How to Get Two SIM Cards with the Same Number?

Having two numbers might seem like the perfect solution for those that use more than one phone, but only at a first glance. Multiple SIM cards mean double the phone bill, but using a single number for personal and business is rarely a good idea. 

But, what if you can have two SIM cards and keep your number on both?

Here’s how to get two SIM cards with the same number and some alternatives you might want to consider. 

Can You Have Two SIM Cards With The Same Number?

It is possible to use the same SIM card on two phones, but the options are quite limited nowadays. 

The only way to make that happen is to copy or clone your existing SIM card with the help of a SIM-card duplicator. However, not all SIM cards can be cloned. 

V-2 SIM cards (SIM cards that have been manufactured since 2001) have anti-tampering and anti-cloning features that prevent a copy from working. 

Thus, if you want to copy your SIM card and use it on two phones, it has to be a V-1 SIM card.

In addition, remember to always check if your phone is not carrier locked and there is no SIM restriction. 

How To Get Two SIM Cards With The Same Number?

If you have a V-1 SIM card, here’s how you can make a copy of it:

1. Check your SIM card and take note of your International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI) number. This is usually 15-digits long and starts with 234 for the UK.

2. Take your SIM card, put it in the SIM-card cloning device or duplicator and follow the instructions.

3. Once that’s finished, turn off your phones and put the duplicate SIM card and the original one into the SIM slots. Turn them on and check if they have a signal.

Alternatives to SIM Card Cloning

Although there are SIM cloning kits available online that allow you to have 2 sims and the same number, SIM cloning is illegal in the UK, and for a good reason. 

SIM cloning can not only lead to fraud but you can end up losing access to all of your online accounts, considering that most of us use our phones for two-step verification processes. 

The good news is you don’t necessarily need two SIM cards to use one number on multiple devices. Here’s what some mobile network companies offer instead:

• Vodafone’s One Number – Vodafone has a mobile plan for customers to connect their Alexa or a smartwatch to their phone bill. This way, you can make calls from your smartwatch with the same mobile number and get billed under one account.

• SWYTCH – This virtual mobile number service allows businesses to provide employees with phone numbers and other benefits that allow them to use their personal phones for work calls.

• Thumbtel – This mobile network company features a service called Another Number, that allows individuals to have a second phone number for work and keep the personal number private. It also allows you to port your existing UK mobile number and identify work calls.

• EE Smart Number – EE Smart number technology allows multiple mobile devices to share a single phone number. The only downside is that it’s only available to Apple users.

• eSIMs – To accommodate users that are looking to own 2 SIM cards with the same number, some carriers offer virtual SIM cards instead. According to Forbes, EE, O2, and Vodafone all support eSIM technology.

• Google Voice – Another alternative to getting two SIMs for one number, Google Voice allows you to choose your number and use it for texts, calls (international and domestic), and voicemails.

• Burner – The last alternative for those who want 2 sim cards and 1 number is getting a burner number. It works similarly to a virtual SIM card and allows you to use different numbers on the same phone for work and personal use.

Bottom Line

If you’re wondering how to get two SIM cards with the same number, the only way to do that is to copy your SIM card. However, most of the new SIM cards have anti-cloning features that would render them inoperable if cloned. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives available if you don’t want to use a different number.