What is Dual SIM and how do I use it?

Dual SIM provides the convenience of having two phone numbers on a single smartphone. You can have separate personal and business numbers, or add a second line when travelling internationally.

How does it work?

With Dual SIM, you can have two phone numbers to make and receive voice calls, and to send and receive text and multimedia messages (SMS and MMS).

Dual SIM service is offered through a combination of a physical SIM and an eSIM. An eSIM is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan without having to use a physical SIM card.

The two phone numbers can be on the same account, on different accounts, or from different carriers (for example, one line from Bell Mobility and another line from an international carrier).

If you activated a line on iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro or 11 Pro Max, Bell has reserved an eSIM for your phone.

To start using Dual SIM service, you must download this eSIM to your iPhone:

1. Check that your iPhone is updated to iOS 13.0 or higher.

   Note: you can download eSIM while operating on Apple's iOS software 12.1, however, to use both lines simultaneously, your iPhone must be updated to iOS 13.0 or higher.

2. Open the Camera application and scan your QR code:
3. Select the Cellular Plan Detected notification when it appears.
4. Select Continue, at the bottom of the screen.
5. Select Add Cellular Plan.

Alternatively, you can enter the details manually if needed:

1. Select Enter Details Manually.
2. In the SM-DP+ Address field, paste or type:
   CUST-011-V4-PROD-ATL2.GDSB.NET
3. Leave the Activation Code field blank.

For more information, watch this YouTube video from Apple: How to set up and use Dual SIM.

iPhone Dual SIM – FAQs

What rate plans are available for the two lines?

• The first line can be on any Bell Mobility rate plan and the second line can be activated on a Bring Your Own Device rate plan. You can choose to have a voice and text plan or a voice and data plan on either line.

I have two phone numbers with Bell Mobility, on two separate devices. Can I move one of my phone numbers to an eSIM so that I have both phone numbers on one smartphone?

• At this moment, this is not possible. 

Can both lines be connected to the network at the same time?

• Yes, both lines can be connected to the network at all times for voice calling, as well as call waiting alerts if a second call comes in. However, data usage charges may apply for simultaneous incoming or outgoing voice calls when using this Apple service. 

How do I set up my Dual SIM device so I can use both lines simultaneously?

1. Go to Settings on your iPhone.
2. Under General, ensure your software has been updated to iOS 13.0 or higher.
3. Activate the Wi-Fi calling option in Settings> Phone> Wi-Fi Calling, on each of the two lines. For more information on how to set up this function on your device, see Wi-Fi Calling.
4. Select Cellular Data, and then choose a default line (either line 1 or line 2).
5. Set Allow Cellular Data Switching to ON, which allows your iPhone to use either line depending on coverage and availability.

How can I transfer my existing Bell eSIM to a new Dual SIM iPhone?

• Transfer your existing Bell eSIM by visiting a Bell store. Be ready to provide your current eSIM phone number and the EID of the new Dual SIM device you are transferring to. (This can be found on the box or in the settings of the new Dual SIM iPhone by going to Settings > General > About > EID General.)

How do I tell which phone number I’m using?

• The default labels for the phone lines are Primary and Secondary. To create your own labels, go to Settings > Cellular or Mobile Data on your iPhone. For example, you can name your lines Work and Personal, or something else.
• Use these labels when you choose which phone number to use for making or receiving calls and text messages, to designate a number for cellular data, and to assign a number to your contacts so you know which number you will use when calling or texting them.

If I have a data plan on both lines, which data plan will I use and therefore be billed for?

• Both lines can support data plans, however, only one number at a time can use cellular data. If you want your iPhone to use cellular data from both plans, depending on coverage and availability, turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching.
• Your data usage will come from the line you assign as your preferred line in your iPhone’s Cellular settings. You can choose to toggle to your other line within those settings at any time. For example, during work hours, you can use the data from your "Work" line, and after work you can switch to your "Personal" line. For details, please see the Apple support page. 

Can I use data while on a call?

• Yes, if you turn on Allow Cellular Data Switching, then while you're on a voice call on your voice-only number, that number automatically switches to use voice and data. This lets you use both voice and data while on the call.
• However, if you turn off Allow Cellular Data Switching and you make a call using a voice number that isn't your designated cellular data number, then cellular data won't work while you're on the call.
• You can also access Wi-Fi on either line regardless of which line you have selected for your data usage.
• To learn more about changing your cellular data number, see the Apple support page.

How will I be billed for voice and messaging?

• Voice and messaging are calculated according to the rate plan of the line used for each activity. With Dual SIM, you have the choice of which line to use for each call and text. Note: data charges may apply during simultaneous voice calls.

What happens when I roam?

