cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/50312445
Assuming i never had to call anyone more than a few miles from me anyway, how practical would it be to stop having a phone altogether and just use MeshCore or Meshtastic for short range communication? What troubles would i run into from not having a phone?
I figure i could even buy radios for people i need to talk to and with no phone bill this would pay for itself in about a year.
Mesh towers, repeaters, service team, power, maintenence, ect. Mesh and cellphone are just radios.
Unless you are: running HF or VHF/UHF amateur with a repeater, or GMRS with a repeater, the best you could expect is a mile, maybe more with line of sight.
It’s not feasible unless everyone in your group had access to a repeater (ham or GMRS) which requires a tower. Even more, reception can be hit or miss (inside a building, handheld vs mobile, RFI)
Mesh is not evem at this point yet. You’ll sink a ton of money for sonething a cellphone does well in.
I love how you are using your thinking cap and encourage to prove me wrong. I suggest finding a cheap MVNO (tracfone, boost, mint, visible) as a lot have lowered prices and “good” servce.
Money is just one part of it. I don’t like that there are only 3 companies making phones work here in the USA and every other carrier is just reselling that service. I do like that that Mesh* is encrypted.
You’re right that this would be a lot of work. Not just setting up repeaters, but explaining it to people, convincing people to use something new and less convenient than SMS, more stuff that i’m too tired to think of just now.
I hope i can prove you wrong. I don’t use my phone a lot. There are a few people i regularly text, and about one i call often. I get my work schedule texted to me, but i can get that via email instead.
I want this to be possible.
I want this to be possible.
It’s not…
Deal with the fact you need a phone to be a functional part of modern society.
Or go off grid, and give up most modern conveniences of staying connected to friends, family, and the world at large.
It’s not… Deal with the fact you need a phone to be a functional part of modern society.
Talking with people on the other side of the planet in real time didn’t used to be possible either. Submission to a king used to be required to be a functional part of society. Lots of things are impossible until people make them possible. That’s the whole point of things like Meshtastic to begin with. People like OP, trying crazy things and making mistakes and figuring stuff out, are the vanguard who make these changes possible.
Unless the status quo changes, the OP has the two options I outlined. This isn’t rude or mean, it is reality.
Not only is two factor authentication popular in every major platform its adoption is increasing…
Your examples are actually the opposite of what is happening here. A more accurate example would be someone still trying to use a horse in a modern city. In a limited situation and location, you may do it to a very small success. But you will give up almost all functionality in a modern society.
As a thought exercise, it’ll probably be extremely difficult.
As a money saving action, mate - there are $10 phone plans out there. Assuming US here - Ting or US Mobile.
I know i could switch to something like Tello and pay $6/month for their sketchy privacy policy. It’s not just about money.
You wouldn’t be able to get calls from doctor’s offices or banks.
I cannot afford healthcare (USA) and i don’t think i’ve ever recieved an important call from my bank.
What about those stupid two-factor authentication codes? We all know banks are stupidly old institutions and still use SMS two-factor authentication instead of the much more secure time-based one-time pads.
It makes me real confident in their security, let me tell you. /s
actually they can’t use TOTP because the second verification need to display the amount of the transaction and as I know it is impossible to do with TOTP.
Don’t worry, more and more banks are going to apps where they “outsource” all security to Apple and Google on their respective phone OS security implementation. At least on android, the apps will detect if accessibility functions (and developer’s options) are turned on and will refuse to run the app. Who even needs accessibility right? Like there’s no less able bodied people using smartphones. And what’s that? It’s your phone? No, silly customer, we banks must protect you from getting scammed by policing your device. It’s the bank’s property. You bought that phone on financing anyways, so it really isn’t your property.
I am definitely not angry at this outcome. I bought my phone fair and square
