To think being able to have more than one number on the same phone is a good idea?

[Graphista]

Prompted by another thread but also own experiences.

Would be interested in hearing from the tech experts if this would be possible, but with modern tech I think it must be It may even be already and I haven't realised.

Most of us use mobiles now.

I'm with the telephone preference service but I still get far too many nuisance calls. Even though I only give my number out to those I really have to.

But basically I'm wondering if it would be a good idea for us to have a "private" number that we only give to family and friends and a "public" number we give to companies we are customers of etc

When a call comes through it shows what number the caller used which can help us decide whether to take the call or not.

I'll admit I've probably not thought it through thoroughly but it is a thought I've been having for a few weeks now.

I have sick, elderly relatives and health issues of my own which mean I can't simply not answer "number witheld" calls as it may be in relation to this.

To be honest this has partly come about because I think I've had my current number too long so too many dubious people now have it, as a result of companies selling/sharing my data (which I don't think should be allowed to be honest) plus random calling programmes where I've stupidly ended up confirming its a "real" number by answering.

I should probably just get a new number but I think it would cost me and quite honestly it would be a pain in the arse updating everyone who needs to have my number, I'm sure I'd forget some crucial agency or company!

What's the answer?

Aibu to think a dual number system might be a good idea?

Already exist, dual simcard mobile phones

I've got a dual SIM phone that does just that. They exist and are not uncommon

What Chista said.

This already exists :)

We all use them for work

They've long been a thing. Useful when abroad for having a local sim card (when calling abroad was fantastically expensive).

You can do it on one of the new iPhones. Yay! I wanted this for years (and kept telling anyone who would listen at my phone industry job, maybe it finally got through 😂)

Yep, duel sim. My kids cheap motorola has it, lots of phones do now. You could get a cheap giffgaff sim

EE offer a dual number sim but i don't know the cost. It's something i've thought about as i only use my mobile these days, never our landline.

Well dual SIMs are one way. That's a must have if anyone is trying to sell me a new phone.

The other way is just to subscribe to a VOIP service (many are available) and run a VOIP app on your phone which allows multiple connections. Again, many are available.

"Already exist, dual simcard mobile phones"

Interesting but I'm guessing only certain makes/models so far? I was thinking more an app. I like my phone and wouldn't necessarily be looking to buy a new one.

I'm afraid I'm an iPhone fan (I know not popular on mn) I've currently got an almost 3 year old SE which I love and is in perfect working order except the OS needs updating - which I've never done and quite honestly am dreading.

I rely on my phone due to being housebound and the thought of it being out of use even for a few hours makes me panicky

Dual SIM phones are fab, especially if you cba carrying two handsets

My Xiaomi A2 lite was about £140 so cheaper than a lot of single sims.

Also the OP might want to look into mobile call filtering apps (e.g. Trucall) and/or using the Do Not Disturb settings on their phone to create quiet times when only favourite numbers will ring; and/or assigning different ringtones to numbers to give you a heads up before you answer ?????

DGRosetti - the difficulty with do not disturb and similar is that this blocks calls from "number witheld" or unfamiliar numbers and sometimes I do need to answer those numbers/get those calls they're usually Nhs and relate to mine or a relatives health.

Think I'll get a dual sim phone next time I do upgrade but that could be years away.

I'm afraid I'm an iPhone fan

Then you're pretty much at the whim of Apple. They were messing around with a "soft SIM" eSIM a while back. I think they were slapped down PDQ by all the networks in the world as it hasn't yet made it to market.

I think your best bet would be looking at a VOIP solution ?

I have my former landline number on my phone, it only requires an app, so I can have it on any phone. (App is called "Zoiper.")

I migrated my landline number to a free VOIP provider when I terminated my landline. Actually they gave me another landline number, so I have two on the phone.

I've never put any credit in the VOIP account, I've only ever used it for incoming calls.

I'd guess there's no limit to how many numbers you can have.

It's also possible to have multiple phones registered, so when someone rings my former landline number, all the phones ring until someone answers one of them.

Just to be clear, you don't need to migrate a landline number, you can just sign up with a VOIP provider, and they will give you a number that you can use.

Just to be clear, you don't need to migrate a landline number, you can just sign up with a VOIP provider, and they will give you a number that you can use.

I have FreeSpeech (www.freespeech.co.uk/home/index.html) and a legacy one with Sipgate. I won't recommend Sipgate since they pissed me off a while back.

I use the numbers as idiot-traps. I never answer and only pick up voicemails. So marketing, spam, and idiot calls are magically filtered.

Added bonus is voicemail can be sent in an email.

You can already do that on Twilio.

I have one phone, an iphone. I then have 3 other numbers linked to it. So if anyone calls my other numbers, it gets diverted to the one phone.

Feeling out of my depth now

Do these apps give "normal" phone numbers I could give to older family members that they would understand?

If they're internet based do they work when you're not on wifi? (Yes I'm housebound now but hoping that's not permanent!)

So if anyone calls my other numbers, it gets diverted to the one phone.

But do you know which number they've called?

Yes you can choose any number

Ie I need an American number for work and it calls just like a local american number, except I am in Europe. And it diverts to my English phone.

I also have it so if I don't answer within say 6 rings, it then diverts to Dhs number rather than straight to voicemail.

Thats how people who live in say Devon, can make their work office number look like it's coming from London, by using a London landline number to divert.

We have it on our landline, the phone rings differently if the 'other' number is dialled, it just does repeated long rings (like in America) rather than ringing in couples. However most people use mobiles and all we ever get on the landline these days is people selling something or doing surveys. Oh and my cousin :-).

You can get a second number with the freedom pop app, all phone calls and texts are through the app, similar to WhatsApp.