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What are the Benefits of Having a Dual-SIM Smartphone?
Dual-SIM functionality is becoming increasingly in demand from users across the spectrum, so much so that it’s rare for a new phone to ship without this functionality. Even many reconditioned phones will come with this feature. Additionally, we’re also seeing some handsets incorporate the new eSIM technology which will likely begin to eradicate physical SIM cards altogether.
With dual-SIM smartphones being ever-present, now is the time to start taking advantage of their functionality and using it to your benefit. Here, we take a look at the benefits of having a dual-SIM phone.
What is Dual-SIM?
Very simply, a phone with dual-SIM functionality can hold two SIM cards at once and switch between the two without needing to remove either. This means that the phone has two separate phone numbers and can use different networks at the same time.
Using dual-SIM phones is easy, as you can head into the device’s settings and adjust how you would like to use each SIM card. For example, you could set one as the default for calls and texts and the other for data. Alternatively, you could choose to decide which SIM to use each time you make a call or send a text, allowing flexibility.
Travel
Perhaps one of the most common reasons to utilise the dual-SIM functionality on your phone is for travelling abroad. In the UK and the wider European continent, phone providers have made the agreement to remove roaming charges for customers, meaning that calls, texts and data will be calculated against the user’s monthly allowance. For those who are on a pay monthly or SIM-only contract, this means that it is no different to being at home.
Naturally, once a user ventures outside of the agreed region, then additional charges are added to using the device. This means that it often makes financial sense to take out a new contract in the country you’re visiting, such as Australia, the USA or anywhere in Asia, rather than using your domestic SIM package.
For people visiting the UK and Europe from one of these areas, a contract can be taken out and used in all of the agreed countries without penalty. For example, a cheap SIM-only deal would cost anywhere from £5 upwards and allow for texts, minutes and data consumption. Contacting people back home will still incur additional charges, but for hotel bookings, using Google Maps and other necessary travel tasks, having an EU-based SIM contract can be very useful indeed.
Work
Freelancing, working from home and being self-employed are all becoming increasingly more common. Technology has paved the way for many people to be able to run or work for companies without ever seeing the people they work with. In this situation, communication is key, which is often done over the phone or using services like Messenger or WhatsApp.
That being said, many people also strive for a work-life balance and want to cast a dividing line between work time and leisure time. If you’re using one mobile phone with a singular number, this can be a hard balance to achieve, with work often encroaching into your personal life.
Using a dual-SIM phone for work purposes allows the user to call and text their colleagues using a dedicated phone number, and then retain their personal number for friends and family only. This also means that they can choose not to be contactable outside of work hours.
Data/Allowance
Capped minutes and texts are a thing of the past, with many smartphone users now having phone packages that allow for unlimited of both. However, with the continued evolution of FaceTime, Skype, WhatsApp, Messenger and other internet-based messaging platforms, calling and texting is not something in particularly high demand.
However, one thing that has always been in demand, and will continue to be in the future, especially with the coming of 5G, is cellular data. Data is what allows phones to access the internet without Wi-Fi, with 3G and 4G being the most common currently. With the streaming capability of phones continuing to improve, and services such as Spotify, Netflix and Amazon Prime dominating the audio and visual streaming marketplace, data will continue to reign king.
However, depending on your particular carrier, or your specific package, you may not have enough data for your needs, which is where dual-SIM can help. If you’re currently on a low or no data SIM package, you could look to take out a second contract with a new provider for a SIM-only data package. This means that you can retain your old number, using that for minutes and texts, while using the new data-only plan for accessing the web.
This could also serve as a benefit for those looking to make use of a different provider’s speedier internet connection (as not all carriers offer the same download speeds).
Benefits and Rewards
Much like data, some phone companies offer their customers rewards for switching or staying loyal to their service. This is something that some people will take advantage of more than others and is very case dependant. An example of this would be O2 in the UK with their ‘Priority’ campaign. This sees them offer customers exclusive pre-sale access to gigs, movie screenings and exclusive discounts on a range of products.
For someone that wants to take advantage of this service, you could choose to pick up a pay as you go O2 SIM card, simply to be eligible for the promotions.
Hopefully, this has inspired you to make the most of your phone’s functionality. For more insightful topics on smartphones and other tech topics, check out our articles here!
