PM Community could you help re: my "2 in 1" phone question?

[OhHappyDay]

This is my question,

Is it possible to have paid subscriptions to two different PM accounts and then combine these two SIM cards onto one  of these dual SIM Card phones?? 

Hi all!

I'm definitely not a techie or nerdy type at all so this message may sound kind of like nonsense to you 😛 but this BabyBoomer would really like to know 🙂

In a few weeks I will be celebrating my 5th Year Anniversary with Public Mobile .....and am quite happy together with them 🙂 and hope for a long union.

Now I'm thinking I'd like to switch my home landline phone to PM too! My concern is that I don't really want to be carrying around two different cell phones with me all the time, (1.cellphone with my PM# and 2.cellphone with my Home#).

I was told about the new phones of today now having dual abilities, (I'm using the Samsung Galaxy Ace2x), and was suggested towards purchasing, for example, a "Blu Life 4G LTE Phone" or something similar of this kind, which is apparently like having two separate phone numbers fused together into one phone device.

Does Public Mobile support this kind of "Blu" phone? and if they do would I keep my "grandfather" rate for the original PM SIMcard, and then, I'd presume!, would naturally pay the new rates for the second SIM card-which would be my landline "teetered" to it...I think that's the word but you know what I mean...right? 🙂

Thank-you very much in advance for any replies you might leave!! or "How to's" to my posting! 

[srlawren]

@7789849803 they also seem to have a dual ACTIVE sim option for some phones, where the SIM sits in a small external FOB that is paired to the phone (via bluetooth?--guessing) and can make and receive calls on either line, as per this demo video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Edj-_6QIvU.  Kind of interesting.  The other option is the one where you have to swtich back and forth and requires a case, as per this demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HWqOurDcsg.  

EDIT:  I'm not sure if or how either of these options work for SMS and data, but I haven't looked that closely either.

@Luddite I had a better look today and those magic SIM options aren't as bad as I thought.  Might be useful for some folks, thanks for pointing it out!  I'll still hold out for a dual-sim phone, but it's good to know this exists!

[7789849803]

That may be fine. To switch (through software) to the secure element SIM just to make the payment, and then switch back to the PM SIM, would be fine by me.

The bigger problem is the need to use a case for your phone with this. Because otherwise you'd have the second SIM card just dangling from your phone.

[Luddite]

@7789849803 Believe the gizmo will connect only 1 SIM at a time and the selection is made from an app on the phone. 

[7789849803]

@Luddite That gizmo looks very interesting. I'm curious to know if I can put in an unactivated Suretap NFC-capable SIM card from Rogers/Bell/Telus/Virgin/Koodo, and access mobile payments from my phone, while simultaneously being able to use my PM connection.

I suspect that there'll be only one way to find out, in the end...

[srlawren]

 Thanks @Luddite, but looking at the pictures on that site, I think I'd rather just swap out my SIM cards when needed!  A true dual SIM handset would be great though, as I use a Roam Mobility SIM when I go to the US on occasion, and it would be nice not to have to fumble with the SIM tray popper tool and so on.

[Luddite]

Noticed this gizmo http://www.magic-sim.com for making any phone into dual SIM. No dea if it works well.

[7789849803]

---

@OhHappyDay wrote:

...the SIM card slots are for x1-3G   and   x1-4G LTE....

---

HA - which was an option that no one here on the community, despite all our research and speculation, had even suggested!

Well, atleast we know now.

[Martin]

Hi @OhHappyDay,

I'm glad that everything is working out well for you.

Also, thanks for the information regarding the 2 slots. It will come in handy should another customer pose the same question as you did.

Cheers!

[OhHappyDay]

Wow!! this experience has been amazing, I'm so happy 🙂

I guess this now means I am free to order my new phone, yes? 🙂

and Public Mobile will be happy too 🙂 since I will be ordering a second SIM card for a second account, which eventually I will transfer my home# too. 🙂 

FYI I have called up the BLU customer service (thanks again for the link posted Savage698) and what they told me was that the frequency bands are compatible with Telus here, and that the SIM card slots are for x1-3G   and   x1-4G LTE. They did say the battery would have to be taken out and replaced by a technician (in a few years) since it is not a removable battery. 

Well I guess that that for now!! Good chance I may be back after the phone arrives (3-6 weeks) if I run into any set up glitches. 

Once again!! thanks Oracles and to the others who shared comments to my question.

Me too!! I also learned a lot of stuff here over these couple of days.

*SmilieWaveOut*

[7789849803]

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@srlawren wrote:

@OhHappyDay sorry I'm late to the party here but I can tell you--I gave that phone to my uncle for Christmas and it is a phenomenal phone for the price!!!  I actually have been wrestling with getting myself one also.  It's got a big battery, a very nice screen, good performance, SD card slot for extra storage, dual SIMs,... yeah it's pretty great with few drawbacks.  As I was setting up the phone for him I was actually quite jealous.  I think you're going to love it.

