What Is Multi-SIM?

Bringing together what belongs together is always good advice and many providers therefore offer the option of multi-SIM. With multi-SIM, two or more devices can be connected to the Internet via the same subscription and reached via the same phone number. A great way to use a smartwatch independently of a smartphone, for example. You can find out exactly what a multi-SIM is and why you are often better off with a separate tariff here.

The terms sound very similar, but describe completely different applications. A dual SIM is usually a separate SIM card or eSIM with its own tariff and phone number, which is used in parallel with a main SIM in the same device.

The classic use case for dual SIM is the business number. If you also want to be reachable on your private smartphone via a business number, you usually use a second SIM card or eSIM from your employer and then use this in parallel to your personal SIM during working hours.

However, this requires a dual SIM-capable smartphone.

Multi-SIM does not use several numbers from the same device, but the same number from several devices. For example, from another smartphone or a smartwatch with a phone function.

Basically, a multi-SIM always makes sense if the shared connection is also to run via the same phone number. So if you want the second device to be connected independently of your smartphone and still be reachable via the same phone number, you need a multi-SIM.

In the vast majority of cases, the devices that require such a connection are smartwatches. For example, if you want to go jogging with your Apple Watch and leave your smartphone at home and still remain reachable.

For these cases, we offer the Watch SIM option. The Digital Republic Watch SIM is the only multi-SIM we offer that shares your Digital Republic mobile subscription with your Apple or Samsung Galaxy Watch at an unrivaled price of just CHF 4 per month. Find out more about the Digital Republic Watch SIM option here.

The multi-SIM sounds like a simple solution for numerous applications and is often advertised as such. However, if you want full flexibility and want to network devices that do not necessarily have to be reachable via the same phone number, you are often better off with a separate tariff, as Telekom expert Ralf Beyeler from Moneyland confirms in a current guide to multi-SIM:

At Digital Republic, the Flat Mobile subscription is not particularly expensive at CHF 18, but it is still worth taking a look at the tariffs for “smart devices”.

For example, if you want to equip an IP camera, a tracker or even your laptop with mobile communications, a separate tariff gives you the advantage of being able to pause the connection at any time, even on a monthly basis, if you don’t need it. In addition, a separate SIM card or eSIM also offers you the advantage that you can tailor the connection to the requirements of your device.

Because you should have full flexibility with Digital Republic’s tariffs, we have limited our multi-SIM offer to the Watch SIM for the time being. We offer you the cheapest and most flexible Watch SIM in Switzerland for your Samsung Galaxy or Apple Watch, so that you can still be reached via your usual number regardless of your smartphone.

For all other devices, we offer data tariffs graded according to speed with no minimum contract term or notice period, which you can pause or upgrade and downgrade on a monthly basis. Just as you need it for your device and without linking everything to your cell phone contract.

So no matter what you need a SIM card or eSIM for: With Digital Republic, you enjoy full flexibility. This means you can always find the multi-SIM where it makes sense and get attractive single tariffs where it doesn’t.