Dual Active SIM phones.
Discussion
I would like to find a phone that doesn't just have dual SIM (standby) capability but where both SIMs are active, giving me the freedom to disable the secondary one when I have finished my day. More specifically, be able to receive calls on both numbers as and when required.
I currently have an Elephone P9000 that has dual SIM capability but it is very slow and frustrating to switch between the two.
So far, I can only see that Asus have this feature with their Zenfone 2 and 3 models. More specifically the deluxe and ultra versions.
Unless it is a hidden Android feature that I have completely missed, what other mid-high end handsets are there out there that allow this feature to be utilised?
I currently have an Elephone P9000 that has dual SIM capability but it is very slow and frustrating to switch between the two.
So far, I can only see that Asus have this feature with their Zenfone 2 and 3 models. More specifically the deluxe and ultra versions.
Unless it is a hidden Android feature that I have completely missed, what other mid-high end handsets are there out there that allow this feature to be utilised?
It's more a case of which providers you're using for the phone service.
Dual-sim dual-standby have only one 3G/4G data channel/antenna, plus a 2G antenna, so fitting two 3G/4G sims for voice/text service (as with two Three sims) means that only one sim can be used on the data channel at a time. The other 3G/4G sim can't operate. (This is from Motorola.)
If, however you fit say, a Three sim and a 2G Voda/EE/O2 sim then the phone will have full dual-standby and receive calls/texts from either sim. If a call comes in while the other sim is active the phone decides whether to send that call to voicemail, or ignore it. You can set which sim is used for calls/texts, or invoke 'always ask.'
It follows from this that a 3G/4G only sim (Three) has to go in the primary 'data' sim slot and that if you want to use say, the EE sim for data, you'll loose all service on the Three sim while EE is active for data. Fitting two Three sims consequnetly means that one is always 'deaf'.
The current WileyFox Swifts (1&2) and dual-sim Motorolas work fine in this mode, I haven't tested any others.
PC Advisor say: "Dual-active SIM phones also exist, however, which use two modems and allow you to receive calls on both numbers at once. We've not tested any dual-active phones, but some more recent examples allegedly include the dual-SIM variants of the HTC One M8, Sony Xperia Z3 and Samsung Galaxy S5 mini. (Always check before you buy, of course.)"
Dual-sim dual-standby have only one 3G/4G data channel/antenna, plus a 2G antenna, so fitting two 3G/4G sims for voice/text service (as with two Three sims) means that only one sim can be used on the data channel at a time. The other 3G/4G sim can't operate. (This is from Motorola.)
If, however you fit say, a Three sim and a 2G Voda/EE/O2 sim then the phone will have full dual-standby and receive calls/texts from either sim. If a call comes in while the other sim is active the phone decides whether to send that call to voicemail, or ignore it. You can set which sim is used for calls/texts, or invoke 'always ask.'
It follows from this that a 3G/4G only sim (Three) has to go in the primary 'data' sim slot and that if you want to use say, the EE sim for data, you'll loose all service on the Three sim while EE is active for data. Fitting two Three sims consequnetly means that one is always 'deaf'.
The current WileyFox Swifts (1&2) and dual-sim Motorolas work fine in this mode, I haven't tested any others.
PC Advisor say: "Dual-active SIM phones also exist, however, which use two modems and allow you to receive calls on both numbers at once. We've not tested any dual-active phones, but some more recent examples allegedly include the dual-SIM variants of the HTC One M8, Sony Xperia Z3 and Samsung Galaxy S5 mini. (Always check before you buy, of course.)"
Edited by Slushbox on Saturday 26th November 17:56
Bobhon said:
Motorola Moto G4 can come with twin active SIM.
I don't believe they are dual active but the software hides some of the problems - https://motorola-global-en-uk.custhelp.com/app/ans...Bobhon said:
Also on Amazon, but I think the dual SIM ones on there are all white?
I understand the only way to get a black dual sim G4 is direct from Motorola and the black G4s from retailers are all single sim.Motorola moto g 4th generation was £160 from John Lewis for the dual sim model. Both sims are active and you can easily select which sim to make outgoing calls and you can optionally tell it to remember which sim.
