NOTE: This review was written when the app used to be called 'MTK Control'. So any references in the text to 'MTK Control' now refer to the app's new name of 'Dual Sim Control'.
I have been using chinese dual SIM phones for quite some years now and love the facilities they provide. I can have both my work SIM and my personal SIM in one device rather than having to carry two phones around with me as I used to. Also using the dual SIM solution allows both SIM's to be connected to the hands free system in my car so that I can make and receive calls on either SIM through the car system.
However, there has always been a downside and that is the SIM management facilities built in to Android. When making a call or text, when you press the send button a box will pop up asking which SIM you want to use to make the call/text which you have to select before the call is made. There is a facility whereby you can assign each contact in your address book to a particular SIM but even this does not automatically make the call using the assigned SIM. All that happens is that when you make a call/text the same box will pop up asking which SIM to use and the only difference is that now there will be an indicator next to one of the SIM's recommending it based on the SIM assignment but you still have to manually select it. Now I don't find this a particular problem when using the phone normally but it is a major problem when using the phone via the hands free system in my car because when I make a call through the car system the box still pops up on the phone asking which SIM to use which is a big drawback and means that the phone has to be accessible and visible while in the car.
However, I have now found a great solution that I have been using for about a month now and is working great. It is an APP called 'MTK Control' which is available through the Google Play Store and is available as a free version and a premium version. I would suggest testing it with the free version first to make sure it will work with your phone but if it does work ok then I would wholeheartedly recommend purchasing the premium version which is only 79p (around $1) and adds additional functionality like homescreen widgets etc.
So, what does 'MTK Control' do that the built in SIM management does not. Well, everything to be honest. Firstly it gives you toggle actions to turn each SIM on/off or to toggle calls between the two SIM's and also to toggle the data connection between the two SIM's.
All of these functions can be added as widgets to the homescreens in the premium version as shown below.
However the best part comes with the ability to create rules to assign contacts and numbers to a particular SIM and have that SIM used automatically with no user intervention required. This is done in the following screen.....
….where you can input a single number, a group of numbers using wildcards, an individual contact or a group of contacts and then select which SIM you want to assign this rule to. So the following screen shows that the contact groups 'Family', 'Friends' and 'Services/Shops Personal' are asigned to SIM 1 (personal SIM) and the groups 'Coworkers', 'Customers' and 'Services/Shops Work' are asigned to SIM 2 (work SIM).
There is also an auto learn function that can be activated so that the first time you dial a new number or contact it will ask you which SIM to use but it will then automatically create a rule for this number so that in the future it will be automatically chosen.
The best part about this is that it works seamlessly with the hands free system in the car. When I initiate a call from the car system the phone will automatically select the SIM to use based on the rules that have been setup. This means that I don't need to physically access the phone at all and it can stay in my pocket.
In my view this app does what the built in SIM management should have done from the start. The developer of the app is constantly updating it with new features and is very approachable and takes on board feature requests.
One word of note, as the title of this thread suggests, the app will only work with Mediatek based mobile phones and will not work with phones like the Samsung Duos range etc. I personally have tested it with the following phones:
UMI X1S (MTK6589)
Jiayu G3 (MTK6577)
Jiayu G4 (MTK6589)
Jiayu G4S (MTK6592)
I haven't used the text or data functionality so can't comment on that specifically but the call related functions and the calling rules I use all the time and have worked flawlessly.
NOTE: This app is now called 'Dual Sim Control' and is now compatible with Samsung Duos phones as well as MTK based phones.
I have no connection whatsoever with the developer of this app. I am just a very happy user of it.
Update: Edited top post to reflect this additional information.
I have now tested and can confirm that 'MTK Control' also works on the Jiayu G4S phone which uses the MTK6592 Octa-core SOC.
Hi,
Thanks Russell for the review.
I'm the developer of this app, and if you have any doubts regarding the app, suggestions, or problems with any function please contact me directly using the contacts available at the Google Play app page or (as long as Russell doesn't mind having his thread slightly hijacked) ask here.
Thanks
MTK on G4S
Russell_S said:
Update: Edited top post to reflect this additional information.
