Is it possible to go data only, no phone function?

greenstumps

I've always wanted this as I hate phone calles and text, I just want data. However I've never had a phone where you can turn off all the phone stuff and just have data so you're not bothered. I don't like do not disturb as people know your phone is on, but I do not like Airplane mode as I want to use data.

Is it possible to do this?

spiral

greenstumps

Of course, you just have to find a service provider which is data-only. Jmp.chat provides such a service.

csis01

greenstumps I hate phone calles and text
...
turn off all the phone stuff and just have data so you're not bothered.

Wouldn't that be as simple as just not sharing your phone number with anyone?

You can also go into the call forwarding settings in the dialer and set "Always forward" to something like a google voice number or voicemail.

Benefit here is that it would also maintain the phone in the case of an emergency (i.e. car crash, assault, etc.)

[deleted]

Use the new Pixel tablet.

N1b

If I understand you correctly, you don't want telephony and SMS, but you want mobile data when you are out (so not just WiFi data at home or public hotspots). Therefore you need a SIM card to access the mobile data network. Fortunately, many providers can give you data only SIM cards with no phone number and functionality attached. If you don't find a good service at your location, I recommend silent.link where you get a data eSIM prepaid card for a good price and with access to all networks so you can always choose the best connections or cheapest prices. Other advantages are that you are always in roaming mode which makes it harder to identify you on the network and you can pay for the eSIM with crypto without leaving KYC information.

If you just ask for a device without mobile chip that only gets you WiFi data, indeed the Pixel Tablet is the next best thing running GrapheneOS. However your comment about airplane mode makes me think you want a phone with mobile data.

Basic255

N1b do you know where people can pay for this with crypto? This might be a dumb question BC its still using data but would this limit cell triangulation? I just see your brief comment about making it harder to identify you

N1b

Basic255 the website is https://silent.link

They give you an eSIM of a foreign country and you connect this to any network available to you (they even habe a price list per country and provider and two different tiers of data SIMs so you can get what's cheapest for you). The "anonymity" is limited to

the SIM being in roaming mode and therefore harder to identify for the network provider since they get fewer information from it
the company you buy the eSIM from doesn't know who you are since you don't give them any KYC information

SIM cards and especially eSIMs are still inherently bad for anonymity, here are a few examples why:

they get access to your real hardware identifiers and there's no way around this
currently for eSIMs to install, you have to give Google privileged access as well
the mobile network is built as a tracking network (it needs to track your phone in order to know where to send the data)
triangulation will always be possible with current tech as soon as you are out of airplane mode
if you make one mistake, your anonymity is gone. Like leaving your phone out of airplane mode for one night, or even putting it out of airplane mode too close to your home, or sending unencrypted identifiable data over the network (like you would do by using Telegram for example).

So it's hard, really hard to have mobile data and stay somewhat anonymous. A mobile router that allows you to change the IMEI (illegal is some countries) can mitigate it maybe, but triangulation and decryption will be your enemy at all times.

In the end you need to know what you really want and define your threat model. There are levels of privacy and anonymity that are very inconvenient to achieve and probably not worth it if you don't happen to be on an Edward Snowden threat model. For me using a silent.link data eSIM on a GOS phone is good enough.

Edit: Typos

Basic255

N1b what woul d you recommend for wanting to make it harder to find you ? Some say never use home WiFi even with vpn on router and device some say always use this , some say use a mobile router some say don't BC that will lead to triangulation too, some public WiFi others say don't

Basic255

N1b
If someone is trying to make it harder for an entity to find them because being able to fully hiding in the digital world is next to impossible . if they don't have access to public wifi all the time would you say using home WiFi is better than using the anon data sim or one of the 4,g dongles? Ive been trying to understand why WiFi is better . I read and searched and cell data and WiFi seem to both be able to locate you to almost your very exact spot .

[deleted]

N1b unencrypted identifiable data over the network (like you would do by using Telegram for example).

Telegram does use HTTPs

N1b

csis01 Benefit here is that it would also maintain the phone in the case of an emergency (i.e. car crash, assault, etc.)

You don't need a SIM card to call 911 (or 112 in Europe). Or do you mean calling friends and family for help?

csis01

N1b There's a lot of different numbers you might call during an emergency that aren't 911/999/112/etc.

N1b

Basic255 I highly recommend to make a threat model first and make a clear decision what you want to protect and from whom. It gets much harder the more you want to hide, restrict data access and increase security and it can quickly be overwhelming and out of scope for what's important to you. The reason you see so many different and sometimes contradicting ideas online is because different people have different threat models (or sometimes uninformed opinions :)). Figure out your needs and priorities first, it becomes so much easier to find the right answers for yourself then.

A good starting point for the first threat model draft I think is here.

Advanced threat modeling could start here if that doesn't overwhelm you.

treequell

N1b I've edited your post to remove one of the links you gave. We prefer if users don't post content from that particular YouTube channel on this Forum.

N1b

treequell I understand, hope I didn't cause any trouble. I assume such mentions happen more often accidentally on this forum? Would it be wise to add them to the code of conduct / forum rules?

Blastoidea

csis01
Without a SIM?