You can easily switch either sim off or on.
They are great phones! Note that they are larger than they might appear and they do have a very good battery life.
You can easily switch either sim off or on.
They are great phones! Note that they are larger than they might appear and they do have a very good battery life.
Have you looked on EBay. A lot of Chinese phones have this functionality, I bought one and used it for two years as I had a work phone and personal one but didn't want to carry both. It wasn't iPhone quality but the it cost me a very small fraction of the price about £50 if memory serves. It did everything I wanted.
I asked the same a while back. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Willeyfox is good value from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wileyfox-Swift-Dual-SIM-F...
I bought one but never tried it as it was too bigger screen for me, wanted a 4" screen.
Willeyfox is good value from Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wileyfox-Swift-Dual-SIM-F...
I bought one but never tried it as it was too bigger screen for me, wanted a 4" screen.
Thank you for your responses.
I was under the impression that the Moto phones were all dual standby.
Huawei Mate 8 & 9 have some reviews saying they are dual active, but nothing really delves into detail with them.
The only ones that have noted dual active status are the Asus Zenfone 3 deluxe and Ultra versions.
My preference for screen size is 5.5 inch plus. Obviously the higher the spec, the better.
Oneplus 3 looks like a good contender, but again I assumed it was dual standby? Happy to be corrected by current users. I see that there is a Oneplus 3T available now with upgraded specs over the 3.
I was under the impression that the Moto phones were all dual standby.
Huawei Mate 8 & 9 have some reviews saying they are dual active, but nothing really delves into detail with them.
The only ones that have noted dual active status are the Asus Zenfone 3 deluxe and Ultra versions.
My preference for screen size is 5.5 inch plus. Obviously the higher the spec, the better.
Oneplus 3 looks like a good contender, but again I assumed it was dual standby? Happy to be corrected by current users. I see that there is a Oneplus 3T available now with upgraded specs over the 3.
TotalControl said:
Thank you for your responses.
I was under the impression that the Moto phones were all dual standby.
Huawei Mate 8 & 9 have some reviews saying they are dual active, but nothing really delves into detail with them.
The only ones that have noted dual active status are the Asus Zenfone 3 deluxe and Ultra versions.
My preference for screen size is 5.5 inch plus. Obviously the higher the spec, the better.
Oneplus 3 looks like a good contender, but again I assumed it was dual standby? Happy to be corrected by current users. I see that there is a Oneplus 3T available now with upgraded specs over the 3.
Most phones are available in dual sim variants but this is usually not with dual active functionality. There are very few available that give you this and even when they are supposedly available you will find they are available in just one or two regions so are very hard to get hold of.I was under the impression that the Moto phones were all dual standby.
Huawei Mate 8 & 9 have some reviews saying they are dual active, but nothing really delves into detail with them.
The only ones that have noted dual active status are the Asus Zenfone 3 deluxe and Ultra versions.
My preference for screen size is 5.5 inch plus. Obviously the higher the spec, the better.
Oneplus 3 looks like a good contender, but again I assumed it was dual standby? Happy to be corrected by current users. I see that there is a Oneplus 3T available now with upgraded specs over the 3.
I work in the Middle East and pretty much everything is available in dual standby mode, the only popular one that doesn't have it is the Apple iphone. Dual active is another matter though and I've yet to find one that actually does have it.
It is getting worse now as well with all the newer phones now doing dual sim with the second sim card sharing a slot with a memory card so you can have one or the other but not both, unless you start cutting and gluing sim cards and memory cards together. I still have a dual sim Samsung S5 with the official 3500mAH battery because of this, the S6 had the rubbish battery and didn't have the waterproof feature and the S7 has the sim card/memory card issue so can't see the point upgrading.
I gave up trying to find a dual active phone a while ago as I seemed to be wasting my time, would rather compromise on that than other stuff like size, battery, waterproofness and screen quality.
Edited by 147GTA on Sunday 27th November 17:23
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