cell phone options (situation specific)

[jo552006]

Hi all,

I know there's a lot of great information out there regarding cell phones, but I was hoping to get some specific ideas for my situation, I'm hoping there's something I haven't yet thought of.

I have a deep hatred of recurring bills, and always try to minimize those.

I have a need to have a cell phone without a camera in it occasionally (say 2+ days a week, maybe more in the future), but need to be available and have access to cellular data using applications during that time so do not want to go without a phone all together..

I do not have access to wifi when i am using the camera free phone.

I use (and prefer to use) iPhones

I have 2 CDMA (Verizon) iphones phones available at the moment.  Either can be unlocked and either can have the camera permanently removed in such a way it it acceptable.

I also need to have a phone with a camera for facetime, and ideally my primary phone has the ability to take pictures.

Goal: 1 phone number that rings regardless of which phone happens to be turned on.

My thoughts

1.  Sim Cloning appears to be illegal and frowned upon.
2. I can purchase a completely separate plan as cheap as possible with it's own phone number and set up some form of call forwarding from primary line, possibly via google voice.  (Something like this appears to be the most viable solution)
3. I can have my camera removed from my primary phone and use the secondary phone only on wifi for facetime.  (Not ideal due to wanting to take pictures with primary phone, and facetime when no access to wifi)
4. Other thoughts?
5. Cheapest CDMA wireless plans for auxiliary phone without camera?

[reeshau]

SIM cloning is bad, but would you be against swapping the SIM back and forth?  I presume the times you need no camera, toting along the phone with a camera would be a no-no.  So, if you didn't mind the fine motor skills work, you can just move it between them.

There might be some expectation that you will wear down the contacts moving it multiple times weekly, but it still should last years.  (Same basic physics as a memory card)

This isn't so weird for people who travel internationally, and swap SIMs for local phone plans.  It's just the opposite relationship.

Your need to check with your carrier to see if they register your handset IMEI with the SIM, which could also block this.

[cleverscreenname]

How about a tablet? You can get a data-only prepaid plan for tablets from MVNOs. You can setup a personal internet hot-spot and connect tablet-phone, phone-tablet, phone-phone... and there are internet companies that can give you free or cheap numbers like TextNow, or VOIP call/text numbers like Google Voice... there's a lot of ways to do this.

Cameras? I hear you. Glue!

I always glue selfie cameras, with some opaque material such as a woodchip (completely encase it for smoothness). People commonly put tape over laptop cameras, but phones are constantly pushing against our clothing and need durable glue instead of tape. Elmer's school glue has been good enough for mine.
If you ever sell the phone, you can scrape the glue off... (you first applied a screen protector, right? lol)