Punkt Mobile Phone- Non Smart Phone; Good idea? Or Its Your funeral, Slip!

[Slippy]

https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/punkt-lau...sed-mc02-phone

https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/1/18...phone-mwc-2019

When my Apple Phone craps out, I'm thinking this little gem might be the way to go.

What say you knuckle dragging neandertals?

[BucketBack]

Knot allowing cookies

[1skrewsloose]

Why do they ask if I want to change my nation from the czeck republic when the company shows its in Switzerland? Is that their default country for anyone visiting their site? My VPN is set to Chicago. Just seems weird to me.

I've been looking at "Up Phone", kinda spendy for me tho.

[Mad Trapper]

I've got a LG, 4G, old flip/"dumb phone" , my carrier gave me it free when they dropped 3G.

It's a phone, not a mesmerizing POS, that I have to leave on all day starring into it like a Zombie..........

It works fine for phone calls. It's ALWAYS OFF, when not in use.

[Inor]

https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/

https://www.pcmag.com/news/punkt-lau...sed-mc02-phone

https://www.theverge.com/2019/3/1/18...phone-mwc-2019

When my Apple Phone craps out, I'm thinking this little gem might be the way to go.

What say you knuckle dragging neandertals?

When it comes to privacy on a cell phone, I will give the Punkt phone a definite "maybe"...

Here is my logic:

Privacy on a phone is a LOT more than just the handset and the operating system running on it. And unfortunately, the spiderweb of everything and every company involved is getting exponentially more complicated to unravel and understand every year.

A couple years ago, you probably remember I took my old Android and tested running several different "private" operating systems on it. That worked as far as the handset was concerned. Google is no longer listening to me when I am not on a call and no longer able to collect data on me when I am using my phone to browse the web, etc. It also encrypts my text messages so those are moderately secure as long as whomever I am texting with is running the same encryption software as me on their side. (If I send you a text, I assume Google/Apple would still be able to read them because you are not running my custom encryption software and my phone would "fall back" to just using plain SMS/RMS for messaging.) The long-and-short of it is: having semi-secure hardware and a semi-secure operating system is better than nothing, but it is still a long way from being undetectable.

The second, and more uncontrollable, half of the equation is the mobile network you are running on. Even with a completely secure phone and operating system your carrier is still going to track all of your movements, all of your calls and even the metadata from any encrypted messages. That is also true even with a completely "dumb" flip phone. And they are still able to associate all of that information to you individually.

My immediate solution to that problem was to just switch carriers from Verizon (or Sprint or ATT or whomever) to a carrier like Patriot Mobile or similar company that writes directly into their contract with you that they will not capture or track your data... But as it turns out, that is a bullshit assumption as well. Small carriers like Patriot Mobile are wonderful and I highly recommend them, but they do not own their own mobile network. They rent bandwidth from Verizon or ATT or Sprint and just repackage it for you to use. So in my case, Verizon no longer has the record of my specific SIM card ID, but they do still see all the calls/texts I make using their network. They just have to jump through a few more hoops to directly associate my SIM ID directly to me. So it is better, but still not really anonymous.

The next level of anonymity is to explicitly remove the SIM card from whatever phone you have when you are not using it. But that means, the phone is nothing more than a piece of plastic taking up space in your pocket with no ability to send or receive calls/texts etc. Plus, if you happen to lose or break the SIM card while it is out of the phone, then you are basically screwed as far as ever being able to use it.

So Inor's short answer is: If you are concerned about privacy, leave the damn phone at home no matter what brand it is or who your carrier is!!!

[StratBastard]

I've got a LG, 4G, old flip/"dumb phone" , my carrier gave me it free when they dropped 3G.

It's a phone, not a mesmerizing POS, that I have to leave on all day starring into it like a Zombie..........

It works fine for phone calls. It's ALWAYS OFF, when not in use.

I've got the TCL flip phone. 4G. Free as well. It actually gets the net I discovered, but the screen is so small you would never consider using it LOL. It hardly ever rings, so I successfully escaped the rat race.

[Slippy]

When it comes to privacy on a cell phone, I will give the Punkt phone a definite "maybe"...

Here is my logic:

Privacy on a phone is a LOT more than just the handset and the operating system running on it. And unfortunately, the spiderweb of everything and every company involved is getting exponentially more complicated to unravel and understand every year.

