Can I put two SIM cards in one mobile phone?

Hi, I've got a work mobile phone and a home mobile phone. This means that I have to carry around two handsets with me at all times and it's starting to get on my nerves. Is there any way for me to put two SIM cards into one phone?

Bill Halliton

Hi Bill,
This is a common problem, especially since more and more businesses are starting to issue mobile phones to their employees. Fortunately, there are a few solutions that enable you to put two SIM cards into one phone. However, these solutions will only work on phones that aren't locked to a network, so make sure the phone you want to use isn't locked and will accept your work and home phone SIM cards separately.

The first solution is a dual SIM card holder. It works by providing you with a plastic device (pictured below) that has two slots where you place your two SIM cards and this is attached to a dummy or ghost SIM. The ghost SIM card then plugs into your phone's SIM card slot and acts as an adaptor. In order to change between the SIM cards you have to turn the phone off and then on again.

Unfortunately this will only work with certain phones, because of the adaptor's size, and therefore isn't a suitable solution for everyone. It's best to check with the seller to find out which phones the adaptor supports. To find a supplier, do a Web search for 'dual SIM card holder'.

The second solution is a dual SIM card adaptor that works on a similar principle but is the same size as a single SIM card. This will work on any mobile phone and will also allow you to switch from one SIM to another without turning the phone off.

You have to cut out the metal chips found on both your SIM cards and then place them on the dual SIM adaptor (pictured above). The problem with this method is that it involves cutting your SIM card, which might permanently damage it. There are dedicated SIM cutting tools (pictured below) that are better than using a pair of scissors, but either way it's a risky procedure.

The final option doesn't involve using an adaptor or scissors. Instead, you can get your network to divert one phone to another. This will redirect any incoming calls from your home phone to your work phone, for example. This option is expensive but it means you will receive all your calls. With the dual SIM adaptors, you need to switch backwards and forwards between the two SIMs and can only receive calls on the one that's currently in operation.