[INFO]The truth about the Galaxy S4 mini duos aka i9192 and the dual sim support

[Kiwyxda]

Well, what I can I tell,
this phone has the greatest size factor in my opinion, the screen is fantastic, the proc is good the phone quality is OK, it works great even with game, well all the things you can read in bad quality test.
Now here's some fact you will not read in most review and not event mentionned on the samsung official specs or user manual:

This phone does have 2 stand by sim card support active sim card support , which mean you can you can receive call on the 2 sim card but if one sim is on call the other one will end directly to voicemail,
There's a feature to walk around this behaviour, that allow you to use call forward from one sim to the other but depending on your provider this can cost you a lot but it's possible and very nice.

The dual sim features for people who tasted to the simplicity of "the sheap almost AOSP dual sim chineese phones" like the Wiko Cink Peax in France or the Micromax in India , is terrifyingly complicated,
I still don't find a way to allow sms sending from one sim only, I can't find a way to automatically switch from one card to another to use 3G, you need to step at least 3 step for this:
- first go into the dual sim menu and change the data provider
- second goes into the network settings of the old 3G sim card provider and switch it to 2G only
- third goes into the network settings of the new 3G sim card provider and switch it to auto (2G/3G) mode
Compare this to the simplicity of a cheap chineese phone where you only select the 3G card and everythings goes smooth... it bother me so much.

This phone on the lastest version come with most anoying security issue I ever faced, Samsung Knox (a sort of virtual context app you can find plenty of information about that f**** protection which can be great in company context and so annoying in a power user context.

Well to conclude this and I'm on a stock samsung version and I test several before installing one with knox and not being able to change anymore:
THE SECOND SIM CARD SLOT DOES NOT WORK IN HSDPA MODE BUT IN GPRS SOMETHING BETWEEN GPRS AND UMTS MODE ONLY (though the phone show a small H next to the network signal and not a G) I do not succed in having more than 140 kB/s and most of the time 40kB/s only) on that second slot. If I invert the 2 sims I endup with a more reasonnable 700kB/s

I wish I found someone to say that on a forum post before I buy that expensive useless dual sim phone, yes the GPS is working so much better than a Mediatek based phone but god damn it, how can a dual sim phone can't support real 3G on both slots.

Now with that in mind be carefull before buying this phone and consider seriously its cheap chineese competitors with a poor GPS ship but with a so much better easier and efficients settings. I now really considering to sell mine and get something that will work as a real dual sim phone and that I can root without loosing my warranty ( even if as a european I think this issue is not a real one).

Happy new year XDA power user !

PSOne: if you have found any solution to the issue I issued please let me know, and if you find my post usefull please it thanks

Edit 1: It seems that it's almost impossible to share connection in tethering (any mode) when using the 3g from the second sim

/!\ Seriously opinion based: I do not except any answer about that part of the post/!\

PS2: If you're an android simple user in my opinion Samsung Android TouchWizz is the most complicated rom you could ever find.
PS3: I used to hate Samsung for there volounteer to become the Android Apple equivalent but though I give it a try, this is the first and last try. They made complicated software Android does not look like Android and everything is complicated and the bloatwares are everywhere.

 

[Wildfear]

There's a lot of mistakes in your post...

This phone is dual SIM standby and not dual active, as when you are on call with one sim the other one is off network (direct to voicemail).

Both SIM slots can use H+ but not at the same time, and yeah switching method is pretty annoying.
BTW all dual SIM phones have crappy network efficiency with data.

I agree that Touchwizz and Knox are really crap... too bad this phone have good hardware...

 

[Kiwyxda]

There's a lot of mistakes in your post...
This phone is dual SIM standby and not dual active, as when you are on call with one sim the other one is off network (direct to voicemail).

Well OK technically speaking , but what I mean is that you can receive call on both sim any time you don't have to switch from one sim active sim to another, both are able to receive call anytime except during a call happening on the other sim.
And you can receive call with a workaround samsung implement that use call forward on the standby sim card.which can be costy.

Both SIM slots can use H+ but not at the same time, and yeah switching method is pretty annoying.
BTW all dual SIM phones have crappy network efficiency with data.

Well please tell me how because 140kB/s is definitly not a normal speed for HSDPA neither HSDPA+ (but my contract is HSDPA only). But anyway I have to switch from one slot to another to improve my 3G speed by 4 or 5 so in my opinion it doesn't work, should I reach Samsung support for that ?

I don't really agree with the crappy efficiency my previous low end mediatek phone was not that bad at all and the 3G support was at least uniform between both slot.

 

[czesiu]

Does this also mean that if there is data transfer on one card, the calls are rejected from the other?

 

[Wildfear]

Does this also mean that if there is data transfer on one card, the calls are rejected from the other?

No, data usage doesn't interrupt standby mode.

Bu in the other hand, when in call, as the other sim is out of network and if data is set to use this other sim, data will be disabled till call ends.