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There you have it, folks. Now remember, you heard it first right here on the PM community!

[srlawren]

Forgot to add:  he uses it on Koodo, with zero issues so far, so it will work great on PM as well.

[srlawren]

@OhHappyDay sorry I'm late to the party here but I can tell you--I gave that phone to my uncle for Christmas and it is a phenomenal phone for the price!!!  I actually have been wrestling with getting myself one also.  It's got a big battery, a very nice screen, good performance, SD card slot for extra storage, dual SIMs,... yeah it's pretty great with few drawbacks.  As I was setting up the phone for him I was actually quite jealous.  I think you're going to love it.

[7789849803]

@OhHappyDay You're welcome, and thank you for your appreciation.

[Martin]

Hi @OhHappyDay,

Thank you for your very kind words. Much appreciated!

Cheers.

[OhHappyDay]

What can I say!! clearly quite an effort has been made to answer my question. Thank-youuuu 778 and thank-youuu Martin.....*stands up and applauds the support from these "Oracles"* (fitting title btw :))

I will call the company, as well as other vendors for specifics as you suggested....though I believe these phones are only sold via Amazon, but I may be wrong...and I will post the findings on the board afterwards. I'm slow so give me a bit 😄 thanks and thanks PM for this fine board of support-giving members. It's cool!! don't you think 😄 ttyl!

[Martin]

---

@OhHappyDay wrote:

This is my question,

Is it possible to have paid subscriptions to two different PM accounts and then combine these two SIM cards onto one  of these dual SIM Card phones?? 

Hi all!

I'm definitely not a techie or nerdy type at all so this message may sound kind of like nonsense to you 😛 but this BabyBoomer would really like to know 🙂

In a few weeks I will be celebrating my 5th Year Anniversary with Public Mobile .....and am quite happy together with them 🙂 and hope for a long union.

Now I'm thinking I'd like to switch my home landline phone to PM too! My concern is that I don't really want to be carrying around two different cell phones with me all the time, (1.cellphone with my PM# and 2.cellphone with my Home#).

I was told about the new phones of today now having dual abilities, (I'm using the Samsung Galaxy Ace2x), and was suggested towards purchasing, for example, a "Blu Life 4G LTE Phone" or something similar of this kind, which is apparently like having two separate phone numbers fused together into one phone device.

Does Public Mobile support this kind of "Blu" phone? and if they do would I keep my "grandfather" rate for the original PM SIMcard, and then, I'd presume!, would naturally pay the new rates for the second SIM card-which would be my landline "teetered" to it...I think that's the word but you know what I mean...right? 🙂

Thank-you very much in advance for any replies you might leave!! or "How to's" to my posting! 

---

Hi @OhHappyDay,

To do further research, I clicked the link kindly provided by @savage698, which brought me to Blu's site. I then clicked the image of the phone in which you're interested. The specifications pertaining to technology do not mention 2G; only 3G and LTE are. There was an associated PDF file that I downloaded. It, too, made the same reference.

Without seeing the phone or calling Blu, and if I had to make an educated guess, I would say that both SIM card trays/slots are for 3G/LTE service. That said, the preceding is only an educated guess, and is certainly no substitute for your contacting the company directly. Further, if the Blu rep does indeed support my educated guess, I recommend that you do further due diligence by contacting an independent vendor of the phone in order to pose the same question. Independent vendors may be Staples, Best Buy, Walmart, Costco, and possibly others found on the web by googling for the make and model of phone.

If you don't mind, would you please inform this community of your decision to purchase or not purchase the phone, and the supporting reasons.

Thank you, and the best of success in finding a dual-SIM phone for 3G/LTE.

Addendum: After posting the above, I read the opinions of the phone at gsmarena.com. I found one, dated February 21, 2016, in which the poster states that both slots are for 3G only (as opposed to not supporting Jamaica's 4G service. According to gsmarena.com, both slots can also support 2G, thus my educated guess still stands.)

[7789849803]

@OhHappyDay You're very welcome! I just spent an hour trying to unearth some more info on the BLU Life One X (2016), and couldn't find any definitive information on whether or not SIM2 supports 3G and 4G. I found a couple posts speculating that it does not, and one saying that it should (because of the chipset it uses).

So I can't offer you any more clarity on this topic, though I did try.

[Kdawg]

From what I have seen in 2 sim card cell phones the second sim card is only good for 2g service, which PM does not have.

[savage698]

I too am unaware of a phone off hand that supports 3G on both SIMS in the same price range of the Blu phone you posted, once again, I Implore you to contact the manufacturer directly. The main reasons most dual sim phones restrict one phone to 2G is due to battery life, so it's possible that some of the more expensive dual sim phones out there with larger batteries might offer what you're looking for.

[Martin]

Hello,

I personally don't know of any 2-SIM card 3G/4G phones, only because you're the first to pose such a question. I therefore never had to research the matter.

A word of caution: Regardless of the advertised price, do NOT buy a phone from a Kijiji or Craigslist seller. Both, and especially the former, are known for scamming.

