I have two mobiles on the go here in France - a UK Three PAYG simple Nokia and a French HTC Sensation touchscreen on a package with SFR which includes TV, landline and mobile. The battery in the HTC dies within hours despite my taking everything, including internet, off it (and even after buying a new battery. I now own the HTC and have changed the mobile to the RED tariff (still sfr, and still not as cheap as we’d hoped!))
I’m looking to purchase a 2-SIM mobile where I can use this combination of providers, but with a reliable long life battery. I’m not sure whether to get a straightforward basic mobile (as I now have an iPad so can access internet easily still) or a touchscreen again. I’d be grateful for any advice, information, pitfalls, or new developments that anyone can point me to, to help me come to an informed decision. It’s not easy! I’m certain there’s a wealth of knowledge and experience amongst the SFN community and I welcome your help. Many thanks.
Simon, thanks sounds like it will fulfil my needs and I will look into it further.
Thanks again for posting
You can switch one off or switch between the two at will.
Simon
Thank you for posting as I am in a similar position being fed up with two phones involving two sets of contact lists and two sets of message threads etc.
Interested to hear how you get on with this model but I have a question which perhaps you can answer namely is it possible to simply switch one SIM off completely when needed via the settings or does it involve opening the device and removing the SIM in question?
We have been struggling with this issue for years now. We've used low tech solutions with basic smart phones from samsung for a number of years now as this seemed to be the only option. This month I took the plunge and gone for a top end HTC dual SIM for my wife (follow the link below). Not cheap but it is the best phone I've seen for ages - I'm now saving up for my own as I'm also sick for lugging 2 phones about.
I know we all have different criteria but for work and emails on the road etc this is good, as a phone it is fine, battery life seems ok - all these phones seem hungry on batteries, it has some nice features and many I'll never use. It is the only dual SIM that I've seen which is up at the front of where the market is now in smart phones!
http://www.handtec.co.uk/htc-one-m8-dual-sim-16gb-gunmetal-grey.html
I'd just go for a cheap standard phone, I use a Skype S2 which no longer does Skype as it's not secure enough, but it last for 3 days with and without using it, and the main thing, is that I can always count on it to make calls, which is exactly what I want a PHONE for. Internet emails and other stuff, much quicker on a PC, it always makes me laugh when I see people swiping for hours and trying to write a business letter on a titchy screen, do they not realise that you cannot type at 80 wpm on a tiny screen, and that they waste so much time doing this??
We have two 2-sim smartphones in the family: Wiko Ozzy, which is "designed in France" and bq Aquaris 4E, which is "designed in Spain". Both run Android (4.2 and 4.4 respectively), and are naturally made in China.
Both brands have very good price/performance ratio.
Since I'm Finnish, I've been a Nokia fan since the early 1990's. But that was then ... I will not become a Microsoft fan, ever!
VERY good Paula! Awesome! Thank you so much :)
I spoke to Verizon about this very subject yesterday. I wanted to buy an iPhone 5 and use it on Verizon in the US and in France. You can get a French SIM card and replace the Verizon sim; also, you can pause Verizon service for up to 6 months. I’m not sure how it works if you are under contract with Verizon…mine has expired, so I am “contract free.”
Thanks Brian, I will take your advice! Very much appreciate your input :D
I can highly recommend the Nokia 515 dual SIM.
Thanks Brian, I do want to use my apps sometimes though, like GPS, weather, or the translator app. Don't I need the data thingy to run apps? (as you can tell I'm extremely tech savvy, LOL)
Hi Helen, this looks interesting too, many thanks 
Kris
Hi there - I purchased a phablet a phone and tablet combo about 4 weeks ago.
My main motivation was that with arthritic fingers, it is very hard to use a smaller touch screen.
It really is ideal - very reasonable too at around 65 pounds.
I have a UK pay as you go sim plus a French free.fr contract sim, which suits me really well.
Much to the amusement of my family, I have installed an APP on it called BATTERY DOCTOR, and I am always checking it to ensure the battery runs at the optimum.
Here is the link to where I bought it on Ebay, and I later contacted the sellers asthey also do a cover which I have also ordered.
I am not a super high phone user, and with my little friend the Battery Doctor, I seem to go for days without needing to charge the phone.
Hope this helps!
PS - I can send you the link for the cover if you would like it also.
Kris
Thank you for posting this. I have juggled two mobiles for some time as I work in Belgium/France during the week and return to UK at the weekends. The information provided by the contributors here has helped me a lot but it would not have been possible with out your instigation so for that I thank you.
nick
Hey, I thought I'd just pop in here and mention that I'm going to be visiting France, (I live in the US) and have an iPhone5. My carrier is Verizon. I want to use my phone when I'm in Fr, and will be talking to Verizon, I'm sure they're going to tell me what my direction should be. Just thought I'd put it out there if anyone has advise or any warnings, since you're all talking about mobile phones. One guy I know went to some foreign country, used his mobile a bit, and his next bill showed that he owed about $1000! Ouch, I don't want this to happen to me.
Thanks everyone for your responses - I am armed with a lot of information now and will take a look at everyone’s suggestions.
No, no! I meant 'smoke signals' like in the old Western films :-)
Smoking is bad for you, didn't any one tell you ;-)
I just use smoke signals :-)