 

[czesiu]

I test several before installing one with knox and not being able to change anymore

You are not able to change at all? Or not able to change w/o setting the KNOX bit to 1?

Does KNOX bit = 1 mean that the user lost the warranty?

 

[Kiwyxda]

You are not able to change at all? Or not able to change w/o setting the KNOX bit to 1?

Does KNOX bit = 1 mean that the user lost the warranty?

You can only downgrade or upgrade to know enable ROM or the flag knox warranty void swith to 0x1 and then depending on your country the warranty can be void, it shouldn't be possible in Europe according to European law, but in US they have no problem to deny your warranty.
So far no one found a solution and theyre's probably no easy solution. except not using those rom (meaning no update to 4.3 or 4.4 if it comes one day.)

 

[Kiwyxda]

It has got Android JB 4.2.2 support and dual sim support, A more sleek and compact design has been integrated outstanding cmf

What's your point here ?

 

[dr3mro]

Single sim phones behave better than dual sim phones and you won't get any aosp ROM for a dual sim phone in the near future

Sent from my GT-P3100 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

 

[drguild]

This thr45ead has me alittle confused I know what duel sim duel standby is but a poster above said if you have one on 3g the other on a call then the 3g will drop out at the end of the call which pretty much cancels all your active downloads etc.

Did I read that right?

I'm thinking of mby getting this phone as the full S4 duel is like 900 and very limited where you can get it.

This is what I need.

2 sims I use 1 dedicated 3g sim Virgin, other dedicated voice/sms Optus.

So 900/2100 frequency.

Reason for this instead of 1 sim is Virgin gives me a year worth of data 12gb which rolls over unused data on recharge whereas Optus is only 30 days 500mb data or so no rollover also I cant really get data on a prepaid 3 month long expiry with rollover $30 credit which is is $10 a month for prepaid and some times I haven't used all that credit within the 3 months.

So I cant really do both those things together on the 1 sim be nice if I could consolidate for the exact same benefits but that's not how it works it always costs more and trade-offs like no data rollover.

While I'm out I use my phone for listening to music online streaming, GPS, hopefully ingress (why I want a new phone), bit of web browsing etc so if I get a call don't want it to screw up anything I'm doing. I also tether to my tablet Nexus 10 and according to the op you cannot tether or the feature is broken with this phone.

So can anyone assure me I can do what I want or a recent phone that can? 'HTC One duel sim?' I was hoping Samsung a proper manufactorer as it should be a better experience than those MTK and other Chinese phones which I current have a Star X19i MTK phone on 2.3 which GPS sucks (doesn't even lock or properly most times even after 30 mins trying to connect), headphone socket sucks, is really slow etc nowadays

 

[Kiwyxda]

This thr45ead has me alittle confused I know what duel sim duel standby is but a poster above said if you have one on 3g the other on a call then the 3g will drop out at the end of the call which pretty much cancels all your active downloads etc.

Did I read that right?

I'm thinking of mby getting this phone as the full S4 duel is like 900 and very limited where you can get it.

This is what I need.

2 sims I use 1 dedicated 3g sim Virgin, other dedicated voice/sms Optus.

So 900/2100 frequency.

Reason for this instead of 1 sim is Virgin gives me a year worth of data 12gb which rolls over unused data on recharge whereas Optus is only 30 days 500mb data or so no rollover also I cant really get data on a prepaid 3 month long expiry with rollover $30 credit which is is $10 a month for prepaid and some times I haven't used all that credit within the 3 months.

So I cant really do both those things together on the 1 sim be nice if I could consolidate for the exact same benefits but that's not how it works it always costs more and trade-offs like no data rollover.

While I'm out I use my phone for listening to music online streaming, GPS, hopefully ingress (why I want a new phone), bit of web browsing etc so if I get a call don't want it to screw up anything I'm doing. I also tether to my tablet Nexus 10 and according to the op you cannot tether or the feature is broken with this phone.

So can anyone assure me I can do what I want or a recent phone that can? 'HTC One duel sim?' I was hoping Samsung a proper manufactorer as it should be a better experience than those MTK and other Chinese phones which I current have a Star X19i MTK phone on 2.3 which GPS sucks (doesn't even lock or properly most times even after 30 mins trying to connect), headphone socket sucks, is really slow etc nowadays

Your post is pretty confused.
You should try to phrase more simply maybe.
First you have 2 sim in 2 different sim slot.
the sim one is working at H+ speed with a maximum of 21Mb/s
the second sim is working at GPRS Hybrid speed at a maximum of 1,4 Mb/s
If you plan to put your main 3G sim in the second slot then you will not be able to enjoy maximum speed and any streaming will be like a pain in the $$$.
If you want to do tethering, it's working but only with the first sim. The second for a reason I don't understand can't be used with usb/wifi/bluetooth tethering.
Finally yes during a call on the sim 1, the sim 2 will be disconnected from network meaning any call or internet activity will be suspended.
and the contrary is true too, if you're using your sim 2 to call someone then the sim 1 will be disconnected from the network.

