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VoIP Providers (#2099)
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jonaharagon committed Mar 22, 2023
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- 'email.md'
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- Software:
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- "Logiciels":
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Expand Up @@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ Calendars contain some of your most sensitive data; use products that implement

!!! recommendation

![Tutanota logo](assets/img/calendar/tutanota.svg#only-light){ align=right }
![Tutanota logo](assets/img/calendar/tutanota-dark.svg#only-dark){ align=right }
![Tutanota logo](assets/img/calendar/tutanota.svg){ align=right }

**Tutanota** offers a free and encrypted calendar across their supported platforms. Features include: automatic E2EE of all data, sharing features, import/export functionality, multi-factor authentication, and [more](https://tutanota.com/calendar-app-comparison/).

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4 changes: 2 additions & 2 deletions docs/email.md
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Expand Up @@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ title: "Email Services"
icon: material/email
description: These email providers offer a great place to store your emails securely, and many offer interoperable OpenPGP encryption with other providers.
---
Email is practically a necessity for using any online service, however we do not recommend it for person-to-person conversations. Rather than using email to contact other people, consider using an instant messaging medium that supports forward secrecy.
Email is practically a necessity for using any online service, however we do not recommend it for person-to-person conversations. Rather than using email to contact other people, consider using an instant messaging medium that supports forward secrecy:

[Recommended Instant Messengers](real-time-communication.md){ .md-button }
[Recommended Instant Messengers :material-arrow-right-drop-circle:](real-time-communication.md){ .md-button }

For everything else, we recommend a variety of email providers based on sustainable business models and built-in security and privacy features.

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Expand Up @@ -34,8 +34,7 @@ Privacy.com gives information about the merchants you purchase from to your bank

!!! recommendation

![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo.svg#only-light){ align=right }
![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo-dark.svg#only-dark){ align=right }
![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo.svg){ align=right }

**MySudo** provides up to 9 virtual cards depending on the plan you purchase. Their paid plans additionally include functionality which may be useful for making purchases privately, such as virtual phone numbers and email addresses, although we typically recommend other [email aliasing providers](email.md) for extensive email aliasing use.

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<div class="grid cards" markdown>

- ![Privacy.com logo](assets/img/financial-services/privacy_com.svg#only-light){ .twemoji }![Privacy.com logo](assets/img/financial-services/privacy_com-dark.svg#only-dark){ .twemoji } [Privacy.com](financial-services.md#privacycom-us-free)
- ![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo.svg#only-light){ .twemoji }![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo-dark.svg#only-dark){ .twemoji } [MySudo](financial-services.md#mysudo-us-paid)
- ![MySudo logo](assets/img/financial-services/mysudo.svg){ .twemoji } [MySudo](financial-services.md#mysudo-us-paid)
</div>

[Learn more :material-arrow-right-drop-circle:](financial-services.md#payment-masking-services)
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[Learn more :material-arrow-right-drop-circle:](search-engines.md)

### Phone Number (VoIP) Providers

<div class="grid cards" markdown>

- [JMP.chat](voip.md#jmpchat)
- ![MySudo logo](assets/img/voip/mysudo.svg){ .twemoji } [MySudo](voip.md#mysudo)
- [Hushed](voip.md#hushed)
- [Cheogram](voip.md#cheogram-sopranica)
- [VOIPSuite](voip.md#operation-privacy-voip)

</div>

[Learn more :material-arrow-right-drop-circle:](voip.md)

### VPN Providers

??? danger "VPNs do not provide anonymity"
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---
title: Phone Numbers
icon: material/phone
description: These providers allow you to obtain a phone number without providing identifying information.
---
**Voice-over-IP** is the technology which allows phone calls and text messages to be sent over the internet. Consumer VoIP providers are often used as a way to obtain a secondary phone number or multiple phone numbers without providing identifying information. Phone numbers are commonly used by internet services to uniquely identify you, so using the same number between every service is a fingerprinting tactic service providers can use to track you. It is also often more challenging for most people to change their "primary" phone number, so using a secondary VoIP number with less important services and contacts can save you a huge hassle when that secondary phone number is compromised.

