update!: Add Phone Service Providers

[jonaharagon]

Changes proposed in this PR:

• Adds phone number provider page
• Replaces duplicate images with symlinks

Closes: #2009

To-do list:

• Criteria
• JMP.chat logo
• MySudo logo
• Hushed logo
• Cheogram logo
• VOIPSuite logo
• Silent Link Logo

• I have disclosed any relevant conflicts of interest in my post.
• I agree to grant Privacy Guides a perpetual, worldwide, non-exclusive, transferable, royalty-free, irrevocable license with the right to sublicense such rights through multiple tiers of sublicensees, to reproduce, modify, display, perform, relicense, and distribute my contribution as part of this project.
• I am the sole author of this work.
• I agree to the Community Code of Conduct.

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[dngray]

One of the advantages of telnum.net is they take monero which I'm not aware of the others doing.

Their once-use disposable SMS numbers are useful for things like Discord. Some rooms there require a set phone number. Discord does do some checking to see if it's a VOIP number, and you don't get charged if no SMS is received from the VOIP number, so you can just try again.

[jonaharagon]

There is also https://silent.link/

[ph00lt0]

There is also https://silent.link/

Silient Link however interresting is not VOIP but a regular esim. Would maybe fall in a data category with PGPP by invisv

[ph00lt0]

One of the advantages of telnum.net is they take monero which I'm not aware of the others doing.

Their once-use disposable SMS numbers are useful for things like Discord. Some rooms there require a set phone number. Discord does do some checking to see if it's a VOIP number, and you don't get charged if no SMS is received from the VOIP number, so you can just try again.

I am not sure if we should recommend disposable numbers, it may link you to others which could be an issue if used for criminal activity and you therefore become a target. In addition we have seen that often numbers get tight to accounts for 2FA even if the users do not know this. So you will be locked out of your account. It is not always possible to see this consequence in advance.

[ph00lt0]

Thanks for adding the criteria @jonaharagon!

i still think we need to warn users about the trackers in the Hushed app. And I really wonder why Google Voice is not on the list. For all I see this is the most stable option on Android if you live in the right area.

[jonaharagon]

@ph00lt0 see: https://github.com/privacyguides/privacyguides.org/pull/2099/files#diff-1e0a622877fe626bbe5eceee6525b85baed7d4eaf7addea856f4f04b6eaac7f1R77-R79

Google Voice doesn't meet at least two of our criteria. I'm not interested in recommending less privacy-respecting providers on a cost-basis alone, which seems to be the only advantage it has.

[jonaharagon]

After researching PGPP a bit more I think that the concerns about it I had in https://github.com/privacyguides/privacyguides.org/discussions/1615#discussioncomment-3355447 are correct, I'm not going to include them.

I did initially think that PGPP might still provide protection against third-party IMSI-catchers like Stingrays even though it doesn't protect against network operator tracking, but even in that case it appears that more advanced catchers can track IMEI numbers as well, which is the whole problem anyways.

[ph00lt0]

After researching PGPP a bit more I think that the concerns about it I had in #1615 (comment) are correct, I'm not going to include them.

I did initially think that PGPP might still provide protection against third-party IMSI-catchers like Stingrays even though it doesn't protect against network operator tracking, but even in that case it appears that more advanced catchers can track IMEI numbers as well, which is the whole problem anyways.

To be clear, since the launch I have been very sceptical of PGPP and especially on their claims. But one thing they do well is that using cryptogaphy they made it impossible to figure out who pays for which subscription. This could still be a huge advantage that I have not seen elsewhere.

I was actually arguing a long time against PGPP' feature to automatically change IMSI numbers as tbh I think this only makes you more visisble. If I were some 3 letter agency I would be looking for IMEI number that regularly change IMSI.

[jonaharagon]

But one thing they do well is that using cryptogaphy they made it impossible to figure out who pays for which subscription. This could still be a huge advantage that I have not seen elsewhere.

I'm unsure how this is an advantage over paying for Silent Link with Monero?

[ph00lt0]

But one thing they do well is that using cryptogaphy they made it impossible to figure out who pays for which subscription. This could still be a huge advantage that I have not seen elsewhere.

I'm unsure how this is an advantage over paying for Silent Link with Monero?

Because getting monero requires KYC giving vague companies pasport copies. Impossible to obtain in a sensible way. It surely isn't worse than paying with crypto.

[jonaharagon]

Okay, I'm following you. I added PGPP with the requisite warnings for review, it does seem like there is at least one compelling use-case. I also like that they have unlimited data.

[ph00lt0]

https://ockham-solutions.fr/site/en/products/mercure/mercure-v4.html

Just for reference shows why IMSI changing is ineffective.

[privacyguides-bot]

This pull request has been mentioned on Privacy Guides. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/voip-cell-comms-knowledge-base-article/20635/1

[ph00lt0]

this is not a voip provider rather an app to use for JMP.

[friadev]

I think we should also take a look at Cape for this section.

Google Fi also provides opportunistic encrypted calls between Fi customers, and Google Messages provides E2EE RCS texting between Google Messages users, although this will soon be cross-platform. They also have their very interesting Fi Virtual Carrier Network.

[privacyguides-bot]

This pull request has been mentioned on Privacy Guides Community. There might be relevant details there:

https://discuss.privacyguides.net/t/basic-cybersecurity-hygiene-tips-for-a-safer-experience/35257/2