I have now tested and can confirm that 'MTK Control' also works on the Jiayu G4S phone which uses the MTK6592 Octa-core SOC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Russell,
I have a G4s but don't seem able to get it to work right, can you confirm that you are using the kitkat rom with this?
I have bound numbers with the app and with the system but still asks me for a sim when dialling via Bluetooth.
Any help greatly appreciated!
Thanks
Hi,
Can you post the configuration you have on MTK Control, and on Android Settings.
Do you have any contact SIM preference defined?
Thanks for sharing.
joaormf said:
Hi,
Can you post the configuration you have on MTK Control, and on Android Settings.
Do you have any contact SIM preference defined?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
what info do you need?
I have some numbers as preferred in contacts (they show a little symbol and the sim card name next to them in the phone book) and added some rules also in mtk control, and slid the enable button on and it said always validate, but still get the box pop up saying which sim.
Let me know if you need anything else, and thanks for looking at it.
Bomberfrog said:
Hi,
what info do you need?
I have some numbers as preferred in contacts (they show a little symbol and the sim card name next to them in the phone book) and added some rules also in mtk control, and slid the enable button on and it said always validate, but still get the box pop up saying which sim.
Let me know if you need anything else, and thanks for looking at it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
try to remove all the preferred contacts in Android settings, and then set on of the SIMs as the preferred one. This way I think that the Android popup to select SIM should not be shown.
Then you use MTK Control entirely to select the SIM used to dial.
Please tell me if this helped.
is confirmed working on kitkat ?, I have huawei honor 3c. thank you
I confirmed that it works off sims, but not to create rules, always asked to choose sim, its free version. my phone huawei honor 3c
elmajor said:
is confirmed working on kitkat ?, I have huawei honor 3c. thank you
I confirmed that it works off sims, but not to create rules, always asked to choose sim, its free version. my phone huawei honor 3c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I've made an upgrade last week to improve KitKat compatibility.
However, the best is to try the free version like you did. There is also a grace period on the payed version (not in-app purchase, only on the full version) so you can always try all the functions and cancel the order to get refunded.
Regarding your problem when you say that you are always asked to choose sim, you're talking about a MTK Control popup or the stock Android popup? If it's the latest, look my previous post where I explain how to get the best experience with the Call Rules.
Regards
joaormf said:
Hi,
try to remove all the preferred contacts in Android settings, and then set on of the SIMs as the preferred one. This way I think that the Android popup to select SIM should not be shown.
Then you use MTK Control entirely to select the SIM used to dial.
Please tell me if this helped.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi
Sorry for delay, did a full reset of phone to make sure no other apps messing with it.
No sim associations are set in android.
voice calls set to always use one sim
Rules created in MTK control to use second sim.
Phone will dial via Bluetooth speech recognition and appears to choose the sim but call ends without ever connecting. No box pops up asking for sim choice, interestlingly if the screen lock is off the calling screen doesn't show either.
I can hand dial a number and it appears to choose the sim and show calling screen but uses Bluetooth for voice.
Any other ideas?
Thanks
Bomberfrog said:
Hi
Sorry for delay, did a full reset of phone to make sure no other apps messing with it.
No sim associations are set in android.
voice calls set to always use one sim
Rules created in MTK control to use second sim.
Phone will dial via Bluetooth speech recognition and appears to choose the sim but call ends without ever connecting. No box pops up asking for sim choice, interestlingly if the screen lock is off the calling screen doesn't show either.
I can hand dial a number and it appears to choose the sim and show calling screen but uses Bluetooth for voice.
Any other ideas?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if you dial using Bluetooth the call is never made... but if you dial from phone with the Bluetooth connected it works as expected?
Can you send me the application debug information after replicating the first situation?
Thanks
joaormf said:
So if you dial using Bluetooth the call is never made... but if you dial from phone with the Bluetooth connected it works as expected?
Can you send me the application debug information after replicating the first situation?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
Have sent as private message the debug log.
Thanks
Bomberfrog said:
Hi,
Have sent as private message the debug log.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
can you please try to increase the time before the call is made using MTK Control settings?