It is important to note that VoIP in general is not anonymous or particularly secure. These providers offer improved privacy by allowing you to obtain a phone number without providing your personal information, and by allowing you to easily create and dispose of phone numbers as needed, but they do **not** provide encrypted communications, so the service provider will always have full insight into your communications.

For sensitive person-to-person communications, we strongly recommend using an instant messaging medium that supports forward secrecy instead:

[Recommended Instant Messengers :material-arrow-right-drop-circle:](real-time-communication.md){ .md-button }

## Cloud Hosted

### JMP.chat

!!! recommendation

**JMP.chat** is an advanced service which provides US or Canadian phone numbers which can be accessed with any XMPP client. It also allows you to [port in](https://jmp.chat/faq#existing) your existing phone number.

[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://jmp.chat/){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://jmp.chat/privacy){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://jmp.chat/faq){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://soprani.ca/){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

??? downloads

- [:simple-android: APK Download](https://git.singpolyma.net/cheogram-android/refs)

JMP.chat has a fork of Conversations.im for Android called [Cheogram](https://cheogram.com/) which has some JMP-specific features, including Android dialer integration and other calling improvements. They otherwise [recommend](https://jmp.chat/faq) [Conversations.im](https://conversations.im/) on Android, [Snikket](https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/snikket/id1545164189) on iOS, [Gajim](https://gajim.org/) for desktop, or [Movim](https://mov.im/?login) on the web, however any XMPP client can be used.

JMP.chat requires you have an existing XMPP account which you can self-host or get for free with many providers. Choosing an XMPP provider is outside the scope of this site, although JMP.chat recommends [Movim](https://mov.im/) or [Snikket Hosting](https://snikket.org/hosting/).

You can also use JMP.chat with a [Matrix](real-time-communication.md#element) account instead of XMPP by choosing "I am a Matrix user" during registration. This is considered alpha as of [March 2022](https://blog.jmp.chat/b/march-newsletter-2022).

JMP.chat is built on top of [Soprani.ca](https://soprani.ca/)'s suite of open-source telephony projects. For more information, see our entry on [Cheogram](#cheogram-sopranica).

### MySudo

!!! recommendation

![MySudo logo](assets/img/voip/mysudo.svg){ align=right }

**MySudo** provides up to 9 phone numbers depending on the plan you purchase. This is the easiest provider to use, only requiring a standard registration with their official apps.

[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://mysudo.com/){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://anonyome.com/privacy-policy/){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://support.mysudo.com/hc/en-us){ .card-link title=Documentation}

??? downloads

- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.anonyome.mysudo)
- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mysudo-private-secure/id1237892621)
- [:octicons-globe-16: Web (Beta)](https://web.mysudo.com/)

MySudo's paid plans additionally include functionality which may be useful for making purchases privately, such as [virtual card numbers](financial-services.md#payment-masking-services) and email addresses, although we typically recommend other [email aliasing providers](email.md) for extensive email aliasing use.

MySudo requires regisration via their mobile app, and has no desktop client (only a beta [web app](https://web.mysudo.com/)). Some users report issues with MySudo on "de-Googled" [Android operating systems](android.md) like GrapheneOS, particularly with registration. You can test out MySudo with a free account to determine whether it will work for you.

### Hushed

!!! recommendation

**Hushed** provides prepaid or monthly-subscription phone numbers. You can purchase unlimited numbers on a single account.

[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://hushed.com/){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-eye-16:](https://hushed.com/privacy-policy/){ .card-link title="Privacy Policy" }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://support.hushed.com/hc/en-us){ .card-link title=Documentation}

??? downloads

- [:simple-googleplay: Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hushed.release)
- [:simple-appstore: App Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/hushed-second-phone-number/id600520752)
- [:octicons-globe-16: Web](https://app.hushed.com/signup)

!!! warning

Hushed's mobile apps and website do have some privacy unfriendly [dependencies](https://reports.exodus-privacy.eu.org/en/reports/com.hushed.release/latest/), including Google Analytics.

