SIM Server

Defined as a mobile phone capable of holding two SIM cards, the dual SIM handsets market has been witnessing rapid changes over the last decade. Global Industry Analysts, a publisher of off-the-shelf market research, released a new report titled “Dual SIM Handsets: A Global Strategic Business Report,” which provides a comprehensive review of market trends, issues, drivers, company profiles, mergers, acquisitions, and other strategies industry activities.

Several reasons are fingered as responsible for influencing the use of multiple SIM cards, such as greater ability to lower the cost of communication by capitalizing on plans/offers/tariff/ offered by multiple service providers, ease and comfort of carrying just one phone, uninterrupted and continuous network coverage, reduced instances of dropped calls, and free bundled add-on SIM cards offered by service providers.

The unrivalled levels of convenience offered by the concept of dual-SIM operation is creating demand even among high-end mobile phone users, and the market today is replete with expensive models running on the Android (News - Alert) platform featuring touch screen displays. Mentioning about the market growth of the dual SIM handsets over the next few years, Global Industry Analysts believes that it will be primarily driven by continued rise in the use of multiple SIM cards across the globe, with developing Asian countries leading the way.

As touched upon just above, the report also provides market estimates and projections for major geographic markets including the US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and Latin America.

Developing Asian countries are leading the way in the use of multiple SIM cards and dual SIM handsets. In urban areas, the rising trend of multiple subscriptions continues to rise in the use of multiple SIM cards across the globe. Furthermore, the above hundred penetration rates of SIM cards in most developing countries – along with the open pockets of market lacking access to mobile services – has resulting in increased market opportunity for dual SIM handsets.

The success of the dual SIM capable concept is mirrored by the emerging focus among handset vendors to launch high-end Android phones with dual SIM capabilities. There exists a clear market demand for dual SIM functionality, even in high-end smartphones.

Dual SIM capabilities in Android-based mobile phones additionally allow vendors to competitively differentiate themselves in the marketplace, triggering innovation for more superior and integrated support for dual SIM functionality. Also accommodating the fact that smartphone users often travel overseas, dual SIMs are most convenient during overseas travel when both a local and primary SIM card is needed.

One of the major reasons attributed to the impressive rise in global mobile phone subscriptions is the development of prepaid billing and marketing services. While postpaid subscriptions are most lucrative for the service provider, prepaid subscriptions provide subscribers the flexibility to mix and match the most cost-efficient service packages among multiple service providers. Demand for dual SIM handsets is the strongest in countries where pre-paid phone services are hugely popular.

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