Try it with 0 ms delay or with a delay like 500 ms.
Tell me how it goes...
joaormf said:
Hi,
can you please try to increase the time before the call is made using MTK Control settings?
Try it with 0 ms delay or with a delay like 500 ms.
Tell me how it goes...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Changed the delay to 500ms and this has fixed it, now dials via Bluetooth speech recognition and call connects.
Many thanks for the advice and help.
Steps for anyone else having an issue.
1.remove associations in android
2.set sim association in MTK control
3. set a sim as default for voice in android
4. set time delay to 500ms in MTK
Thanks again
as remove associations in android?. thx
elmajor said:
as remove associations in android?. thx
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
In Android settings you can define one of the SIMs as the prefered one for a given contact.
This associations induce, in my opinion, a not very user friendly behaviour even .when not using my app.
You should remove them to make sure that my app can work it's magic without interferences.
xperia c
does it work on xperia c
kcube said:
does it work on xperia c
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
I believe that it doesn't work, but you can try it with the free version. I'm however preparing a new MTK Control version that will bring support to Android One and Samsung phones.
Join the Google+ community since I will announce there when it's released.
Thanks
This APP looks great but you clearly state it will not work on other phones, like my LG G3 so I was wondering if you know of any other APP like this that will work on a normal LG G3 dual SIM phone ?
Thanks mate
hi, I recently got an M2 dual and no matter how I searched the settings I can't find any setting for default sim for calling only for data services. the reason for my question is that I have a smartwatch 2 and when I try to call from my smartwatch that's in my pocket a popup window comes up asking me from what sim to dial that makes calling from the smartwatch impossible if I don't pull the phone out of my pocket and select sim. is there any way to make this possible? thanks in advance.
mathiosn said:
hi, I recently got an M2 dual and no matter how I searched the settings I can't find any setting for default sim for calling only for data services. the reason for my question is that I have a smartwatch 2 and when I try to call from my smartwatch that's in my pocket a popup window comes up asking me from what sim to dial that makes calling from the smartwatch impossible if I don't pull the phone out of my pocket and select sim. is there any way to make this possible? thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and I also with dual Xperia Z3 D6633
Hello all,
I have 2 SIM cards, one for work and one personal. I think to buy a dual SIM phone.
I have some questions about dual SIM features:
1) Can I define an Account\Gmail Contacts\Groups that will be assigned to the different Sim card (for example: I want to define that to all my work contacts will dial\send SMS from work SIM card and to my private contacts will be dial\send SMS from my personal SIM card without the need to choose every call which SIM card to use)?
2) If the answer to the first question is YES, do I need to go to every contact and assign it to default SIM or it can be defined by Contact group\Gmail contact account?
3) If I get a call from number that not in my contact list, If I will redial it will the call go from the SIM that got this call or I will need to choose which sim should I use ?
4) Can I define a different sound profile schedule for each SIM card ?
If those features are not built in Android system, is there any App that can do this or is it possible to develop an app with those features?
Thanks
Eli
I own a dual SIM phone. I don't know some of the questions but I tell how I use it:
- Every time I dial or I select a contact to phone, a dialog appears where I can select which SIM to use, and shows which was the SIM used for the last time. It means 1 click more than a standar phone to make a call, but I find it more practical than preconfiguring the SIM for every contact. First because I have lots of contacts, second, often I phone the same contact from different SIM...
- When I receive a call or SMS the phone indicates which SIM is being used. I suppose I could configure different tone for each SIM, but I don't care about it, I just care about who is calling.
- An app I haven't been able to make it work correctly is Whatsapp. I don't know how to tell it I have dual SIM so it should manage two accounts... finally I use only 1 account with this app.
In general I am really happy with dual SIM and I am clear that my next phone will be dual SIM again.
Thanks for your reply.
But the behavior that you describe is the one that I prefer to avoid.
I don't want to think which SIM use with which contact I want to define it advance.
lion_fish said:
Hello all,
I have 2 SIM cards, one for work and one personal. I think to buy a dual SIM phone.
