2 sim cards on unlimited calls+text contract?

quartzz

Hi, I'm about to move into a new property, traditionally I've always had a landline, or more specifically I suppose I just prefer solid landline handsets +plastic buttons more than fiddly touch screen smartphones (sounding older than I am? or not)

On consideration, paying for a PAYG mobile sim card+ £9 per month for gigaclear dial tone doesn't seem to be good use of money

I've discovered you can buy "desktop" style SIM phones, like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/355936809530

(or at least something along those lines)

So far I've found Tesco and Asda do unlimited calls+text (no data needed). Tesco is £11/pm and Asda is £4/pm. Now what I would need, is this contract to supply two sim cards, one for the smartphone and one for the "desk" phone.

I've just had a live chat thing with Tesco, who say each £11 only supplies 1 SIM, so I'd need to buy 2x £11 contracts to get two sims. I'm waiting to hear back from Asda on whether their £4 can supply 2 SIMs for one contract

Does anyone know of any other operators who do? I'd need (ideally unlimited for it to make sense) calls + text, but I don't need any data. but I'd be looking for 2 sim cards for the one contract

cheers in advance

Keep_pedalling

Presumably you will also be getting broadband so another option is VOIP. Who have you chosen for your BB service?

quartzz

I've started a gigaclear contract. The fibre-> network converter thing in the wall only has network sockets underneath it (in fact I'm actually not sure what sockets they are, the gigaclear router plugs into them - this is something I need to ask gigaclear to get a spare router lying around just in case), apparently there is an adapter I can get which will take it to RJ11 (landline) phone. the thing is, gigaclear will charge the slightly small amount of £9/pm for 24/7 unlimited landline calls. if I can get a "desktop SIM" handset, with 2x SIMs I'll in theory have smartphone+"landline" calls for just the SIM contract - whereas if gigaclear supplied the calls, I'd pay them for the calls and also PAYG SIM for the smartphone

I'm not familiar with VOIP (I know what the abbrev means I just dont know what the physical handset technology involves?, or any contract differences I would need with gigaclear to use VOIP. the 2x SIM plan seems to be a simlpier idea at the moment? - unless you know more about VOIP than I do

I might actually be able to post pictures of the gigaclear equipment. its one wall fibre-network converter, and the wireless router

quartzz

In fact having made this post after some googling this morning, I've discovered a thing called a WiFi phone which I didn't know existed. if anyone knows of any dual SIM would still be interested, but and/or may also make another thread about WiFi phones....

Keep_pedalling

You will get an adapter that you can plug your existing phone into according to their website. Some providers routers have a standard phone socket you can plug into.

flaneurs_lobster

Just to be sure, you are aware that two SIMs cannot have the same phone number? 

quartzz

Keep_pedalling said:

You will get an adapter that you can plug your existing phone into according to their website. Some providers routers have a standard phone socket you can plug into.

ah, is this to using an RJ11 landline handset with the fibre router, or the WiFi phone? thanks

lobster - I did not know this. I've been doing lots of googles this morning but "can two sims have the same number" wasn't one of them. lol.....

Murmansk

Forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know but when you get a SIM with companies such as 1pMobile you can see that unlimited calls and texts effectively cost about £2 per month. Look at their prices and you can see that data is the main thing you pay for and of course the more you pay the more you get but if you subtract the data from the price you can see that unlimited calls and texts tend to cost only £2 or so per month

With 1p there is no contract and same with Asda I suspect, you just get the thing and arrange to top it up every now and then so you can forget it. With 1p they insist you spend £10 every 90 days I think so that might not be quite ideal for you but it works out at £3.33 per month which is a lot less than some of the prices you quoted. 

I think you don't need to worry about this thing of two SIMs on one contract, just get two SIMs from whoever and set them up to get topped up automatically as and when needed and you'll be good to go plus you can change to a different supplier whenever you want as you'll not have signed up to a contract. You can often pick up the required SIM cards in supermarkets or corner shops but this doesn't apply to 1pMobile who'll post you one or two very quickly.

As for VOIP I have a setup with Voipfone for about £5 per month where I have a local number and plug their box into a port on my router. The box is probably about £40 to buy. The Voipfone app receives calls to the landline number on my mobile too and the staff at Voipfone are very helpful with any questions or setup queries.

PHK

In short, no you can't have one account with two SIMs with the same number. (Such a thing used to exist but was very unreliable and so soon discontinued)

You'll need separate numbers for the fixed and mobile phone. 

J_B

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cheap-mobile-finder/sim-only/

Click on the 'show all deals' tab, adjust your data filter on the right and away to go .....