Dual sim smartphones: Handy during your holiday in Thailand!
Those who go on holiday to Thailand and want to call cheaply but also want to be accessible to the home front can consider a dual SIM smartphone. This technology is already very popular in Asian countries, but dual SIM has yet to really break through in the Netherlands.
A phone in which you can put two SIM cards is very handy on holiday. Telecom smarties buy a SIM card in Thailand so that they can use the internet cheaply. With your Thai SIM card you can navigate cheaply or call a hotel. You then call for the local rate with the second SIM card, while you can still be reached on your own number for all your contacts in the Netherlands.
In 2020 there will be more than 700 million dual SIM devices worldwide. Especially in Asia, dual sim technology has made a huge boom in recent years. In emerging economies such as China and India, (particularly cheaper) dual SIM smartphones are extremely popular. That's because you can often call much cheaper there with someone who has the same provider as you. So people often have SIM cards from two different providers.
With dual SIM you enjoy the convenience of two SIM cards, while you only need one phone. Thanks to the standby variant, you don't even have to compromise on the battery life. Using two telephone numbers is very practical if you want to keep work and private life separate, or if you are on holiday in Thailand.
Cheap dual sim phones
Do you want to buy a cheap dual sim phone? Then take a look at the daily offers of iBbood: www.iood.com/alcatel-pixi-3-smartphone.html You can already buy an Alcatel Pixi 3 Smartphone there for € 39,95 and if you read the specs, it is not a crazy device. I've already ordered one myself.
I've been doing that for years too.
Usually buy my mobile in TH, partly because d edual sim is very common there.
Now have the Samsung J7 Pro, (Thb 8900 with Mother's Day) and has the nice extra that you can open 2 screens.
In the Netherlands, many telephones are sold with a subscription (read: on installment) and the provider naturally does not want you to call/use the internet via another cheaper provider.
I also suspect that manufacturers/importers are also paying close attention to purchasing power in various countries.
If a European wants to use two SIM cards if necessary, he will only buy two telephones.
Do you want a tablet? Then you buy it next to your phone.
In the Netherlands you can hardly get a tablet where you can put a SIM card to make calls. It's dead normal here.
I have been using the Voipdiscount app for my landline number for years. At the time you got your own NL telephone number there. So I can always be reached on my NL number with a single SIM.
Nowadays you also have a telephone number that is registered in a digital exchange and that you can access via an app wherever you are. So if you are in Thailand, you register at the exchange via that app and when your number is called, your phone will ring. That is of course a different story for 06 numbers and the dual sim is useful for that. But that too has actually been overtaken by whatsapp and messenger and skype. It is therefore no longer necessary and you can be reached everywhere with any SIM that has internet, just not on your own 06 number. We have to wait until technology makes something similar possible for 06 (mobile) numbers as it is already possible for landline numbers.
The dual sim phones have been on the market for years.
Once originated in China where even phones with 5 SIM cards were made.
This was mainly intended because there was no national coverage and people therefore had to switch between providers all the time.
In the Netherlands it was very suitable for business callers. A SIM for business and private use.
At the moment there are even sets for the iPhone 5 and 6 to make it a dual SIM. Cost about 4 euros.
The price of dual sim phones are from 1900 Bath.
We even sell the grand U5 With dual sim for 2800 baht. This model is similar in appearance to the Samsung s7 edge.
It is true that in Thailand more and more is switching to the cheaper models.
iPhones are clearly in the minority.
Huawei, Oppo, Ais (zte) true, wiko etc are sold well given the low price level.
Please note. The dual sim phones also often have the option to place 1 sim and a micro SD. Or 2 SIM cards.
But you still see the Thai walking with 2 or more phones.
Living trade is now the Nokia 3310. Then the copy. This at the low price of 450 baht.
Including the battery, charger and small talk.
Henk says: we even sell the Grand U5. Question, who are we? And where is the store of 'we'?
If you send an email to;
[email protected] then I will send you the info.
Dual-sim are not sold much in the Netherlands and Fransamsterdam has already given the reason; Providers often sell calling minutes/data as 1 package.
I must strongly advise against the buy advice; In Thailand, 2G (the original “GSM”) will be phased out next year and then it will be only 3G (UMTS) and 4G (LTE). However, 99,9% of the dual SIM phones sold in the Netherlands are phones that use 3G or 4G on one card and ALWAYS use 2G on the other. That will soon not be of much use to you in Thailand.
