Drop Phone

[SalamanderFour]

What's an alternative to a drop phone? I. e. A second phone, pay as you go, without a named account.

Having a second phone is a liability re the Mrs, and just a bother to keep charged, loaded, etc. How about a second Google voice number on your current phone, set to silent? If spam mssgs get too frequent, then drop the number and get another.

It appears an easy way to contact providers, but wouldn't provide protection against LEO. But if mssgs are kept bland, LEO wouldn't have anything to work with.

Is there a downside I'm missing?

[Sadinhaverhill]

What's an alternative to a drop phone? I. e. A second phone, pay as you go, without a named account.

Having a second phone is a liability re the Mrs, and just a bother to keep charged, loaded, etc. How about a second Google voice number on your current phone, set to silent? If spam mssgs get too frequent, then drop the number and get another.

It appears an easy way to contact providers, but wouldn't provide protection against LEO. But if mssgs are kept bland, LEO wouldn't have anything to work with.

Is there a downside I'm missing?I just use TextFree on my phone, keep the icon hidden, gives me the ability to send texts and make a couple quick calls as needed.

Depends on your needs though.

[JoeMuckInFutch]

What's an alternative to a drop phone? I. e. A second phone, pay as you go, without a named account.

Having a second phone is a liability re the Mrs, and just a bother to keep charged, loaded, etc. How about a second Google voice number on your current phone, set to silent? If spam mssgs get too frequent, then drop the number and get another.

It appears an easy way to contact providers, but wouldn't provide protection against LEO. But if mssgs are kept bland, LEO wouldn't have anything to work with.

Is there a downside I'm missing?Given that Goggle tracks everything you do on line, how much do they track your Google Voice activity too? It by definition has to be associated with your phone, so it seems like they know who you call and text and their ability to link things via their data mining is frightening.

[Jon Gris]

You have to decide what is right for you myself. I want the complete and total privacy a burner phone gives me. I purchased mine with cash and I usually prepay the service for 6 months at a time most places their camera footage is on a 30 day cycle also comes in handy for 2 step verification or using wifi all they have is your IP address linked to your burner phone phony identity. Cell phone companies are pathetic with protecting your privacy. Other issue with Google if you forget to switch profiles and you stay logged in. For me the annoyance of having a second device is well worth it.

[SalamanderFour]

JoeMF. Yes, Google is becoming an overlord, much like Amazon is with commercial online sales. It's hard to use an Android device without a Google account now.

Sadinhaverhill. Thanks for that app, TextFree. It'll let me use my same phone, without going through Google.

Jon G. As you said, it's a balance of issues. It looks like LEO, at least in Mass, is primarily using hotel room bait and traps, or just watching / interviewing the parlors, without dredging the phone records. Although with a new attorney general in this election that could change.