If you’re planning on doing some protests and do not want to put at risk your costly smartphone for global sim card the sake of it, or simply need to remain as private as you can during your outing, you should consider buying an unofficial phone. Sure, it’ll cost you just a bit however, purchasing an inexpensive phone now is much better than returning from a demonstration with a broken smartphone.
A burner phone–if its name isn’t misleading, it’s one you purchase but do not have any real plan to keep or use for a long time. What you pay for it–and the payment plan for it–can vary from tin foil-hat paranoia and up “reasonably secure” levels of privacy. For instance, you can be completely anonymous and pay someone else in cash to buy the phone, along with an unpaid gift global sim card then utilize the gift card to purchase Bitcoin and then utilize Bitcoin to purchase the prepaid SIM. Of course, this procedure will take some time, and the majority of people who require a burner device are likely to want one sooner or later. Making a purchase with cash, then heading to your local Walmart and buying an unlocked burner phone that has a prepay SIM already installed is a sensible option that combines ultra-security and convenience.
What do I need to be looking for in a brand new burner phone?
Be focused at the prize. It’s not about buying an expensive phone that has many features but rather purchase a device that’s very affordable and allows users to call as well as text. That’s it. If it’s got an “display” which you tap instead of menus that you can navigate using buttons–we’re talking about a smartphone and not an old-fashioned flip phone generally speaking–consider yourself fortunate. You do not really require any level of sophistication, unless you believe it’s going to help you type more quickly.
You’re looking for something inexpensive that you don’t really care about, and you don’t have to think of throwing it in the garbage (or reuse it) after you’ve decided to remove it from your body for the rest of your life. It’s possible to avoid headaches by purchasing the burner phone which already has a pre-paid SIM. You’ll still have to activate your prepaid service somehow–something I recommend doing over a separate phone number, rather than online, if you’re privacy-conscious–and make sure to be creative with the details you’re required to give up as part of the activation process.
Where can I purchase one?
I’ve mentioned Walmart in the above paragraph purely because Walmart is all over the place and has burner phones. However, you might also consider looking at local convenience stores , such as Rite Aid, the nearest 7-Eleven or any other “Dollar” retailer, Target, Metro PCS and so on. Expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $40 for the phone, and then purchase the prepay plan in addition to that.
If you’re shopping The prepaid plan, or “phone card”–should be from the same firm that issued the phone you purchased, just for convenience. If not, you can choose something similar to The OneSimCard that can be used to refill online with Bitcoin or gift cards from credit cardsthat is not your credit card of choice. Other alternatives (and the networks they’re working with) are:
- Tello (Sprint)
- Ultra Mobile (T-Mobile)
- Truphone (AT&T)
- Pageplus (Verizon)
Once you’ve gotten the phone and plan, you’ll need perform some activation to connect both. It’s possible to create a burner email to complete this process. You can use an internet connection or a VPN at your local coffee shop if you’re able to access the facility because of quarantine issues–if you’re so paranoid. Do not use your credit card in this process. Also, make sure you don’t link the activities you’re carrying out through your burner phone to any existing accounts.
I have a cell phone that is a burner. What do I do now?
The ability to track your phone’s location is straightforward; the key is than trying to remove the user from your phone. This means that you should not install any app on your phone that could identify you–a social media application for instance, or in the event that your phone allows the apps. Do not carry your phone around as a regular device if it’s possible to get away with it. It’s not the point of it and doing this will connect the phone’s location to the places you normally visit (likely using the “real” handset in your pocket, too).).
It’s best to keep your phone off until you leave your home and have arrived at an area where you’re planning to actually put it into use. After you’re done turning off the phone, you can turn it off and you’ll no longer be using the Bluetooth connection, or its WiFi connection, so it’s possible to turn these settings off as well (if it’s possible).
Don’t think of your phone as a burner telephone to be your primary phone. Think of it as an “alternative phone” to your primary phone. Consider it an extremely insignificant device to text and call. That’s it. Disable any communications-related features that don’t relate to texting or calling. If your phone’s burner is elegant enough and runs a particular version of Android or similar, you can take it to the next level and install the Android-based OS that is free instead. If I were you I’d opt for a flip phone that is less expensive, that will provide you with less to think about, as all you’ll have to do is talk and text.
