Tracfone
Look at the cards for $99, I took this yesterday
Look at the cards for $99, I took this yesterday
It's interesting only the USA allows burner phones. In most other countries, you have to provide ID to get a pre-paid phone.
If you could find one that is digital, most were analog phones of that era.
TMobile went GSM mid 2000s as I recall. Had a few Motorola flips (think V series) and a Nokia E-series phone from that era.
So far, this actually the hardest part of the rabbit hole investigation for me.
There a lot of companies who sell prepaid cards. The types of plans are extensive. You can pay cash for the card, but you must activate the service at some point. This is usually done by internet but I think some can be done by phone. Once the card is activated you can then start to use the service to make calls, send messages or use data if you purchase that level of service.
On one hand you can buy the card and leave the service inactivated for a long time and it cost you nothing additional. You could also purchase multiple prepaid cards too in advance, but you would still need to activate them somehow. However in my case I want to be able to use the phone in an emergency, whenever that may happen. In this case I’m going to need to have card activated in advance, and keep the service active indefinitely.
This is the hard part of this planning.
So once you have the card active most if the providers will allow you to “recharge” the card by adding additional time/minutes, etc. Ideally I would like to find a way to pay for additional time using an untraceable cryptocurrency like Monero, but I have only found a few overseas companies that accept this payment. There are US companies who accept bitcoin, which isn’t really anonymous. At this point the next best option might be to use VISA gift cards.
So if you are following along, you basically need to keep paying regularly to keep a service active that you may NEVER use. This means I’m looking for a very low cost plan like $10-$15 per month. This might be only 180 minutes of voice, 500 text messages and 1gb of data per month max. Ideally I would find a provider that sells a one year term for say $150 that could be prepaid up front.
If anyone knows of such a provider I have not found it yet.
So far, this actually the hardest part of the rabbit hole investigation for me.
...
So if you are following along, you basically need to keep paying regularly to keep a service active that you may NEVER use. This means I’m looking for a very low cost plan like $10-$15 per month. This might be only 180 minutes of voice, 500 text messages and 1gb of data per month max. Ideally I would find a provider that sells a one year term for say $150 that could be prepaid up front.
If anyone knows of such a provider I have not found it yet.
*****Perhaps they have this expensive book at your local public library. Just make sure you check it out using your burner library card so they can't track you.
Modern problems demand modern solutions!
Huh???
A LOT of countries I can buy a phone and sim card with cash, from a machine in the airport.
Tracfone
Look at the cards for $99, I took this yesterday
Until a year or so ago I used ATT's prepaid if I recall correctly. I bought $100 prepaid cards; they were good for a year once added to the balance. Adding another $100 card just before the year was up extended the balance for another year.
Are you saying that after activation, you could simply buy additional $100 cards at stores for cash and add them to the initial activated card? If so then you could theoretically purchase say 5 prepaid $100 cards up front and have service for 5 years. That sounds like what I’m trying to do.
FWIW, I recently talked with att about current phone plans and they could find no info on prepaid phones. Said to go to store or call a different department.
My father only uses voice so we thought a permanent burner? would be cheaper, loves his flip phone.
My Navy SEAL friend is getting ready to go all Jason Bourne in Europe for some time, I'd ask him but I am sure his phones are going to be "issued".
I know that in the DC area ATT currently has monthly prepaid unlimited minute and a few GB smart phone plans. A friend has one for $25-30 per month. They have no concern about privacy.and pay via monthly credit card or ACH debit to save $5 / month.
If your father needs help, then please let me know. My friend lives in Wheaton and can give me details. But now we're not talking about burner phones, right?
Right. For some reason I'm interested in this thread but I still don't thoroughly understand the OP's threat that we're protecting against. And I think the terminology that I understand as "burner phone" is inconsistent with the OP's objective. Any clarification would help.
Thanks, and yes non burner.
Not to stray too far from the topic, it is cheaper for us to have 4 phones on AT$T’s plan than our 3 , so we’ll have one sitting in a drawer to save money. He’ll have to live with that terrible interweb button.
The only threat I’m concerned about is the ability to make a call from an anonymous number should the need arise in the future. I agree that I might have been unclear on the term “Burner Phone”. I use that term to mean 100% disposal and not linked to my personal identity in any way.
The only threat I’m concerned about is the ability to make a call from an anonymous number should the need arise in the future. I agree that I might have been unclear on the term “Burner Phone”. I use that term to mean 100% disposal and not linked to my personal identity in any way.