2 SIM cards, one number

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BradJ

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Does anyone know if it would be possible to have 2 sim cards, linked to the same cell number / contract?

I would like to sign up for a Vodacom data bundle.
What I want is to be able to use the bundled MBs when connecting from my home PC (using GPRS via my old cell phone), but also be able to use the MBs from the same bundle when I connect from my notebook via my 3G phone when away from home.
 
I have twincall, which gives you two sims, and two cellnumbers. but the cellnumebers are connected:

Main phone on - Will accept calls on main number and twin number, and the same goes for the twin sim.
From your posting it should work ... the network accepts the last device switched on
 
based on what BradJ is asking, is it possible to run them at the same time? so, if I had 2 laptops, with 2 datacards, and 2 sims (same account), could I be surfing on both laptops at the same time from the same account?

this would be very handy for me, if it was possible.
 
cyberbob, not with twincall. Twincall setup will always take the last SIM activated, deactivating the 'oldest' one
 
LandyMan said:
cyberbob, not with twincall. Twincall setup will always take the last SIM activated, deactivating the 'oldest' one
Click to expand...

ok, but I wonder if there is a "product" or way to do what I described?

@v3g, do you know if it is maybe possible?
 
cyberbob said:
based on what BradJ is asking, is it possible to run them at the same time? so, if I had 2 laptops, with 2 datacards, and 2 sims (same account), could I be surfing on both laptops at the same time from the same account?

this would be very handy for me, if it was possible.
Click to expand...
Just you, or you and someone else. If it's in the same location, you can use a router as gateway.
 
I just called Vodacom to enquire about whether Twincall would work in this setup.
Unfortunately the bundled MBs will not apply in this scenario. You would still need a seperate bundle for each SIM card.

The support guy did mention that Vodacom are looking at introducing a carry-over of your data bundle, so you wouldn't lose your unused balance at the end of each month.
 
BradJ said:
I just called Vodacom to enquire about whether Twincall would work in this setup.
Unfortunately the bundled MBs will not apply in this scenario. You would still need a seperate bundle for each SIM card.

The support guy did mention that Vodacom are looking at introducing a carry-over of your data bundle, so you wouldn't lose your unused balance at the end of each month.
Click to expand...

I don't quite agree with either these statements.

Let me check up on the twincall thingy. LandyMan is right in that twincall will only have one sim active for VOICE, there's a chance we can make both work for data. But let me get back to you.
 
It is possible to use both for data however then you defeating the whole purpose then. Your primary is supposed to be voice and data, and your secondary or "twin" would have been a car phone.. but it is possible to use your twin card in a data card, but if someone calls you , the network will recognise the data card as the active one.... so you may not recieve a call even though you can see a signal on your phone
 
I've worked with twincell and i've been connected on one sim and received/made a call on another. As long as both devices are using the same cellID it seemed to work. Maybe it was a fluke.
 
vodacom3g said:
I don't quite agree with either these statements.

Let me check up on the twincall thingy. LandyMan is right in that twincall will only have one sim active for VOICE, there's a chance we can make both work for data. But let me get back to you.
Click to expand...

thanx, basically what I want, is, I normally use my 3G as a fixed connection at home, and I wanna get the router for this setup. But on occasion, I go away (on holiday or business) and I want to be able to take the 3G with me, while still be active at home to (for the wife :p )

I already have to Datacards, now I just need the service to work in this way (holding thumbs), it shouldn't cause too much trouble for, as I hardly ever use my alotted 1GB anyway.
 
Surely you would just remove the data card from the Router (leave the router at home) and then use the same data card in your notebook when you are travelling?
 
jpd said:
Surely you would just remove the data card from the Router (leave the router at home) and then use the same data card in your notebook when you are travelling?
Click to expand...

yeah, I could do that, but then (when on business), the wife will moan cause she doesn't have access at home ... can't have that now :eek:
 
Based on advice I received earlier (V3G) I have the following setup:

1. 3G contract
2. Linksys 3G Router with Novatel datacard and sim #1
3. Twincall (cost R105 for sim and R105 activation)
4. Nokia 6680 with sim #2

It was confirmed to me that as long as you only use it for data that both can be connected at the same time.

Silly me, I've had the 2nd sim for two weeks and haven't gotten around to test the theory. But hey, I do have V3G and his colleagues emails in Nov/Dec to back it up ;)

My plan was simply to share the data. So I would need to take out my normal voice sim out of my Nokia 6680 and insert sim #2 to use it for data and swap again when done. Not ideal but that's the only way I could share it based on the advice end last year. There's no such a thing as transfering data allocation between numbers, which would have been the ideal solution.

Email received 2 December 2005:

Although the twincall service is designed in such a way that only one
SIM should be used at a time, we have found that for packet switched
data (GPRS/3G) both SIM-cards can be used simultaneously.

If however a circuit switched connection (voice call or dial-up via data
number) is initiated on example the slave SIM whilst the Master is also
switched on the Master will be "kicked" off the Network so to say and
will then need a location update (switch off and on) to function again.

We have been using a test SIM with twincall to test packet switched data
since the launch of GPRS with no problems.

So you can use both SIM-cards simultaneously as long as it is for packet
switched data only. Please do remember this is not an official product
offering from Vodacom. As a result we cannot guarantee that it will
always work in this manner. Please also note that if you call customer
care they will explain the twincall offering as a "one SIM on" only
service.

I hope this clarifies the matter.

PS: Your product enhancement has been sent to product development to
ascertain whether data bundle "sharing" or "transfer" is possible.
 
biometrics said:
There's no such a thing as transfering data allocation between numbers, which would have been the ideal solution.
Click to expand...

what do you mean by this comment? "no such a thing as transfering data allocation between numbers" ?

but this looks pretty much like what I wanted to do :D
 
That's what i wanted to do too. I wanted to transfer from my 3G bundle to my voice sim. But since it can't be done I had to go for the twincall option. A hack but at least it's an option.
 
so, your data bundle though is shared between the 2 sims?

a pity about the voice call bit, but not the end of the world :)
 
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