This new MVNO wants to let users pay with crypto - but security scrutiny may mean it never sees the light of day

• Phreeli separates all user data into three distinct services for security
• Users can activate the service instantly using eSIM without a physical SIM
• Payments using cryptocurrency add an unusual layer of anonymity for users

Phreeli, a Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), has launched a cellular service that prioritizes privacy in ways most carriers ignore.

The service offers unlimited talk, text, and data, including hotspot access, while emphasizing user privacy and optional anonymity.

It also supports payments with cryptocurrency, adding a level of anonymity that is uncommon in standard smartphone services.

How Phreeli protects user data

The network separates all interactions into three distinct services to reduce exposure: data service, user service, and mixer service.

The user service stores the most sensitive personal information, the data service keeps aggregated activity separate, and the mixer service randomizes combined data so only valid tokens can decode it.

This compartmentalized design aims to prevent a single breach from exposing meaningful personal information and to preserve operational privacy across user activity.

Phreeli currently offers five unlimited plans that differ only in the amount of high-speed data included.

The lowest plan starts at $25 per month, while prepaid users pay $20 for each 5GB of high-speed data.

The Max plan includes 65GB of high-speed data for $85 per month. All plans include international messaging and operate in more than 90 countries.

This structure targets users who value privacy alongside predictable billing.

Despite these features, the network could face scrutiny from regulatory authorities.

The lack of standard identification requirements could conflict with rules intended to prevent fraud, money laundering, or other unlawful activity.

Some users may also hesitate to switch to a network that has not yet shown a consistent operational track record.

The MVNO relies on existing cellular infrastructure, which allows support for a wide range of modern devices.

Users can use eSIM technology for instant activation without physical SIM cards.

The network supports both personal devices and business smartphones, which often require reliable cellular connectivity for remote work and communication.

Phreeli’s approach to privacy and crypto payments is new, but the service’s long-term prospects depend on regulatory acceptance and real user adoption.

Uncertainty also remains around how the anonymized system will perform under real-world traffic and whether its privacy protections will hold up under external audits.

Via Notebookcheck

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