Using More Than One SIM Card

I know that some people have their reasons for using more than one Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) card and being available at a low of PhP30.00 each (less US$0.75 at current exchange rate) with no registration and approval required, it is very easy to decide to go buy and use them. Why a cellphone user needs more than one SIM card is not the subject of my blog post but rather how the situation complicates the user’s communications with other mobile phone users.

If you are one of those who use more than one SIM card, do you give all of your cellphone numbers to the persons you need to communicate with? Do you list the person’s cellphone number in all the SIM cards you are using? If not, then chances are, you would miss some important communications with them because they may not be able to identify you and vice-versa especially if you are using only one single SIM phone. This is just one instance where text messaging and voice calling could be tedious and confusing for you and the other party just because you are using more than one cellphone number.

There is a bill filed in Congress that would require our mobile phone providers to support single cellphone number for their subscribers. When passed into a law, a cellphone subscriber of one mobile service provider can use his current number on another provider should he decide to shift subscription. This proposed law is contrary to the propensity of some of us to use more than one SIM card; however, I believe it will not deter one’s use of multiple cellphone numbers.

I am a prepaid SIM card user of a mobile phone service provider in our country since the early 2000 (if I remember it right it was 2002 when I first got to use a digital cellphone right after the analog system I subscribed to shut down). Since then, I have used only one cellphone number because I believe that it’s how it should be, one person – one SIM card. I know many will disagree but I respect their right to do so.