COMMENT The solution to the poor quality and irritation of wearing a Bluetooth 'headset' over one ear in the car is supposed to be having multiple SIMs.
Stick an additional suitably registered SIM in the integrated phone system in your Toyota Prius (or whatever), switch off the mobile and hey presto! - a fully hands-free set-up. Good quality, not breaking any laws. Marvellous.
Except that I spoke to my friends at Vodafone today to purchase such a solution and was told that doing so would disallow my Sony-Ericsson p910i from doing anything interesting all the time.
I would lose my ability to do email (vital), surf the net (not much of a loss) or send picture and video messages (pointless anyway). Why? Don't know.
Why can they do something complicated but useless like video messaging but can't do something simple like diverting a phone signal without turning off all the useful functions in my main phone? Hopeless.
Comments
There are 3 comments. Join the discussion
1. Paul Murphy
The "multiple sim" problem is so fundamental it is embarressing that there isn't a simple solution after all these years.
All network providors are able to transfer your phone number between them and maintain your phone identity amongst your contacts.
But as soon as you join a new company, and a mobile phone package is on the perks list, you suddenly have the option of carrying two phones, diverting one to the other, or telling everyone that you now have a new number.
Carrying two phones is plain stupid. Diverting one to the other means that calls are double charged (irrespective to who) and half of your calls are going to have the "wrong" caller id on them.
Telling everyone you have a new number simply doesn't work.
What we need is a solution where a single phone can be used (how about the one you bought because you prefer it), and you can have two numbers on the phone, from two different networks if need be. And have that happen from more than one device if need be.
And we need it about 5 years ago please.
2. anonymous
With the Prius, you only make a bluetooth conection to your phone (be it on your belt, in your jacket, or on the seat beside you) - it does not have a place to put a SIM. So you can use all the other functions on your phone (as long as you're not driving , of course!)
3. anonymous
Technically it is possible to have multiple (actually 3 is my guess) GSM numbers per single SIM. In past days standard business SIM would carry voice number, fax number and data number. Having an incoming voice call to the fax or the data number results in voice call.
This inherent functionality of the GSM 2G networks is used by some operators offering SIM cards with two separate "work" and "private" GSM numbers. The two numbers may be charged respectively, according to different tariffs. The changing depends on the existing billing system and its functionalities.
In short - you depend on the current mobile operator's offering.
But - do not even dream - about having a SIM with several numbers from different operators. There are such things as "number portability" and "MVNOs", and these are separate stories from the operators' point of view.