When we interviewed the regional rep of Nokia regarding the delay of the Nokia C2-00 after the announced it last year, they said they wanted to do the dual-SIM functionality right. So when Nokia Philippines sent us this Nokia C2-00 (as well as the X7), I thought this was my chance to look into Nokia’s dual-SIM strategy.
So here’s the case — most, if not all, of the previous dual-SIM handsets before the C2-00 placed the SIM card tray at the back of the unit, buried beneath the battery.
As such, when you want to switch SIM cards, you have no option but to turn off the unit, remove the back-cover and battery and replace one of the SIM.
According to some study (forgot the source), most dual-SIM users have a primary number which they always use and a secondary number, which has specific use and is the one that’s switched over to a 3rd SIM.
The old process of SIM swapping is tedious or cumbersome so Nokia found a way to solve that — make the secondary SIM hot-swappable. Place the 2nd SIM slot on the side of the phone which you can easily pop-out, replace and activate in less than 10 seconds without turning off the handset.
It’s a tiny detail but a novelty that Nokia introduced. I haven’t personally encountered any other dual-SIM phone that can do that (a quick Google pointed me to a MicroMax M2 handset being sold in India that can also do SIM hot-swap).
Nokia C2-00 specs:
1.8″ display @ 128×160 pixels
65 MB RAM
up to 32GB via microSD
GPRS/EDGE
Bluetooth 2.1 w/ A2DP
VGA camera
Stereo FM
FM recording
Li-Ion 1020mAh battery
Here are some of the dual-SIM functionalities of the C2-00:
* Pop in a second SIM in the external slot anytime (either ON or OFF state) and the phone automatically recognizes it.
* You can choose to have the phone ask you which SIM to use every time you send an SMS or you can set a default SIM to use automatically.
* Each SMS message is appended by the name of the carrier and the SIM used. If you resend a failed SMS, you can also pick another SIM to send it.
* Both SIM uses the same Inbox (that’s why they append the name and SIM number on each SMS to differentiate).
* The phone remembers up to 5 SIMs so your settings will remain intact even if you swap around more than 2 SIM cards.
There’s only one little hiccup I encountered with this hot-swap strategy — you can’t use the external SIM slot as the solitary SIM. You will need the to use the internal SIM tray first before you can use the external slot.
In any case, the Nokia C2-00 is a pretty solid entry-level, dual-SIM phone. It doesn’t have a whole lot of features to go along with it but it’s a worthy attempt by Nokia to thwart the threat that’s eating their market share in the low-end segment.
For a suggested retail price of around Php2,900, the C2-00 is actually a little more expensive than all other brands with the same specs. Where Nokia really excels is the brand-recognition, solid build and quality control, and an excellent service warranty. I guess that’s what a lot of people are looking for when they want to part with their hard-earned money.
I jerk off everyday while watching porn on my c2-00. I borrow money from my friends and never pay them back!that is my best quality!Yeah!!!!
im planning to buy one.. is this worth buying? hehe
how much that phone? can i buy 1?
The Battery is too weak to keep up with my needs..cuz i keep on downloading stuffs..and the battery can’t even give the backup for 3 hours..,!! I think that Nokia has to throw their spanners in this field..
this is way better than all other dual sim phones out there. Its functionality greatly reduced the number of gadgets i carry with me on a daily basis- it is like 2 mobiles phones and an ipod packed into 1.
with 32gb external memory capability, i have a tons and tons of songs loaded up in my microSD card without even having trouble with the system speed.
Another great thing about it is its 3.5mm stereo jack. This design allowed me to use my iPod’s headset instead of the inferior one included in the phone package.
C2-00 also allows you to download a couple of apps including Facebook (free for smart and globe) and twitter. Allowing you to still do all your social networking while you are away from your pc.
the c2-00 has a flash light or none?… i hope the manufacturer makes or put a flash light on this kind of unit model.. coz i want this unit anyway if have flash light for more convenience for users. thanks a lot for hearing my opinion..
the c2-00 has a flash light or none?… i hope the manufacturer makes or put a flash light on this kind of unit model.. coz i want this unit anyway if have flash light for more convenience for users. thanks a lot for hearing my opinion..
paanu b set-up ang free internet?
atleast, Di ko na kailangan pa ng 2 phone for my 4 sims, astig
Great! sana mag ka quad sim. ung malupet.
Nice gift for texters.
sana next dual sim nila ay tulad ng dating cp ko, E51. kahit i-retain na yung features ng e51, dagdagan na lang yun dual-sim capability…
@jarod_0122:
“Sobrang” inferior? Is it like comparing a Pentium 3 to an i7 processor? Ganun ba kalala?
Choose your words wisely. Please.