A couple years ago, you probably remember I took my old Android and tested running several different "private" operating systems on it. That worked as far as the handset was concerned. Google is no longer listening to me when I am not on a call and no longer able to collect data on me when I am using my phone to browse the web, etc. It also encrypts my text messages so those are moderately secure as long as whomever I am texting with is running the same encryption software as me on their side. (If I send you a text, I assume Google/Apple would still be able to read them because you are not running my custom encryption software and my phone would "fall back" to just using plain SMS/RMS for messaging.) The long-and-short of it is: having semi-secure hardware and a semi-secure operating system is better than nothing, but it is still a long way from being undetectable.

The second, and more uncontrollable, half of the equation is the mobile network you are running on. Even with a completely secure phone and operating system your carrier is still going to track all of your movements, all of your calls and even the metadata from any encrypted messages. That is also true even with a completely "dumb" flip phone. And they are still able to associate all of that information to you individually.

My immediate solution to that problem was to just switch carriers from Verizon (or Sprint or ATT or whomever) to a carrier like Patriot Mobile or similar company that writes directly into their contract with you that they will not capture or track your data... But as it turns out, that is a bullshit assumption as well. Small carriers like Patriot Mobile are wonderful and I highly recommend them, but they do not own their own mobile network. They rent bandwidth from Verizon or ATT or Sprint and just repackage it for you to use. So in my case, Verizon no longer has the record of my specific SIM card ID, but they do still see all the calls/texts I make using their network. They just have to jump through a few more hoops to directly associate my SIM ID directly to me. So it is better, but still not really anonymous.

The next level of anonymity is to explicitly remove the SIM card from whatever phone you have when you are not using it. But that means, the phone is nothing more than a piece of plastic taking up space in your pocket with no ability to send or receive calls/texts etc. Plus, if you happen to lose or break the SIM card while it is out of the phone, then you are basically screwed as far as ever being able to use it.

So Inor's short answer is: If you are concerned about privacy, leave the damn phone at home no matter what brand it is or who your carrier is!!!

Makes perfect sense and appreciate the analysis.

Main reason I'm looking at a non-smart phone is that I simply don't use the internet functions or most Apps on my current smart phone.

Mostly phone calls, texts and when traveling, one of the GPS Apps if I need it. I sue my computer for most internet stuff, using a phone for internet stuff has never been something I've done much of.

[Mad Trapper]

When it comes to privacy on a cell phone, I will give the Punkt phone a definite "maybe"...


The next level of anonymity is to explicitly remove the SIM card from whatever phone you have when you are not using it. But that means, the phone is nothing more than a piece of plastic taking up space in your pocket with no ability to send or receive calls/texts etc. Plus, if you happen to lose or break the SIM card while it is out of the phone, then you are basically screwed as far as ever being able to use it.

So Inor's short answer is: If you are concerned about privacy, leave the damn phone at home no matter what brand it is or who your carrier is!!!

You can also pull out the battery.

I think some older phones, you were not tracked if phone was off/unused. Not sure when that changed?

[Mad Trapper]

Makes perfect sense and appreciate the analysis.

Main reason I'm looking at a non-smart phone is that I simply don't use the internet functions or most Apps on my current smart phone.

Mostly phone calls, texts and when traveling, one of the GPS Apps if I need it. I sue my computer for most internet stuff, using a phone for internet stuff has never been something I've done much of.

We were trying to get to a medical center for an appointment. My friend was driving and using a cell/GPS app for directions. It got us a few blocks away, then rerouted us onto an interstate, heading out of state..........3 times

I still like/have maps. Even digital ones. I have archival and current USGS topo maps for all the areas around me. The ones from the 1800s are interesting to look at and see how things have changed. One is from an area flooded to make a large reservoir . I fish there and you couldn't ask for a better bottom map.

[Slippy]

I believe that Phone Addiction is on the same level as Drug Addiction.

I set a good example for my grandkids and adult Sons/Daughter In Laws by NOT having my phone with me as much as possible.

I also respect those who I'm with (Mrs Slippy, business colleagues, customers, friends etc) by not having the phone distraction when we eat or meet.

About the worst thing I do with my phone is share pictures.