I can assure you when people talk about signing up without a SIM what they have in mind isn’t landline.

I would have been fine with a landline, but for some reason did not realize it was possible with Signal. Maybe call verification got implemented after I signed up...

And for the purposes of anonymity I am definitely more fine with a landline than any method that requires me to make a payment

> but for some reason did not realize it was possible with Signal.

I don't think it's something they make very obvious. It also used to be broken for non-US numbers for more than one year at some point...

Landline is even worse. Do they rent burner landlines?

xx Messenger also doesn't require any identification. And unlike Threema:

- it's open source (https://git.xx.network/elixxir/); Android users can build it on their own and load from F-Droid

- it uses blockchain

- no big attachments for time being, but once they come (in 2 months, I hope) they'll be affordable and stored encrypted on IPFS

- no data collection of any kind

- (my guess) better privacy and security

- less polished

- optionally searchable by in-app nick or phone number, or not, in which case you get a cryptographic ID. Identity can be backed up to SFTP and restored from it

Unlike Telegram, xx Messenger app has a publisher, but the app can be installed independently (F-Droid) and there's no centralized entity that runs messaging gateways that can deliver any data about your identity or communications.

Not related to parent comment, but I see some people are bitching about the use of blockchains as if they've figured out a way for Signal or Telegram to provide for their messaging needs without selling ads or metadata.

If funding free messengers was easy and blockchain merely a distraction, Signal wouldn't have those pop-ups that reminder you to donate.

> Landline is even worse. Do they rent burner landlines?

You can try with VoIP, usually works as well.

The point is, some people seem to assume that "no-SIM" means "anonymous", but to many others "no-SIM" means just "without a need for a mobile phone/number". So it's just a question of interpretation. There are many uses for "without a mobile number" that don't have the "anonymous" requirement.

Threema doesn't even needs a telephone number.

Just needs a payment method

Which I can see the point of for a good app, which it is. But in terms of "anonymity for the masses" it's a hard sell when you could use Element with roughly the same features if less stability.

Yep, people aren't objecting that they don't have enough methods to give them a phone number. People are objecting to giving them a phone number at all.