longer offers a strict voice/text plan so this option is out the window. Their MVNO partners don't offer international coverage and I won't be able to do wifi calling on that line.

Polytonic

Starting with iOS 13, Apple devices support Wi-Fi Calling over the mobile data of the other line. Specifically: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209044

Wi-Fi Calling is a bit of a misnomer. You can think of it as the primary line is using the secondary line's data connection as if it were a Wi-Fi Hotspot (really it's "primary carrier sends traffic over data connection owned by second/third-parties").

You'll know when this feature is working when your secondary carrier shows as "using Cellular Data" (e.g. "AT&T using Cellular Data"). All calls (Traditional/VoLTE) and texts (SMS and iMessage) work as if you were connected to Wi-Fi.

To get this working, you'll need to enable Wi-Fi Calling on both carriers (and both carriers must support that feature on iPhones) and then turn off LTE on one line to force it to use the data connection of the other.

Polytonic

Here's what I do with an iPhone 13 Pro:

I have primary cell service through T-Mobile (eSIM) . Unlimited plan gives free international roaming, albeit at kneecapped 2G speeds (3G in Canada/Mexico). It's good enough for texts (either SMS/iMessage) and basic Google/Maps searches. You can pay a bit more to add the "double speed" addon which bumps you up to 256kbps (3G or so) if you want to keep things simple.

My phone also has a physical SIM tray that is unoccupied after moving T-Mobile to eSIM. When traveling internationally, you can buy a cheap local SIM (e.g. 10GB LTE), pop that into the physical tray, and use that for much faster data (e.g. Maps, YouTube video, whatever).

Alternately, I've added a Google Fi (physical) SIM into my phone. Google Fi plans have unlimited data with uncapped speeds worldwide (either $70/mo. fixed or $10/GB pay as you go), but you're limited to LTE on iPhones due to lack of 5G support. This is probably not an issue given the current state of 5G deployment worldwide (i.e. nonexistent).

In practice you can mix and match in whatever way best suits you (e.g. personal cell plan on one eSIM, office-paid cell plan on other eSIM or physical SIM, etc.). The critical part here really is that Apple has made it really easy to use two SIMs concurrently, and like with most other things Apple, "it just works"