Cheers.

[OhHappyDay]

Wow!! thanks so much!! What a great help you all have been 🙂 and yes excuse me 778....thankYOU 2!!

Lastly, are there?? any "two SIM card" phones that any of you know about that work with Public Mobile and would accomplish the "2 in 1" I have been encouraged to try and get......but on the more modest end of the pricing scale?

Again thank-you 🙂 *clappinghands* it's been a pleasure!!

[savage698]

At this point I can't find any reliable information online regarding whether or not that model has 3G support on both SIM slots. It may be worth it to contact Blu directly to ask them.

You can reach the Blu Products support team here: http://bluproducts.com/index.php/contact-service

[Martin]

Hello again,

Please reread (1) of 778's post of 7:15 pm EDT.
It's paramount that you understand it. To express it another way, if either tray/slot supports ONLY 2G service, it would impossible to have 2 PM numbers ringing to the same phone because PM/Koodo/Telus do not have a 2G network.

From the additional information that you posted, the only potential red flag is the comment that the phone operates on Rogers. To complicate matters, Rogers has 2G and 3G/4G networks. The poster didn't state whether one uses Rogers' 2G or 3G/4G network. If the former applies, you will.not be able to have 2 PM numbers on your phone. On the other hand, if the latter is applicable, you will be able to do so.

FYI.

[OhHappyDay]

Thank-you very much Martin and Savage698 for your reply backs so far 🙂

The followering information was also on the Amazon web site regarding the "BLU" phone I mentioned.

• Unlocked dual sim smartphone, android 5.1 Lollipop
• 5.2-Inch Full HD display with corning gorilla glass 3
• 16Gb internal memory 2gb ram, 1.3 GHz Octa-Core Mediatek 6753 with MALI t720 GPU
• 13Mp main camera with phase detection autofocus and 5mp front camera with led flash
• Compatibility nationwide on all GSM networks including at and t, T-Mobile, cricket, MetroPCS, straight talk, pure talk USA, and others

Does this added information help at all. Oh and what about this too...the Q+A on Amazon.ca? but who knows who's posted answers and if it's authoratative or not from Telus. Can you glean any useful information from this.

copied off of Amazon website, Question and Answers, to this cell phone.

Question: Does this work with telus 4glte

Answer:   

-Yes. 

-Yes,I use this on Telus/Koodo right now. Full LTE support, hit 80mbit down / 40 up speed test wise. (Ontario) 

-Yes, I use Telus, and have had no problems with compatibility. The phone has 2 SIM slots, and I use my business number with Rogers on the second without issues as well 🙂 

-Yes it works with telus 4G LTE

-Check the telus frequency band then compare it with phone specs.

-I don't see why it wouldn't.

Thank-you for your time and efforts to answer. It's appreciated 🙂

[Martin]

Hello,

I fully agree with the post published by @savage698.

The caveat is that both SIM trays must be able to hold cards compatible with a 3G network, at a minimum.

If one tray is for 2G service, you would be unable to have 2 PM numbers for the phone.

FYI.

[7789849803]

@OhHappyDay You will want to be mindful of two things here:

(1) Both the SIM slots need to be 3G/4G capable. With a lot of other dual SIM phones, one of them is 2G-only, which will be useless on the PM/Telus network.

(2) You will want to make sure that the frequency bands that PM/Telus uses are supported on BOTH SIM slots. A cursory glance at the specs of 2 different Blue Life phones (One X 2016 and XL) that you mentioned did indicate that this will not be a problem. However, you will want to make very sure of this before making the purchase.

[savage698]

I don't believe it is against Public Mobile's Terms of Service for you to have multiple accounts (multiple SIM's) with them. As long as you have a phone that support's dual SIM, then you should have no problem operating in the manner you are suggesting.

A helpful hint here is to make sure that you don't call your landline provider to cancel your account, when the porting of your number from them to Public Mobile is complete your account with them will be closed automatically. Landline ports can take longer than mobile ports, so keep this in mind while you're waiting for everything to be transferred over.

Enjoy!

[Martin]

Hello,

This applies to Android devices. Since the phone that you wish to have isn't one, the following may not apply: If you have the phone in your possession, look for Settings, and then About Phone. I need to know the full model number, including submodel.

Thank you.

[OhHappyDay]

Sorry I should have send some more specifics about the phone type.

It's a phone on the lower end of the cost scale in the cell phone market,

just like the Polaroid brand too, and of which I cannot find any info here

about either.

Life One X - 4G LTE Smartphone-GSM unlocked

Amazon.ca: $199

Networks: GSM HSPA +42 Mbps LTE

Display: 5.2inches

Cameras: 13MP Main 5MP Front

Memory: 16GB 2GB RAM

Processor: 1.3GHz Octa-Core

Operating System: Android 5.1 Lollipop

Battery: 2900mAh

Dimensions/Weight: 149.5x73.6x8.6mm 141gm

[Martin]

Deleted by Martin.