Phreeli is something we’ve never seen before: it’s a mobile operator so anonymous you don’t even have to tell us your name. Surprisingly, this level of anonymity for phone service is legal in all fifty states, but none of the major carriers allow it.
However, not mentioning his name is only one aspect of Phreeli’s emphasis on privacy and anonymity, as this mobile operator seems to have thought of almost every aspect necessary to provide a truly anonymous phone service.
Of course, you may wonder why you would want an anonymous phone service, or think it would only attract criminals, but Nicholas Merrill, the company’s founder, explained this in an interview with cabling that while some bad actors will inevitably use the service, it’s not intended for that audience.
Merrill compared Phreeli to the anonymity of payphones, explaining, “You put a quarter in there, you don’t have to identify yourself, you can call whoever you want.” And 99.9% of the time people don’t do bad things. »
Who is this service intended for? Well, Phreeli could target anyone who doesn’t like the idea of big companies keeping endless data, data that is often sold to advertisers or data brokers, who can then sell it on to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and other federal agencies.
So if you want to make your life more private, Phreeli might be worth a look. If so, here’s what you need to know about your new carrier.
1. You can register almost completely anonymously
Phreeli does not need your name, address or virtually any other information. The only information required is a zip code+4 and a payment method.
The need for a payment method may concern you because it is often linked to personal information. However, Phreeli accepts cryptocurrency and uses the ‘Double Blind Armadillo’ architecture, which separates your account information from your telecommunications activities.
This means, for example, that your phone number cannot be linked to your name or your payment details: the system can recognize whether you have paid or not without linking your credit card (or selected payment method) to your phone number.
2. Your SIM card can also be received anonymously
If you need a physical SIM card, Phreeli will of course ask for your address, but says that this will be deleted after the SIM card has been sent.
For added anonymity, you can also use an eSIM, which you can also download from a Phreeli-hosted website on the Tor anonymity network if needed.
3. You can choose how much (or little) information you want to provide to Phreeli.
While Phreeli allows you to remain almost completely anonymous, it can also provide more information if needed, which can make things easier so you can find the right balance for your needs.
For example, you can choose to register with an email address to recover your account if you lose your phone, but this is not necessary and you can always create a new anonymous email address anyway.
4. Phreeli will not sell your data.
Of course, Phreeli won’t store much data about you, but it promises never to sell the stored information or use targeted advertising.
5. Phreeli is available in most of the US.
You can sign up for Phreeli anywhere in the US and Puerto Rico, except Alaska, as long as the provider believes it can provide excellent service based on the +4 zip code provided.
Availability should be widespread since it uses T-Mobile’s infrastructure, but due to the “Double Blind Armadillo” scheme described above, T-Mobile wouldn’t even be able to connect it to its phone business.
Unfortunately, if you’re reading this outside of the US, you won’t be able to sign up for Phreeli, even though the carrier allows international roaming if you’re traveling abroad.