Hushed occasionally offers "[lifetime](https://stacksocial.com/sales/hushed-private-phone-1-line-plan-1000-mins-6000-sms)" plans, which makes it a popular affordable option for a single secondary phone number. Remember that lifetime plans last for the lifetime of the service, not your own lifetime.

Hushed allows registrations via their website, making them the easiest VoIP provider choice if you don't have a mobile device.

## Self-Hosted

It is possible to self-host most aspects of a VoIP server, however you will typically still need an account with a commercial VoIP exchange to actually interconnect with the regular telephone network. Most people use accounts with providers like Twilio, Vonage, or Telnyx, but choosing a specific provider is outside the scope of this guide. Self-hosting gives you the advantage of greater control over how your messages are stored and processed, more flexibility about which underlying VoIP provider you utilize, potentially unlimited phone numbers, and cost benefits in some cases.

!!! danger "Advanced Topic"

These applications may require extensive knowledge and work to configure correctly, which is outside the scope of this site. Proceed at your own risk!

### Cheogram (Soprani.ca)

!!! recommendation

**Cheogram** is a platform which bridges the telephony network with XMPP (and Matrix in alpha). This is the backend used by the hosted **JMP.chat** product.

[:octicons-home-16: Homepage](https://cheogram.com/){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://wiki.soprani.ca/){ .card-link title=Documentation}
[:octicons-code-16:](https://soprani.ca/){ .card-link title="Source Code" }

??? downloads

- [:simple-android: APK Download](https://git.singpolyma.net/cheogram-android/refs)

Cheogram is a project by [Soprani.ca](https://soprani.ca/), an initiative for bridging phone numbers to the internet with open standards, servers, and clients. Cheogram bridges SMS with XMPP with software called an SGX ("Soprani.ca Gateway to XMPP"). You can choose to use Cheogram/Soprani.ca's hosted SGX with your own Vonage or Twilio account, or host your own SGX instance.

- [Using your own instance of the Vonage SGX](https://wiki.soprani.ca/VonageSetup#Using_your_own_instance_of_the_Vonage_SGX)
- [Using Vonage with Soprani.ca's SGX](https://wiki.soprani.ca/VonageSetup)
- [Using Twilio with Soprani.ca's SGX](https://wiki.soprani.ca/TwilioSetup)

Twilio or Vonage both require an existing phone number to register. According to Soprani.ca, Vonage is the only VoIP provider they have found which accepts VoIP numbers (such as JMP numbers) for registration.

### Operation Privacy VoIP

!!! recommendation

**Operation Privacy** provides an open-source web dashboard for interfacing with Twilio or Telnyx, enabling SMS, MMS, and voice calling via your provider's API.

[:octicons-repo-16: Repository](https://github.com/0perationPrivacy/VoIP){ .md-button .md-button--primary }
[:octicons-info-16:](https://github.com/0perationPrivacy/voip/wiki){ .card-link title=Documentation}

If you have a Twilio or Telnyx account you can use the official hosted online service at [voip.operationprivacy.com](https://voip.operationprivacy.com/) with your own API keys, however this does give the instance provider insight into your messages. You can also [host it for free on Render](https://github.com/0perationPrivacy/voip/wiki/Cloud-Hosting) or [host it on your own Linux server](https://github.com/0perationPrivacy/VoIP/discussions/49).

## Criteria

**Please note we are not affiliated with any of the projects we recommend.** In addition to [our standard criteria](about/criteria.md), we have developed a clear set of requirements to allow us to provide objective recommendations. We suggest you familiarize yourself with this list before choosing to use a project, and conduct your own research to ensure it's the right choice for you.

!!! example "This section is new"

We are working on establishing defined criteria for every section of our site, and this may be subject to change. If you have any questions about our criteria, please [ask on our forum](https://discuss.privacyguides.net/latest) and don't assume we didn't consider something when making our recommendations if it is not listed here. There are many factors considered and discussed when we recommend a project, and documenting every single one is a work-in-progress.

- Does not require personal phone number for registration.
- Offers multiple phone numbers.
- Capable of SMS, MMS, and standard voice calls to non-VoIP phone numbers.
- Available on iOS and Android.
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