A Second Line for Your Smartphone

Mixing Business With Pleasure?

Mixing professional and personal business often leads to trouble. Many employees, entrepreneurs, and professionals carry two phones, one for business and the other for personal calls, texts, email, etc. But others just want two phone numbers that are associated with the same device. The really tech-savvy also want two numbers that can be used on a phone, tablet, computer, smartwatch, or whatever other gadgets they have.

Adding a second line can be achieved in several different ways. There are apps for both Android and iPhones that can provide a virtual second number for your smartphone. You can do it by adding a second SIM or eSIM to a compatible phone. And your mobile service provider may offer a second line option. Let's look at each of those options.

Cellular service providers such as Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile offer the option to add a second line, but it can be more expensive and restricted than necessary. Verizon, for example, charges $15/month for a second line, with a two-year contract that runs separately from the main number. (Verizon does not offer prepaid customers the second line option.)

Naturally, third-party services have arisen to provide second lines at lower cost with no contract and no restrictions. I'll show you a couple that are free, and some that offer free trial periods, which you’ll never get from a carrier. They also sweeten the pot with discounted international calls and clever features like the ability to set the hours during which your business phone line will ring.

With Google Voice, you get a free phone number for calls, text messages, and voicemail. It works on smartphones and desktop computers. Voice allows texting from your computer or cell phone, filters out most spam calls, lets you block unwanted callers, and screen your calls before answering. Incoming voicemails are transcribed into text and arrive in your email inbox. You can personalize your voicemail greetings for people in your contact list. I have a Google Voice number that rings on my cell phone, and .

Another option is the TextNow app that offers free talk and text. You get a free phone number when you sign up, which can be used on any wifi-connected phone, tablet, or desktop computer. TextNow recently added the option to use the service without WiFi. This requires a one-time purchase of a SIM Activation Kit for $4.99. Insert the SIM card into a spare phone and you'll have nationwide talk and text with no monthly charges. I recently learned about this app from my 9-year-old granddaughter. She showed me that she could text and make calls from her Samsung tablet. "It's just an app, Grandpa Bob!"

GoDaddy, best known for domain registrations and hosting services, offers Conversations . The Basic service costs $12.99/month after a 7-day free trial. Conversations includes unlimited texting and calling. You choose a phone number in any U.S. area code, restrict ringing hours, send the second line’s number as caller-ID, convert voicemails to text, and customize a greeting for the second line. When you call out using Conversations , your second phone number shows on their Caller ID, so your personal number stays private. Godaddy says you can download the Conversations app (iOS or Android) and get your new number up and running in about 5 minutes. I've been using Conversations as a second number to manage a rental cottage, and it has worked well.

Magic Jack is an option to consider if you don't have a mobile phone, or if you don't want your second line to be associated with a mobile phone. Magic Jack is a gadget you plug into your computer, and then plug a standard phone handset into it. It uses your Internet connection to make and receive phone calls. The device costs $49.99, and includes 12 months of phone service. After the first year, you can renew for $43 annually, or at a discounted multi-year rate ($109 for 3 years). Magic Jack can be used as a second line, but most people use it as a low-cost replacement for their landline service. A companion MagicJack app lets you use your MagicJack account on an iPhone or Android smartphone.

Line2 offers a bundle similar to GoDaddy Conversations, but a Line2 number works with either cellular service or WiFi (VoIP), while Conversations is strictly cellular. VoIP can be a lifesaver when you’re in a cellular service “dead zone" but you can connect to WiFi. A Line2 number works on up to five devices (phones, tablets, PCs or Macs), while Conversations is silent on that subject. You get "virtually unlimited" calling and texting; you can forward, screen, or block calls, or do group calling and messaging. If you have a website, you can use the Line2 Widget to get texts directly from people on your site. The Starter package is $9.99/month, and provides either a local or toll-free number, with caller ID, voicemail, call forwarding, call blocking, call screening, and voicemail transcriptions.

Sideline can be your a second phone line for calls, texts, voicemail, and more. Sideline detects and blocks spam callers, telemarketers, and can send an automated text message reply if you miss a call or message. Plans range from $9.99 to $14.49 per month.

More Options For Multi-Line Smartphones

Burner touts its service as a privacy protector. Their slogan is "Only give your personal number to people you trust. For everyone else, there's Burner." A Burner number costs $4.99 per month, or $3.99/month if you pay yearly. (Be sure to select the "Subscribe on the web & download after" option. For some reason, the price is $9.99/month if you Download Burner directly from the app stores.)

A single line gives you unlimited texting, calling, and picture-messaging, plus spam call filtering. Burner’s distinguishing feature is the ability to “burn” a number and get another once per month; this can be useful for temporary communications needs such as a Craigslist ad or dating service. You can have any number of Burner phone numbers. An added privacy bonus is that you can make and receive calls without having the outbound or inbound numbers showing on your phone bill. Calls made through the Burner app look like calls between your Burner number and your personal number.

Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp Messenger are strictly VoIP apps that let you call, text, or video conference with other users of the same app. They’re free and work well for some users.

Adding a Second Line With the SIM/eSIM Option

A SIM (Subscriber Identity Module) is a small chip inserted into your mobile phone that connects you to a cellular network. They can take the form of a physical chip, or an eSIM (embedded SIM), which is built into the device's hardware and can be programmed.

Many modern phones support dual SIMs, providing the option to use two mobile numbers or data plans on a single device. A dual SIM phone can have two physical SIM cards, a combination of a SIM and an eSIM, or even multiple eSIMs.

International travelers can reduce roaming costs by using a local SIM for calls and data while keeping their first SIM active to receive calls from back home. Another possible advantage of using multiple SIMs is to reduce costs. You could have one SIM with cheap data and another with a better calling plan or coverage.

Some popular dual SIM phone models include the Samsung Galaxy Series, Apple iPhones, the OnePlus Series, Google Pixel, Xiaomi, and the ASUS Zenfone.

I’m not sure what the tax ramifications of the two-numbers-one-phone strategy are. Generally, the IRS wants any expenses you deduct from gross revenue to be for things exclusively used for business. The service charges for a second, business-only line may be deductible, but if business and personal matters are conducted on a device, the device’s cost may not be deductible even in part. Check with your tax expert on that.

Have you used one of these services to add a second line to your mobile phone? Your thoughts on this topic are welcome. Post your comment or question below.