• Just as you can choose which line to call, message or use data from while in Canada, you can do the same while you roam. Please note: you will receive your roaming notifications from Bell for both lines in the same message thread. It’s important to pay attention to the line indicator (Line 1 or Line 2) in the message thread so you can tell which line you are using for roaming, especially if you have different roaming features on each line.
• Data roaming charges may be incurred if both lines are used for simultaneous voice calling. 

Will E9-1-1 and T9-1-1 work on both lines?

• Both lines have the capability to dial 9-1-1. Where E9-1-1 is available, the caller’s number and approximate location will be provided, regardless of the line used.
• Enabling Wi-Fi Calling on both lines has implications to 9-1-1 calls.  If you call 9-1-1 from Line 1, your phone then disconnects and you get another call on Line 2, you will not receive a notification when the 9-1-1 operator calls you back.

For T9-1-1, each line needs to be registered separately. Register for T9-1-1.

If you activated a line on a Google Pixel 3a / 3a XL, Pixel 4 or Pixel 4 XL, Bell has reserved an eSIM for your phone.

Before you begin: make sure that your Google Pixel has been updated to Android Q (10) and that it is connected to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

1. Go to Settings.
2. Select Network & Internet.
3. Select the + button beside Mobile Network.
4. Select Don’t have a SIM card?.
5. Select Next to download the eSIM.
6. Select Activate. 

Note: if prompted to confirm your network, select Bell as the network.

Google Pixel Dual SIM FAQs

What rate plans are available for the two lines?

• The first line can be on any Bell Mobility rate plan and the second line can be activated on a Bring Your Own Device rate plan. You can choose to have a voice and text plan or a voice and data plan on either line.

I have two phone numbers with Bell Mobility, on two separate devices. Can I move one of my phone numbers to an eSIM so that I have both phone numbers on one smartphone?

• At this moment, this is not possible.

How do I tell which phone number I’m using?

Upon activating your eSIM second line, you will receive a message on your device recommending that you create your own label for each line. To do so, follow the steps below:

1. Go to Settings > Network & Internet
2. Touch the pencil icon beside the label you would like to edit.
3. Enter the new label.

When you make and receive calls, as well as send and receive text messages, the smartphone will identify each line by the name you have chosen. Compatible apps will also display different colours for each line. 

How can I transfer my existing Bell eSIM to a new Dual SIM device?

• Transfer your existing Bell eSIM by visiting a Bell store. Be ready to provide you current eSIM phone number and the EID of the new Dual SIM device you are transferring to. (This can be found on the box or in the settings of the new Dual SIM Google Pixel by going to Settings > About phone > SIM status.)

If I have a data plan on both lines, which data plan will I use and therefore be billed for?

• Both lines can support data plans; however, you can only access one line’s data plan at a time. Therefore, you cannot access both data plans simultaneously.
• Your data usage will come out of the default data plan you selected in your Google Pixel’s Network & Internet settings. You can choose to toggle to your other line’s data plan within those settings at any time. For example, during work hours, you can use the data from your "Work" line, and after work you can switch to your "Personal" line. For details, please see the information from the Google support page.

Can I use data while on a call?

• Yes, but only one line can use data at a time. 
• If you’re on a call using a line that was not set as the data preferred line, you won’t be able to access that line’s data while on a call unless you enable Data During Calls in your Network & Internet settings.
• You can also access Wi-Fi on either line regardless of which line you have selected.
• To learn more about changing your data preferred line, see the Google support page. 

How will I be billed for voice and messaging?

• Voice and messaging are calculated according to the rate plan of the line used for each activity. With Dual SIM, you have the choice of which line to use for each call and text.

Can both lines be connected to the network at the same time?

• Yes, both lines are connected to the network at all times. However, when you are on a call on one line (e.g., Line 1), the other line (e.g., Line 2) automatically goes on standby mode. This means, if someone tries to call you on Line 2 when you are on a call on Line 1, you will not receive a call waiting notification for the incoming call. Instead, that call will be directed to your Line 2 voicemail.
• Please be mindful that this has implications for 9-1-1 calls. If you call 9-1-1 from Line 1, your phone then disconnects and you get another call on Line 2, you will not receive a notification when the 9-1-1 operator calls you back.

What happens when I roam?

• Just as you can choose which line to call, message or use data from while in Canada, you can do the same while you roam. Please note: you will receive your roaming notifications from Bell for both lines in the same message thread. It’s important to pay attention to the line indicator (Line 1 or Line 2) in the message thread so you can tell which line you are using for roaming, especially if you have different roaming features on each line.

Will E9-1-1 and T9-1-1 work on both lines?

• Both lines have the capability to dial 9-1-1. Where E9-1-1 is available, the caller’s number and approximate location will be provided, regardless of the line used.
• For T9-1-1, each line needs to be registered separately. Register for T9-1-1.