Dual SIM phones - how do they work (dumb question)

[MakeColdplayHistory]

I have a phone which is a bit old and knackered on SIM-only EE. I have a perfectly good work phone on Vodaphone but sometimes I'd rather not carry two phones with me. Both are Android. The phone I'm looking to replace mine with is 'dual SIM'. This isn't something I was looking for but if it comes with the phone I may as well use it.

So... if I put my SIM in one slot and my work one in the other, what happens when I switch the phone on? Do I get my own contacts, email, texts? Work ones? Or both?

If the phone is in 'me' mode and a work call comes in, will it ring? Can I disable one or other of the SIMs for periods i.e. switch work off while on hols (or just take the SIM out)?

Answers to these questions and anything else I don't know I don't know about dual SIM phones appreciated.

[danmiddle2]

I have a phone which is a bit old and knackered on SIM-only EE. I have a perfectly good work phone on Vodaphone but sometimes I'd rather not carry two phones with me. Both are Android. The phone I'm looking to replace mine with is 'dual SIM'. This isn't something I was looking for but if it comes with the phone I may as well use it.

So... if I put my SIM in one slot and my work one in the other, what happens when I switch the phone on? Do I get my own contacts, email, texts? Work ones? Or both?

If the phone is in 'me' mode and a work call comes in, will it ring? Can I disable one or other of the SIMs for periods i.e. switch work off while on hols (or just take the SIM out)?

Answers to these questions and anything else I don't know I don't know about dual SIM phones appreciated.

Depends on the model, but typically you get a unified contacts view and then select which sim to call from when you select call/text. You want one where both sims are 'on' at the same time (some you have to "switch").

Most of the rest of your questions really depend on which model you select. My experience is that you tend to get a fairly poorly spec'ed phone if you trade off with the dual sim model.

All the best,

Dan

[tekbow]

Does depend on the model and manufacturer yes, I have an HTC One M8 Dual Sim which has pretty much the same spec as the standard model.

Basically, as said, you have your contacts as normal, then when making a call or sending SMS you get an extra step where you select the number you want to send from.

If you only have 1 SIM in it, the extra stage disappears

There's a SIM management option in settings where you can choose a default for data usage, voice calls etc if you like

[simonsev]

As above by Tekbow.

I have always had the Samsung versions and now the S5 Dual Sim, very handy for the constant travelling I do, same spec as the base S5 and very easy to change the primary SIM as you arrive at the airport, simple widget and choose the primary SIM onscreen.

You can choose to display all contacts (including google, Skype, viber etc) or a combination of any, phone, sim 1 or 2 and 3rd party. One SIM must act as data and either can be primary which really just means it is default for call out but in practice whenever dialing or choosing a number to call there is, at the call stage, option to choose either SIM to call/text from.

No downside and all good as far as I am concerned!

[MakeColdplayHistory]

Thanks all.
The phone I'm looking at is the Asus Zenfone 2.