Eventually the market will come up with phones that can run both sims on 3G (and 4G) at the same time, but for now the flush is very thin (Huawei P10 seems to be able to do it).
It has nothing to do with what the providers offer.
Many phones in the Netherlands also have dual SIM.
Only the more expensive models were very attractive in combination with subscriptions. However, the fact that this has now become a loan as a basis and is registered with the BKR, the profit on telephones in combination with a subscription has decreased in terms of turnover for the provider.
2g does not disappear. It has to do with the band width.
You almost always make calls on 2g. Internet uses 3g and 4g.
4g phone cards also work on the slower network.
BKR is not known in Thailand and is therefore not relevant and interesting.
As for 2G shutdown; I'd say find out for yourself next year! 2G and 3G are 2 separate protocols and with dual-sim phones the 2nd sim uses the 2G protocol. Next year nothing will be broadcast in Thailand and therefore nothing will be received!
2g will disappear towards 2025
This is the protocol for calling. It is also not about BKR in Thailand, but why certain phones, etc. are not sold in the Netherlands.
Just look at the history of 2g. 3g will soon disappear.
The 3g network is no longer updated in countries .
Phones are often set up so that 1 SIM can be used for internet and the other for calling/SMS
The new generation can call and use the internet on both.
And uses the 2g.
In other words, it depends on the provider which one
bandwidth it uses.
Calling over 4g is the future, but for many activities such as the matrix signs, mobile ATMs, etc.
Can't you just forward your nl number to your Thai number?
That is indeed possible, but that can become an expensive joke – the 'route' Netherlands – Thailand will then end up on your Dutch telephone bill.
Alcatel has idd cheap dual sim smartphones. But it also ends there. Alcatel's service is lousy (actually there is no service at all) the security of the devices is months behind, system software updates don't come, the device is slow, the factory apps are hopeless ... well, what do you expect for such a price. So little…
Huawei P9 plus has a dual SIM in Thailand, while in the Netherlands it only has one SIM and the other slot is only suitable for micro DD. I bought it in Thailand six months ago for €350 cheaper than the price in the Netherlands.
Even cheaper, it costs nothing, call via Whatsapp. Tried it recently, works perfectly also in America and Canada. Install phone number in advance, enter contacts WiFi is important but that's all.
Another alternative is Messenger, for Facebook users. Connection is generally quite good, but you must have an internet connection, just like with Whatsapp.
In the time that we have Skype, WhatsApp, Line, Viber, Messenger and much more, I wonder why you would still fiddle with dual SIM. In Thailand insert a Thai SIM card and call Europe and the rest of the world with one of the options listed. Almost everyone has a smartphone these days. Nowadays you have the option to install a second SIM card or a micro SD card for extra storage.
In addition, the costs for both the home front and the recipient are very high if you call via 06 or fixed
The new Nokia 3310 has room for two SIM cards, dual.
Device costs about € 60,00
Bought a Huawei in Hong Kong at the beginning of the year. Definitely not expensive, and when I got home there were even 3! insert sim cards. Damn handy if you come to various countries like me (where you buy a local SIM card) to trade. You don't have to do anything other than switch and you save a lot of money.
Dear Corret,
Where do you get the wisdom that it has yet to come in the Netherlands, I have already bought a dual sim samsung galaxy grand neo here in the Netherlands for 3 years.
It may not be popular but it is available.
in addition, simply prepaid
Motorola also has that. Excellent brand with large screen and very easy to use.
Yet little known.
(bought at Belsimpel R'dam)
You are giving away your age with this post 🙂
In the early days of mobile phones, Motorola was one of the biggest brands, if not the biggest.
I bought myself a device Dual Sim via Banggood.com. Had a Doogee F3 Pro and now bought a Doogee Mix for €157. Great phone from China
Will soon be in Thailand Phuket and Pattaya, anyone have a tip for a good real phone that is considerably cheaper in terms of price in Thailand than in Europe? Know the Tukcom in Pattaya, but I think everything is fake there and you also have to be careful in the larger shopping malls.
No. If a phone is a lot cheaper in Thailand than in Europe, then it's not a 'real' one.
Have had a dual sim for years.
The last one is a Huawei bought from the MediaMarkt. Because regular phone shops don't sell them.
They claim something with radiation.
But I don't use the skill you describe.
In NL the Thai card is switched off, and in TH the T-mobile card is switched off.
The handy thing is that I no longer lose my SIM cards.