Brunacho

I share the sentiment of the comments that XMPP is still a thing, and pretty much used. I’m using it right now. It is true that is no longer as widespread as it used to, and it is a bit dauntier to use in contrast of current “install an app, get an account (linked to phone or whatever), go”. Gotta pick a server and stuff.

The point is, we can still aim to return to XMPP, or at least turn to it when talking about secure, not enterprise, federated, message communications. At least instead of going to the next walled garden, maybe not linked to CIA next time or whatever.

Good, we should be by IPv9 already, but I can wait.

You mean the WA-traffic made a significant difference?

No, I don’t mean that. Whatsapp traffic (files i don’t think is included in the deal) is treated by the companies independently of other data traffic. You may not have a data plan, but still get a “whatsapp free” thingy, you can text for free via whatsapp without using data plans.

Depends on the country, in mine data plans are not that expensive (add some asterisks to that). But they include those “whatsapp free” or some streaming service traffic with no cost to get the edge over other phone companies. All of them mostly have the whatsapp free thing.

I used to live in a different country and it did make a significant difference, as @desconectado@lemm.ee points out below.

Same here (South America). You can not use it yourself but it will mostly keep you out of the loop on everything. Most of the phone companies don’t charge you whatsapp message data just to make it more inescapable.