Introduction
Every message, call, or data transfer travels through multiple layers of infrastructure – from the base station of the mobile operator, across international backbone connections, and finally to the server and the end recipient. Along the way, several actors can log metadata: who is connected, where, and when.
What the Mobile Operator Sees
The mobile operator always knows which SIM card is in the network (through the IMSI identity) and how much data it consumes.
- Without VPN: the operator can see which servers you are connecting to (e.g., a server in Zurich).
- With VPN: the operator only sees that you have a connection to the VPN server, but not the final services or applications the user is using.
XMPP – the Open Foundation
The communication infrastructure based on XMPP (Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol), an open standard, works similarly to email:
- each server is independent,
- users on different servers can communicate with each other,
- the protocol is extensible with security and other extensions.
OMEMO – Encryption on the Device
Ensuring privacy requires more than just secure infrastructure. OMEMO ensures that messages are encrypted from device to device:
- keys are only on the users’ devices,
- servers see messages only as unreadable bits,
- multiple devices are supported and messages can be sent even when the recipient is temporarily offline.
Result: the content remains truly only the user’s.
VPN – Protecting the Path
While OMEMO protects the content, VPN hides the connection:
- the operator cannot see where the user is connected,
- public Wi-Fi networks cannot intercept applications,
- digital traffic is routed through a “tunnel” that the user can control.
eSIM with Multi-IMSI – an Additional Layer of Privacy
A special step forward in privacy is provided by eSIM with multi-IMSI technology:
- IMSI is the identification number that links the SIM card to the user in the mobile network.
- With multi-IMSI eSIM, the device can use multiple IMSI profiles that switch dynamically.
- This means it is not easy for the operator or third parties to track the user, because the user’s identity in the network changes regularly.
For the user, this means:
- greater anonymity at the mobile network level,
- less tracking by IMSI identity,
- combined with VPN and OMEMO, the user gets triple protection: at the mobile network, transport, and content levels.
Internet Backbones
Communication travels across international optical connections – the so-called internet backbones.
- Frankfurt, Vienna, Amsterdam, and Zurich are the main European hubs.
- Regardless of the data path, OMEMO encryption and VPN ensure that the content remains intact.
Conclusion
Communication security consists of several layers:
- XMPP provides an open and transparent foundation.
- OMEMO ensures that the content remains only on the devices.
- VPN hides the user’s path from the operator and local networks.
- eSIM with multi-IMSI provides additional protection at the mobile level, where every connection begins.