I have some questions about dual SIM features:
1) Can I define an Account\Gmail Contacts\Groups that will be assigned to the different Sim card (for example: I want to define that to all my work contacts will dial\send SMS from work SIM card and to my private contacts will be dial\send SMS from my personal SIM card without the need to choose every call which SIM card to use)?
2) If the answer to the first question is YES, do I need to go to every contact and assign it to default SIM or it can be defined by Contact group\Gmail contact account?
3) If I get a call from number that not in my contact list, If I will redial it will the call go from the SIM that got this call or I will need to choose which sim should I use ?
4) Can I define a different sound profile schedule for each SIM card ?
If those features are not built in Android system, is there any App that can do this or is it possible to develop an app with those features?
Thanks
Eli
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. You store contacts you want to call from SIM1 on SIM1, the contacts you want call from SIM2 you save to SIM2.
2. You need to do it manually.
3. When you are calling someone/SMSing you have Call/Send buttons for every SIM and you press the button depending from what SIM you want to do the action.
4. I'm not too sure. But I don't think so.
The anwsers were given under the assumption that apps for the features don't exist (which may not be true, I didn't check).
Hey Guys,
I just installed second sim card in my pixel 3a. Phone is working in dual standby without issue, well there is only one issue with dialer. My main sim is esim, text, calls and data are set by default to that sim.
If You open dialer you can call only from main sim, well when call is connected you can tap change sim, but current call is disconnected. Is there any chance to get proper dual sim dialer, where you can choose which sim before you place a call? Samsung has that option
Just install True Phone from Play Store and configure it (don't use it as default phone app and you'll be happy)
St.Noigel said:
Just install True Phone from Play Store and configure it (don't use it as default phone app and you'll be happy)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not perfect, but works ok. Thank you!
I guess the thing you are talking about is already available on pixel. See the SS.
sainiridu said:
I guess the thing you are talking about is already available on pixel. See the SS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here is ss
sainiridu said:
Here is ss
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Perfect! Thank you so much!
Please,
is there some way for setting one of dual SIM for sending SMS. Staff with default SIM for phone work, but not for SMS!
Thanks!
Mario
And why is it the second sim card by default?
Same here. Sim 2 is set by default. Don't know why.
Sent from my Mi Note 10 using Tapatalk
Same here
Same problem on my phone - Poco x3 NFC. In Dual SIM settings I can choose default SIM card for calls and default SIM card for data traffic. But if I want to set default SIM card for texting - no way Jose.
I look like a moron, bcs I send one message from 1st SIM card, next message from 2nd SIM card etc. People must think I am retarded when texting like that.
Try this workaround
https://c.mi.com/thread-2070088-1-0.html
Thank's! Works!
tiger411 said:
Try this workaround
https://c.mi.com/thread-2070088-1-0.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since the link no longer works let me quote the content of that link:
1. Set the SIM card (which you want to set as default for SMS messages) as default for Calls and Internet,
2. Temporarily disable the other SIM card,
3. Send a message to anyone,
4. Re-enable your other SIM card,
5. Re-adjust the default SIM settings which you changed in step 1.
* It still does not affect the conversations in which you have already sent messages using other SIM card.
** Step 1 is required for step 2.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
mkeca said:
Please,
is there some way for setting one of dual SIM for sending SMS. Staff with default SIM for phone work, but not for SMS!
Thanks!
Mario
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After a very long time searching, I found the solution. Good luck!
rerna said:
Same here
Same problem on my phone - Poco x3 NFC. In Dual SIM settings I can choose default SIM card for calls and default SIM card for data traffic. But if I want to set default SIM card for texting - no way Jose.
I look like a moron, bcs I send one message from 1st SIM card, next message from 2nd SIM card etc. People must think I am retarded when texting like that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Say goodbye to your problems...
Worked for me on my Pixel 4, with Android 12. Even with the physical SIM set for SMS it kept using the ESIM until I switched off the ESIM, sent a message then switched it back on. Must be a bug in Android.
If someone get here and above methods doesn't works, in my case helped "wipe all data" for messaging app. I didn't lost messages.
Yes mate. Thank you so much
iamashwin said:
Since the link no longer works let me quote the content of that link:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse