Anonymous by default: New US carrier launches with ZIP-only signup and no identity trail

Phreeli, a new privacy-focused cellular provider, launched today in the United States with a promise to offer reliable mobile service without collecting, selling, or linking personal data.

The startup positions itself as an alternative to traditional carriers that rely on surveillance-driven business models and invasive identity verification.

Nicholas Merrill, founder and CEO, said the company built privacy into the foundation of its offering. “We tackle privacy at the front end, because if you don’t provide data, it can’t be lost or sold,” he said.

“Phreeli isn’t just another wireless plan; it gives people digital independence and freedom from data tracking along with nationwide coverage and competitive pricing. It’s wireless that doesn’t watch you.”

Privacy as the core

Phreeli’s design separates user identity from network activity using a proprietary system called Double-Blind Armadillo.

The architecture uses cryptographic tokens to verify service status without exposing personal information. The company says it does not sell call or network data and offers month-to-month plans with no contracts or credit checks.

Signup requires only a ZIP+4 code, a username, and payment. Users can pay with a credit card or through cryptocurrencies such as Monero and Zcash.

Phreeli supports both SIM cards and eSIM activation, including an option to obtain an eSIM through a Tor-hosted site.

Merrill’s history in privacy advocacy shaped the service. In 2004, he challenged a secret FBI national security letter under the USA Patriot Act. Court restrictions blocked him from speaking about the case for over a decade.

The legal fight, and later his work with the Calyx Institute, informed his goal of creating privacy at the carrier layer rather than only through apps.

Surveillance context

Merrill appears aligned with a growing push against mainstream carriers that share network data with brokers and authorities.

In a feature published by WIRED, he pushed back against the idea that Phreeli is a burner-phone product.

“We’re not looking to cater to people doing bad things,” he told the publication.

He added that the goal is to help people live normal lives “where they’re not doing anything wrong, and not feel watched and exploited by giant surveillance and data mining operations.”

That report also outlined the core challenge Phreeli aims to solve – carriers always know which devices connect to specific towers, even when encrypted apps hide message content.

Over the years, that metadata has frequently reached advertisers, third-party brokers, and government agencies.

Phreeli operates as an MVNO using T-Mobile infrastructure. Merrill told WIRED that while he can’t control the tower network, he can control how customer activity links to identity.

“You can’t control the towers. But what can you do?” he said. “You can separate the personally identifiable information of a person from their activities on the phone system.”

Plans start at $25 per month with taxes included. Consumers can order a SIM card or download an eSIM at phreeli.com.

The company acknowledges that operating systems and apps may still track users, but says its model reduces exposure and restores meaningful choice in a surveillance-heavy mobile landscape.