HOW TO… Set up an eSIM to use two lines on your phone

There are many reasons why you might need a second mobile line. A disposable number for forms and delivery drivers is one. Another would be separate lines for business and personal use. Or perhaps a pay-as-you-go (PAYG) SIM for calls, plus a cheap but generous contract with a rival provider for data alone, would best suit your lifestyle and the way you use your phone.

One solution is to use a phone with a dual-SIM slot, but these aren’t common. A better solution is to use a dual-line phone, which comes with an eSIM. These are circuits that are built into the phone. They can’t be removed, but they can be programmed to work just like a standard SIM. As far as the phone’s concerned, there’s no difference between them, as each authorises your connection, stores your number, and routes your calls, texts and data as appropriate. They’re common in industrial environments for analysing data, and you’ll also find them in cars, where they’re used by sat-navs to download maps.

Vodafone, O2 and