I think I've read that the N900 doesn't support the second line.

http://www.expansys.com/ft.aspx?k=121694 says it doesn't

I'm not expert.. but..

In my experience, SMS messages always seem to originate from the primary line. I believe this is the same with MMS messages too.. Only voice calls (and video calls) can originate from the secondary number.

Now, from my research:

The N900 uses ofono as its interface to the telephony equipment in the device. Ofono allows devices to make/receive phone calls and send/receive SMS messages as well as all the other mobile stuff. Looking at the ofono API it doesn't appear to include inbound called number support. Essentially, when an inbound call is made, it does not include information that would tell the device which of the two lines was rung.. It also does not seem to support outgoing line changing.

When I tried an Orange UK line-2 enabled SIM in an N900 last week, the second line was never activated and I could not make or receive calls from that number (when calling the second line I heard an unavailable tone)

Speaking to the ofono devs, it seems line-2 isn't on their list of priorities.. I don't mean isn't high.. they weren't planning on implementing support. I've been reading the GSM specs related to line-2 and would like to contribute patches to ofono so that even if it doesn't directly support line-2, the support in the API is there so a future device implementation (phone driver) could present line-2 support without an API change.. this, even if it were to be accepted, is very unlikely to make it into Maemo5 and it would require Nokia's input as the telephony hardware itself would need to support line-2 which I don't believe it currently does.

Long and short, I don't believe the N900 will ever support ALS / line-2 services due to limitations in the telephony software and the telephony hardware..

This sucks as it means I wouldn't be able to use it as my primary phone.. but I'm still going to get one and hope it tethers (else it'll be wifi only.. and that sucks EVEN more)



note: the expansys comment was from me

Does it? Before, everybody said Maemo 5 doesn't use ofono.

Does it not?! DAAAMN! got that wrong.. ooops! Either way, ofono doesn't seem to support line-2.. and testing a handset also demonstrated no support for line-2.. A glance through the manual doesn't mention anything about line changing as most other Nokia manuals do..

Must do more research next time.. sorry everyone!

"Line 2" didn't mean anything to me, but I think that you'd like to vote for https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=5438 . :-)

Threads merged.

Cheers for that..

Its a shame as I will have to port my number and carry two phones..

Will definately vote for that bug..
I thought pretty much all nokia's supported line 2, at least at hardware level..

OH MY ****.. I've just put my sim in my N900 bought from the flagship store.. phoned my line-2 number and the damn thing RANG!

I've not yet figured out if I can change my out going line, but incoming calls appear to work!!

TOTALLY UNEXPECTED!!

Nice one Nokia!

(it doesn't seem to know that the call came in on line-2, but at least it wasn't an unavailable tone!)

I know this thread is a bit outdated, but are there any news on ALS and how to use it (make outgoing calls)?