@Vincent
Di ba outright na pag Dual SIM eh dual standby din?Kung ganyan ang C2 eh sobrang inferior nga yan sa mumurahing Kingcom.
hot swappable sim is inferior to dual active sim. no more swapping. both sims are active at the same time
dual active din ang C2-00. on top of that ung isang sim is hot-swappable. Kung ayaw mo mag-swap pwede rin, pero dual-active dual-standby pa din sya. added na ung hot-swappable ang isang sim. alin pa ba dito ang di mo maintindihan?
If anyone is considering the Cherry mobile counterpart I suggest you better go with Kingcom TVGo 605.Its also a dual SIM phone, qwerty, 4GB Mem and really good looking for a cheap phone. I bought mine for P2460 simply because I want a TV phone and I tell you the reception is surprisingly good.
Anyway better late than never for Nokia.
are there dual sim android phones yet? been using a BB for a week (wife got it for free from her biz and gave it to me). I don’t connect via mobile internet that much since i connect thru wifi most of the time and I can’t seem to use the BB apps including appworld via wifi. am not going to get a plan just for the BB. and the apps are just so-so in my opinion. am thinking of trading/selling the BB 9300 and getting an android phone. what options do i have?
Cherry Mobile has one, I think? Not that I’d buy any of their phones any longer unless I see a marked improvement in their quality.
cherry mobile?, no thank you, , thats china phone hello!!!!
I wonder about the battery performance of this phone. I liked the form factor of C2-00 over X1-01, but I heard that the latter can keep up with 1 week of use before recharge.
My Nokia C1-00 can last me for 1 week before recharge, but of course that’s because only one sim is active at a time. I wonder how will the C2-00 last if two sims are active.
For me it lasts for about 3 days, and that’s with about an hour of full volumed radio every day. Plus there’s the usual usage and stuff…
message memory storage not ready – that’s the problem i’ve encountered with this dual sim phone. i always need to reset the phone for it to work. probably it should be used for moderately and the sound is soft even at high volume when there’s a call. yet still a good phone
Paid blog
If I still have my ipod touch, I’ll buy this phone to minimize the devices that i carry. You can buy 2 low end Nokia phones but the reason dual SIM is selling is becuase it has a target market. Abe, have you noticed battery life performance?
-Sent via YugaTech Mobile App
good review . But at Php2900, you can buy 2 low end nokia phones. And, you wouldn’t get mixups.
Other than being my main phone right now (and performing like WOAH), I have also pretty much ditched my mp3 player for this gadget.
Wow, it’s affordable! I think I’ll buy it :)
as what ive read in other forums, this is much better than nokia x1-01(intermittent network signal drops on either sims). the white one looks classy.
Maybe the one you are referring is when your making/receiving a call, one of the network drops signal, tama ba?
ok lang pang extra sim lang.. kesa sa cherry
I purchased this phone with hesitation, not because of the phone’s build, but because I don’t know what I will use it for…
but when I actually used it, I liked it better than my 5310, only because it boots up and warms-up pretty quick (read: I can open my inbox after a few seconds from boot-up).
whereas the 5310 takes 10 minutes before I can actually open the inbox contents.
I can swap sim cards real quick..
the gripes that I have about this phone is,
the vibrate function is kinda weak, the speaker sound is too soft even if the volume is way up high already. the music player’s sound is average, and the unit is thicker than the 5310.
but, overall the phone serves it’s purpose.
I hope Nokia will create a Ultra-thin candy-bar type Music phone that is touch & type with capacitive screen, HSPA+, nice camera and quick-responding menus.. better if they can port android OS into it. :)
“Where Nokia really excels is the brand-recognition, solid build and quality control, and an excellent service warranty.”
solid build – check
Quality control – check
Excellent service warranty – overrated, some service center sucks
Having said that… i’ve been using this phone for the past 6 weeks. A definitely must have for those in business who need multiply numbers.
tanga.. multiply sims ka diyan.
MULTIPLE SIMS! TANGA
Sakit nun ah… He he he…
@bobo mo: what are you, grammar police?! and by doing that, you feel like the smartest in the world? lol
kung mag-korek ka ng spelling ng iba, ayusin mo naman. ano tingin mo sa sarili mo, matalino? mag-ayos ka nga
Ang annoying lang ng mga grammar nazi. Ang OA lang.
@bobo mo: Magkokorek ka ng grammar eh mas mali ka naman. Asan ang multiply sim na sinabi niya? Ang layo ng multiply sim sa multiply numbers. Mas bobo ka multiply (multiplied) by 10. Panis!
I bought this for my dad since he never actually wanted to replace his two banged-up phones (a Nokia 6070 and a SE K310i). So far it is excellent for his purpose.