topic Re: Two phones, one number? in SIM cards & Porting

Two phones, one number?

Beefuhfulchi — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 19:35:05 GMT

I've had a phone on contract for the past year and still have another year to go, but I also added an S24 ultra to my account, now I have two phones with active contracts. Is there any way to use the phone number from my original phone across both phones, so I don't have to keep checking both?

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:22:11 GMT

@Beefuhfulchi You can forward all calls to your new phone via the old phone. Look for call forwarding. This doesn’t include text messages though.

Alternatively, set up your new phone with the eSIM on the device and then put your old Sim card into your new phone. You then have a one phone with two numbers and everything will be on the new device.

Make sure the esim is working before you put your old sim in the new device.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Beefuhfulchi — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 21:31:21 GMT

Thanks for the info! I did consider the esim thing but I looked around on this forum and it looks like once you make an esim the original card becomes useless? I don't wanna test it out because I don't want to use an esim unless I have to.

Edit: I think I misread your reply, I'm still using both devices so I actually want my old number to still be active on both my old phone and my new. Any way to do that including texts?

Also, if I forward calls, will I only get them on the handset I'm forwarding them to, as opposed to both?

Cheers!

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 22:05:11 GMT

@Beefuhfulchi All calls will be only on the new handset with call forwarding and there is no way to get texts to go forward.

Re: Two phones, one number?

XRaySpeX — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 22:40:40 GMT

You can't have 2 SIMs with the same no.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Dougal62 — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 18:42:06 GMT

There are videos on YouTube quite clearly showing one number working on two separate phones side by side so those on here that say it can't work have no idea. The only thing is finding a provider that will allow this service. That's what I'm trying to do and if I have to physically call all the major providers then that's what I'll do. It's something I definitely want because call forwarding is not being allowed after an update to the system on one of my phones!

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:28:18 GMT

@Dougal62 It’s not possible as you would be migrating the number from one sim to the other sim it cannot be one number on 2 sims and no UK network provides 2 sims with one number. So obviously you are not looking at a YouTube clip that’s about a UK network. YouTube is world wide not uk based. So obviously your assumption is totally wrong.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Dougal62 — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:53:55 GMT

Thanks for the obvious Chris. Yes it was in America. I was merely pointing out that it can be done and I have a partial solution to my quest tonight. Apart from switching to Apple technology because apparently EE allow this if you have Apple phones through Smart Number, in the UK - I have went down the WhatsApp route and can ask my interested parties to contact me via this. It's all I need. Two phones with the same ability to call and send messages and not having to use the same number. Obviously other social media platforms should follow suit, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Why didn't I think of this before, 🤔 Anyway, thanks for your input Chris. Now to change the operating system on both phones to get away from Google's stranglehold 🤗

Re: Two phones, one number?

bristolian — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 22:41:03 GMT

@Dougal62 wrote:

There are videos on YouTube quite clearly showing one number working on two separate phones side by side so those on here that say it can't work have no idea.

Two phones cannot have the same number, anyone who claims otherwise is mistaken.

Orange used to offer a "Single Number" facility whereby two phones operated under one number, but did both have separate numbers. Various technical solutions were employed to hide the second number, but it was always there. Vodafone Spain also had a similar setup.

Those technical solutions - different for each operator - did provide limitations in the service. WhatsApp is an app and does not route calls in the same way as mobile networks - you cannot make or receive calls to & from landlines, only other app users.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Dougal62 — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 00:32:49 GMT

Totally understand where you are coming from. So is this a fake video (regardless that it's presumably in the USA): ---https://www.alltop9.com/use-same-mobile-number-on-two-phones/---

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:26:48 GMT

@Dougal62 What’s possible on other networks around the world doesn’t mean it’s possible on all networks. No uk network supports this.

Re: Two phones, one number?

bristolian — Fri, 15 Mar 2024 08:40:40 GMT

The technical specifications are global in nature, not country-specific.

Re: Two phones, one number?

dblack14 — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:31:42 GMT

There was a feature on Ericsson core networks called "Group Number" that allowed multiple SIM cards to have the same MSISDN. Vodafone did have this implemented but I believe pulled the capability some time ago. Its purpose for for businesses for example where several employees could answer a customer call.

I'd really like to see this implemented in the networks again as I would really like to have both a smart phone and feature phone active on the same number. Partly to preserve battery but also so I can easily switch between them to get some detox from the addictive nature of a smartphone without the need to swap SIM cards in and out each and every time.

Re: Two phones, one number?

bristolian — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:35:28 GMT

@dblack14 wrote:

There was a feature on Ericsson core networks called "Group Number" that allowed multiple SIM cards to have the same MSISDN. Vodafone did have this implemented

I vaguely recall that function, VF-Spain implemented it. Each SIM had its own individual MSISDN, but they were mapped to a common number at the cost of mobile data not being available on any of the pooled SIMs.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Dougal62 — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:42:24 GMT

If love to see this again too. I'd like a second phone in the car or
wherever I didn't need my much more expensive phone instead of having to
swap the SIM across.
All sorts of protection could be built in to help prevent fraud with the
second phone.

Re: Two phones, one number?

GruffRumble — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 09:33:32 GMT

I don't see why this wouldn't be possible, after all, EE already offer separate esims for watches and those share the number linked to your phone.

I wonder if you could link a watch esim to a phone instead, after all, it's just a normal esim.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 10:03:31 GMT

@GruffRumble It’s linked at account level so the watch gets the call/text or makes a call/text the watch and phone have their own numbers still.

Re: Two phones, one number?

ukms — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 09:53:48 GMT

(Just digging up an old thread as its often a topic on other tech forums)

It's a great shame UK networks don't support this.

I am also an Etisalat customer in the UAE and they offer a multi sim subscription (up to 5 sims) which works really well. All phones operate on the same number but you set via SMS which phone you want to make/receive calls at any given time and they all share data. Works very well.

Re: Two phones, one number?

Markhorneyuk — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 03:56:07 GMT

They do mobile numbers that can be used on two phones. However, this can only be achieve via VoIP setup with specific online companies that aren't really mobile provider.

VoIP = voice over internet protocols, you download an app onto two phones, login and can use that number and SMS.

The only other thing I can think of is possibly cloning SIM. 🤷‍♂️

Re: Two phones, one number?

Chris_B — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 06:55:48 GMT

@Markhorneyuk Do you think you own that SIM card ? Do you think that the number is yours ? Pretty certain that if a network find out you had cloned a sim you’ll be required to pay of any outstanding fees and have you account shut down.