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We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

mullvad.net

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Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#401

Post by nottorp »

dcow wrote: post #156
CodeBeater wrote: post #132

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious, how does VPNs break the internet? The only angle I can immediately see is the shortage of IPV4s.

They break the practical solutions to content distribution and delivery that we've deployed. If everyone used a VPN, CDNs and caching would be rendered ineffective. Generally, VPN consumers use more bandwidth than necessary to acquire the same content which does impact the network.

And CDNs can and probably will build a profile of you and sell it to the highest bidder.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#402

Post by runnerup »

charsi wrote: post #400
runnerup wrote: post #247

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I use whatbox.ca as my global/universal VPN. So far I haven’t seen any issues. It works in places where most VPNs are banned or heavily throttled (like Saudi/Abu Dhabi/Qatar, my workplace, AT&T cellular data, etc)

Isn't whatbox.ca mainly aimed at hosting seedboxes? They are accordingly higher priced than a VPN. Whats the rationale for using them as a VPN ?

1) It’s the only VPN that worked in areas where they work hard to block most VPNs

2) it’s still not very expensive

3) it’s absurdly fast for a “VPN”! Like 400Mbit symmetric.

4) I also use it as a seedbox. Speaking of…does anyone have an invitation a private tracker to replace what.cd because I miss that. Or a no/low compression movie tracker.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#403

Post by zajio1am »

Why not just subscriptions with random persistent pay reference?

They could be safe against adversary that has access to Mullvad data, while still offering convenience of subscriptions. It is not safe against adversary that has access to banking data, but even independent payments are not safe against that adversary, if they are often enough.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#404

Post by joshstrange »

behnamoh wrote: post #356
anonporridge wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also easily pay with better anonymity with the Strike app, https://strike.me , which abstracts bitcoin mainnet and lightning network payments behind USD, so you don't have to worry about actually holding bitcoin or managing tax implications. You just use bitcoin as a globally agnostic payment rail, masked with your local fiat, so the price volatility doesn't affect you. Mullvad even gives you a 10% discount f…

Careful! I used BTC and the processing time was absurdly long.

What is "absurdly long" mean here? They say it can take up to 30 min, I didn't time it but I reupped for 1 year twice and it was right at or under 30min both times.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#405

Post by mongrelion »

dcow wrote: post #116

Why are VPNs what people flock to when they think they want privacy? Moreover they kinda break the internet so it's not a scalable solution. It's cool to see a good one selling a privacy message and doing it at level 11, but it seems kinda disingenuous to me to tell users that they're more private because they use a VPN. Private from your current ISP, sure, but not from Mullvad (they're your new ISP, you're just movi…

I think that you're right in that by using Mullvad you're transferring the trust from your current ISP to them. It's also important to mention that you can pay Mullvad with cash, sent in an envelope, so that your (real) identity is never known to them.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#406

Post by zajio1am »

skeeter2020 wrote: post #7

If you're familiar with the sizeable benefits of the subscription model for a business you'll recognize this is a big deal.

Disagree. If i have per-month subscription that does not have termination notice period, i could terminate it any time, next month effective.

If i have to pre-pay service, while i can still pay on per-month basis, that is usually such inconvenience that i would rather pay per-year or longer.

Considering privacy issues i assume that pre-paid account could not be cancelled and refunded earlier, i am implicitly forced to year-long contract with pay ahead.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#407

Post by [deleted] »

wpietri wrote: post #397
tomnipotent wrote: post #320

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you eat a buffet and only have one plate, you don't get to complain and ask for a refund. > keep charging them until they notice months or years later is indeed exploitative. When is it the customer's fault for not cancelling? You're working very hard to avoid responsibility for the business contract you entered into. > they stop experiencing marginal costs for me. Which are a small part of the overall cost struct…

You are an excellent example of how people who are abusive have consistent worldviews that justify the abuse. You are placing 100% of the responsibility on the weaker party in the contract, and 0% on the people who designed the contract plus everything that leads up to and comes after the contract. At the same time you clearly understand the human cognitive limitations that make people susceptible to carefully-design…

[deleted]

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#408

Post by sangnoir »

lovingCranberry wrote: post #312
eszaq wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How about ivpn or perfect privacy?

Perfect-Privacy still has integrity left. Someone hacked into their Malmoe server a year ago or so, and found that they indeed run everything in RAM disks and aren't logging at all. Happened via the management interface. But please take this information with a grain of salt, as the write up for this exploitation has been vanished from the internet (or I am just unable to find it). * However, there are still articles…

> Someone hacked into their Malmoe server a year ago or so, and found that they indeed run everything in RAM disks and aren't logging at all

Hypothetically, without breaking into the network control plane, the hacker could have completely missed the existence of port mirror to a second read-only system that does logging for lawful intercepts.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#409

Post by anonporridge »

behnamoh wrote: post #356
anonporridge wrote: post #221

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also easily pay with better anonymity with the Strike app, https://strike.me , which abstracts bitcoin mainnet and lightning network payments behind USD, so you don't have to worry about actually holding bitcoin or managing tax implications. You just use bitcoin as a globally agnostic payment rail, masked with your local fiat, so the price volatility doesn't affect you. Mullvad even gives you a 10% discount f…

Careful! I used BTC and the processing time was absurdly long.

From my comment...

> I am a bit disappointed that they haven't yet integrated bitcoin lightning network. That would be a huge improvement ... as well as instant confirmation rather than 6 block (~1 hour) confirmations.

This is a known problem with blockchains and why naive projects like bitcoin cash that try to just pump up the layer one transaction volume for everyday merchant payments are doomed solutions.

The bitcoin lightning network payment experience is instant and magical, and constantly getting better.

Re: We are removing the option to create new subscriptions

#410

Post by anonporridge »

joshstrange wrote: post #404
behnamoh wrote: post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Careful! I used BTC and the processing time was absurdly long.

What is "absurdly long" mean here? They say it can take up to 30 min, I didn't time it but I reupped for 1 year twice and it was right at or under 30min both times.

It depends on current network conditions.

If the bitcoin network is currently congested, your transaction can potentially take hours before it's included in a block. Mullvad would wait at least until this point.

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