I have been told that the galaxy S4 is dual sim active meaning that if you receive a call on one sim the other is till active and can do 3G and receive call (but it needs to be verify) and also it's a S4 and not the S4 Mini. I don't know about you, but size matter to me and with phone bigger is not better at all.

I had a mediatek based phone and yes GPS sucks but the ship is battery efficient and support full speed 3G on both sim, it's also way cheapper. I think next mediatek generation will have my vote as they are the only one on ship market to really know how to make a dual sim ship in my opinion.

The HTC One dual has the same ship as the mini s4 and should have the same behavior (maybe not the bug on the tethering but all the other issue yes)

 

[Kiwyxda]

to delete

 

[jarmal]

It's not true that second sim works in 2g only. You cannot get 1.4mbit/s using Edge or gprs. Edge is limited to 0.25mbit/s in most networks. It can work in 3g even in hspa+ mode but indeed it seems that maximum bandwidth of data transfer is limited.

 

[Kiwyxda]

It's not true that second sim works in 2g only. You cannot get 1.4mbit/s using Edge or gprs. Edge is limited to 0.25mbit/s in most networks. It can work in 3g even in hspa+ mode but indeed it seems that maximum bandwidth of data transfer is limited.

Well F**** technical terms things is the 3G on second sim card can't be called 3G in my opinion. and completly sucks, for a 325€ phone having only one nice screen and a fonctionnal GPS compare to a cheap chineese phone that cost 150€, well I say Samsung should think more carefully to what ship they embededded in there phones.

 

[kms108]

Just purchased this phone yesterday, and I really like it, reading through this thread and other, here is my conclusion and the results, will try to update with some photo's later on.

with 1 usim in either slot 1 or slot 2, you get full speed on data.

with both usim in phone, slot 1 will get full data speed, slot 2 will get 2.3M

whiles both usim is in the phone, only one usim can operate in 3G mode, the other usim will change to 2G model.

With either 1 or 2 usim in the phone, operating from either slot 1 or slot 2, tethering works for me, and provides enough data for my ipod touch for we chat, whatsapp, browsing or basic online game (all my games are basic and does not require huge power resources)

with the results, it really doesn't affect me either way, as long as the phone can provide full speed.


hope this helps.

 

[Kiwyxda]

Just purchased this phone yesterday, and I really like it, reading through this thread and other, here is my conclusion and the results, will try to update with some photo's later on.

with 1 usim in either slot 1 or slot 2, you get full speed on data.

with both usim in phone, slot 1 will get full data speed, slot 2 will get 2.3M

whiles both usim is in the phone, only one usim can operate in 3G mode, the other usim will change to 2G model.

With either 1 or 2 usim in the phone, operating from either slot 1 or slot 2, tethering works for me, and provides enough data for my ipod touch for we chat, whatsapp, browsing or basic online game (all my games are basic and does not require huge power resources)

with the results, it really doesn't affect me either way, as long as the phone can provide full speed.


hope this helps.

I'm really interesting about the version of your phone and the whole "about session" because even with one sim in the phone it's impossible for me to get full speed on both sims and tethering working for both slot and also 2.3Mb/s is so fast compare to the result I get. (the fact that you can't have two active internet connection at the same time doesn't bother me that sounds reasonnable.)
Also the build date would be appreciate

 

[kms108]

I'm really interesting about the version of your phone and the whole "about session" because even with one sim in the phone it's impossible for me to get full speed on both sims and tethering working for both slot and also 2.3Mb/s is so fast compare to the result I get. (the fact that you can't have two active internet connection at the same time doesn't bother me that sounds reasonnable.)
Also the build date would be appreciate

right now i'm giving my phone a second full charge, when it's finished, i'll post the photo's of the speed test and the released date. From the box, my i9192 is a version sold in saudi arabia.

update:

The usim data card is rated at 14.4m max speed, the same card used in the i9192, note 2, USB data stick and mifi all get approximate 5-8m.

2 usim in phone with data enabled in slot 1

2 usim in phone with data enabled in slot 2

1 usim in phone slot 1 with data enabled

1 usim in phone slot 2 with data enabled

 

[Kiwyxda]

Can you consider to add a screenshot of the about section of your phone ?
Because I made the test yesterday again and once again impossible for me to reach more than 1,4Mb/s with 2 sim and data on slot 2

 

[kms108]

Can you consider to add a screenshot of the about section of your phone ?
Because I made the test yesterday again and once again impossible for me to reach more than 1,4Mb/s with 2 sim and data on slot 2

What do you mean by sections.

 

[Kiwyxda]

What do you mean by sections.

In settings --> More --> About device --> scroll down and screen shot those insfo
if you don't mind