Silent Circle today announced a new calling plan to accompany the Blackphone, its secure Android-based smartphone, that allows owners to make calls to non-Blackphone users. Silent Circle's "Out-Circle" plans cost $13 per month for 100 minutes, $20 for 250 minutes, $25 for 500 minutes, or $40 for 1,000 minutes. The minutes can be used to make secure calls to mobile devices or landlines in any of 79 different countries with no additional roaming fees. Rather than use standard voice networks for calls, Silent Circle's Out-Circle plan uses a high-quality VoIP service, which allows Silent Circle to encrypt and protect the calls. The calls can be passed over Wi-Fi networks or cellular data networks. The Blackphone, which Silent Circle developed together with Geeksphone, runs a modified version of Android called PrivatOS. It provides secure calling and messaging features. The phone comes with software for secure video calling, anonymous web search, secure file exchange, and secure conference calling. Special software controls the Wi-Fi radio to expose the phone only to trusted networks and devices. The Blackphone is sold fully unlocked and priced at $629.


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