Silent Link: Anonymous eSIM Service

Episode 76 of The Watchman Privacy Podcast – Silent Link: Anonymous eSIM Service

Gabriel Custodiet speaks with the Admin of Silent Link, an eSim phone service that allows you to purchase service with Bitcoin or Monero, without giving up KYC information, and that works in most countries around the world. They discuss the details of the service, its limitations and benefits, and cover a lot of phone privacy and security topics along the way.

Guest Links
→ https://silent.link/
→ https://twitter.com/silentlink1
→ https://github.com/cryptoadvance/specter-diy

Watchman Privacy
→ https://watchmanprivacy.com (newsletter, consultation requests)
→ https://twitter.com/watchmanprivacy
→ https://www.amazon.com/Watchman-Guide-Privacy-Financial-Lifestyle/dp/B08PX7KFS2

Privacy Courses (supports the show)
→ https://rpf.gumroad.com/l/privatebitcoin
→ https://rpf.gumroad.com/l/hackproof

Monero Donation Address (If you can't see the whole string, double click in the middle to select all)
→8829DiYwJ344peEM7SzUspMtgUWKAjGJRHmu4Q6R8kEWMpafiXPPNBkeRBhNPK6sw27urqqMYTWWXZrsX6BLRrj7HiooPAy

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→ https://www.youtube.com/@WatchmanPrivacy
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Timeline

0:00 – Introduction
2:40 – Phone service is a double-edged sword
4:25 – What is my mobile service provider able to see about me?
8:02 – Can a phone provider hear our phone calls?
8:49 – What is a voice fingerprint?
9:24 – Does voice fingerprinting defeat the “burner model” of phones
10:15 – Silent Link uses roaming: what does that mean for protection from mobile service provider?
11:42 – IMEI: can we ever change it?
13:04 – What happens when we call the emergency number on our phone
14:14 – Where did we go wrong with phone service?
15:40 – What is the history of Silent Link?
18:26 – How did Bitcoin/Monero allow you do run your company as you run it?
19:12 – What could Silent Link do to us if it were malicious?
22:40 – Who owns phone numbers at the end of the ownership line?
23:20 – Can your providers refuse you service; consequences
24:22 – No outgoing calls or SMS with Silent Link
26:55 – Data-only (no number) plan: do we actually get a phone number with it?
27:40 – Pricing
28:20 – Basics of Silent Link service
31:45 – Main benefit: seamless global service
32:48 – Security benefits of roaming eSIM card
37:18 – Where do your eSIM cards come from?
37:46 – Can we port our loaned phone number from your service?
40:05 – Does Silent Link protect us from SIM swaps?
41:50 – Countries that require KYC for SIMs: is this a risk for them?
42:21 – Challenges of running this service
43:08 – How often can we switch eSIM to new phone?
45:10 – Services similar to Silent Link
45:17 – GrapheneOS: do we have to enable Google Services to use eSIM
46:44 – Efani
47:23 – Would Silent Link work in China?
48:11 – Longevity of Silent Link
48:44 – Silent Link recommends Specter DIY
49:16 – Final thoughts

#WatchmanPrivacy #SilentLink #ESim #PrivatePhone #Bitcoin #Monero