Two SIM cards in one device – this is one of the advancements in mobile technology that has provided significant advantages for many users around the world for many years now. While it has existed for almost two decades already, its popularity continues to rise thanks to it becoming a standard feature in most Android smartphones.
Benefits of Dual SIM Technology
Introduced in 2000, dual sim phones has been an effective tool at addressing the need for many people, especially of professionals and business owners, to use two different phone numbers in one device. Through this feature, a business person or employee can just use their personal, dual-SIM enabled smartphone, to communicate both personal messages on the 1stline and business matters via the 2nd line.
Another advantage that dual SIM technology provides is that it helps users to keep their carrier service cost down. Business travellers will be able to use their dual SIM phones to be able to use the local SIM card of the country they will be visiting to avoid roaming charges. Also, dual SIM phones enable users to utilize the best text, call, and data plans of two carriers since some operators have a cheap voice call and textplans but expensive data plans, and vice versa.
Dual SIM Smartphone Adoption – An International Comparison
With these advantages, it is no wonder why more and more mobile users around the world are using dual-SIM enabled smartphones.
The following statistics from IDC Mobile Phone Tracker, 2Q 2018 report show the percentage of dual sim smartphones in selected countries:
- India – 98%
- Philippines – 92%
- China – 90%
- Indonesia – 77%
- UK – 29%
- USA – 4%
As can be seen, the feature is almost a standard for all smartphone users in India, and is also widely popular in other emerging markets, including the Philippines, China, and Indonesia. Unsurprisingly, 83.67% of mobile users in Asia are Android users, which explains why dual sim phones are already the norm in this region.
In contrast, dual SIM services are virtually unheard of in iPhone-dominated regions such as the U.S., where only 4% of all smartphones come with said feature. While the number is significantly higher in the U.K., most users in the country seemingly unaware of the service or simply don’t want to use the dual SIM service of their smartphones.
While all iPhones may have a dual SIM capability in the future, as seen in their iPhone XS and XS Max which was released in September 2018, their version of said feature is expected to be different from Android since they have implemented the eSIM technology as the standard 2nd phone-line of the iPhone XS and XS Max.
The Rise of eSIM
As mentioned, Apple is on its way to making dual SIM a feature on their smartphones after they rolled out eSIM on their most recent devices.eSIM (electronic SIM) is the latest technology in cellular connectivity wherein the networks are provisionedfor devices over the internet. It doesn’t use a physical SIM, thus eliminating the hassle and cost that users have to endure and incur just to get their devices connected.
According to the eSIM Cookbook of Truphone, eSIM is widely considered as secure as traditional SIM technology because it utilized secure data centres to host connectivity profiles from mobile network operators. Also, GSMA has also started to certify companies that will provide eSIM services following the existing security requirements being implemented with the production of physical SIM cards.
With eSIM on its way of becoming a standard feature in iPhones, and with Apple being a leader in smartphone innovation, we can expect that said feature will also deviate in Android devices soon. For businesses, however, they can start utilizing this technology today as there are now enterprise mobile messaging solutions, such as TeleMessage, that provides2nd phone line for their employees’ smartphones.
A subset of our Mobile Archiver products, our 2nd phone line can provide companies with the following benefits:
- Have a business second-line that separates your personal and business conversations.
- Make international calls at the cost of local calls.
- Protect your personal number and identify people that call you on your 2nd phone line.
- Capture and record mobile SMS, voice calls, and archive them in your email or any other archiving vendor of your choice.
- Enhance efficiency and boost productivity with quick, multiple-recipient, and confirmed messaging.
- Unlimited calls & text in plans in the USA, Canada, UK and other countries. Don’t worry when you text or call.
- Company administration if you need to manage multiple numbers and subscribers in your organization
To learn more about our 2nd Phone Line Service and Mobile Archiver products, visit our website at www.telemessage.com
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