SmartPhone Sovereignty
FairPhone 4 e/OS Murena review + alternatives
We’re done with the Tech Oligarchy. They own our data and sell it to the highest bidder. They steal our attention, pushing more consumption and division.
There’s nothing wrong with Technology, with SmartPhones, with the Internet. But there is something wrong with the way they are being used. They were built to be tools, to improve our lives and help us work together to build a better world. But C@pItali$m has allowed them to be used to extort People and Planet, and line the pockets of the already wealthy.
It is time to reclaim our digital sovereignty.
Time to OpenSource Everything.
So, I’m starting with myself. I’m moving all of my digital presence to OpenSource alternatives, one piece at a time. This is the first installment in a series, focusing on one that should resonate with a lot of people.
The Smart Phone.
After sending it off to repairs, and attempting repairs of my own, it was time for a replacement. I wanted to do it right this time. I wanted to get a phone that I can keep for at least a decade. I like being able to do most repairs myself. Ideally, it would be OpenSource with sustainable manufacturing practices.
The timing has been great with this OpenSource Everything initiative, so I decided to document and share my journey so that you all can see just how easy it is to leave behind the Tech Oligarchy (Appistocracy, Broligarchy, whatever you want to call it).
My research led me to the Fair Phone running e/OS through Murena. The rest of the post is going to break down the components and share other similar alternatives.
FairPhone
It is a beautiful phone, packaged in a lot of words that resonate. I can replace any physical parts on it myself with a single little screwdriver.
You can technically buy it or run it on the same old Google-fied version of Android that we’re all used to. But we’re done with that, so I bought mine pre-loaded with e/OS.
e/OS
So far, it has been a very enjoyable experience. It feels very familiar since it is still based on the OpenSource roots of Android. They have de-Googled Android, and swapped in a lot of OpenSource alternatives for default apps.
For anything they don’t provide out of the box, there is a light wrapper on the Google Play Store called “App Lounge” that provides anonymity, tags for “OpenSource”, and privacy ratings.
If you do install apps that might have trackers or privacy concerns, at least now you have visibility and control. They provide metrics and monitors for all tracking and privacy-related functions. They also give you the option to trackers and pieces of functionality while still maintaining the rest of the app’s utility.
The e/OS community is thriving and positive. I have explored their site, read through a few forum posts, and hopped into their Telegram group. There is so much great documentation and support. I trust them way more than I trust Google.
Good news! You don’t have to buy a new phone to use it! If you already have a phone running the Google-fied Android, there’s a good chance you migrate to e/OS right away! Check out their installation documentation to learn more!
My wife is now curious about doing this with her phone. If we do, I’ll make a separate article and share our experience with that process as well.
Murena (US T-Mobile)
Murena is an OpenSource service provider. I am currently only utilizing them for their mobile service plan. But they also offer privacy-focused cloud services that pair perfectly with e/OS. I will be giving it a try and reporting my experience with that in another article.
I did run into a little hiccup getting onto the Murena/T-Mobile network. However, the resolution process was pleasant and encouraging.
I had opted for their “eSim” option to get connected to the T-Mobile network. Just a few months before, there was an issue that popped up just for FairPhones on e/OS with eSims. But by the time I ran into it, the code had already been patched, tested, and merged into the latest release. So all I had to do to resolve it was update e/OS on my device (one click in the settings), reset my eSim (self-service option in the Murena portal), and set the APN information for the T-Mobile network.
It did take a little digging to get there. A few internet searches to find the related forum posts, and a little chat on the e/OS Telegram landed me with a direct connection to a member of Murena’s support staff. I learned that they have a small but helpful support team for paying customers to supplement the OpenSource community. I ended up connecting directly, but they also have a support ticket intake form.
Overall, I am impressed their work. They have figured out how to monetize and support the adoption of OpenSource projects at scale. I will be learning more about their successes and shortcomings as we look to do similar things with the OpenSource Everything Guild.
Other Alternatives
While I am pleased with this setup, it is encouraging to know that this isn’t the ONLY OpenSource solution. One of the best things about OpenSource is the interoperability with open technical standards and specifications, and varying layers of platforms.
Shift Phone looks like a decent FairPhone alternative.
Lineage OS and Graphene OS were recommended by fellow subscribers as an e/OS alternative.
Here’s a list on Wikipedia of other Custom Android Forks.
Conclusion
Even if you aren’t ready to hop in just yet — I hope this has armed you with hope in the OpenSource Everything movement, seeing some of the momentum in the Smart Phone space alone.
Thank you to all who voted in the Polls from our last article. “Replacing Amazon” and “OpenSource Social Media” were the winners! So that’s what you can look forward to next on BioHarmony.
Gratitude
Many thanks to
() and () — our latest paid subscribers. Your support means a lot and helps us be free to put more time and energy into this work.If you are enjoying our work and where we’re heading, we are open and receptive to any support you want to send our way. Together, we can do this!
A well researched, informative article that presents essential Open Source options for mobile users, which is to say, practically everyone on the planet. Thank you for making this informative known on this platform.
I've been using an Above phone (de-Googled Android with Graphene OS and VoIP phone) for over a year, mostly seamless. I could not do it myself so Above does that, they also setup Linux computers with their new Above OS. Mothership = Take Back our Tech.