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Wired Features Nicholas Merrill’s Launch of Privacy-First Wireless Carrier Phreeli

via Business Wire

Merrill famously challenged a USA Patriot Act order and continues to support privacy protections against surveillance and the selling of personal information

Today, Phreeli’s founder and CEO Nicholas Merrill was featured in a Wired exclusive written by senior writer Andy Greenberg titled “A New Anonymous Phone Carrier Lets You Sign Up With Nothing but a Zip Code” that covered the need for improved privacy in the telecommunications space, and the launch of Phreeli, the world’s first privacy-by-design wireless service.

“We're not looking to cater to people doing bad things,” said Merrill in Wired. “We're trying to help people feel more comfortable living their normal lives, where they're not doing anything wrong, and not feel watched and exploited by giant surveillance and data mining operations. I think it’s not controversial to say the vast majority of people want that.”

Merrill is a staunch advocate for privacy who had landmark challenges to the National Security Letter (NSL) provision of the USA Patriot Act in 2004. He denied an FBI request to provide electronic records including account numbers and billing information for customers of his ISP company Calyx Internet Access. He challenged the FBI and Department of Justice, but due to the lifelong gag order that accompanies the NSL, Merrill could not speak about the lawsuit publicly. In 2015 a judge ruled in his favor for the first ever lifting of a NSL-related gag order, allowing Merrill to finally address the contents of the NSL.

Covered by outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian and The Washington Post, Merrill’s defense of privacy led to a turning point against the USA Patriot Act and highlighted balancing between national security interests and civil liberties. It also spurred him to focus on privacy initiatives and education and ultimately led to founding Phreeli.

Phreeli is the only wireless service to separate user identity from network activity. It does this through a token-based “double blind” privacy architecture. Traditional carriers link customers’ personal information to every action they take with their phones. Phreeli separates user identity from network activity using a token-based system called Double-Blind Armadillo. This cryptographic approach allows verification without revealing personal information—delivering privacy without sacrificing functionality.

Phreeli offers a range of plans featuring nationwide coverage with unlimited data and unlimited hotspot and tethering. All plans also include calls and SMS to more than 200 international destinations. International roaming is included at no additional cost in all plans. Phreeli’s plans start at $35 for unlimited talk and text with 5GB of high-speed data, with tiers up to 40GB. The $25 Flex plan lets customers pay only for what they use, with auto-refilling ensuring they will not run out of high-speed data.

About Phreeli

Phreeli is the first privacy-by-design wireless service that prioritizes security, freedom, and control. Phreeli distinguishes itself from other data-selling operators by separating user data from network activity, giving customers peace of mind and control. Customers can count on Phreeli’s strong nationwide coverage and straightforward, all-in pricing plans with transparent service details. Phreeli delivers a full suite of capabilities, without the surveillance. Visit phreeli.com to learn more about wireless service that protects you, instead of selling you.

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