A new Indiegogo campaign called “hello” launched today, promising to build what its founder describes as “the Mozilla of telephony.”
Paul Grimshaw, the founder, says the peer-to-peer voice startup will stand out by offering full customization and branding for providers, while allowing users to connect across different services and move freely between them.
For example, Canonical could offer an Ubuntu-branded calling service, or Samsung could bundle hello with its own calling plans on Internet-connected TVs.
“All the technologies exist in various forms to make this happen,” Grimshaw writes on the company’s website. “We need to collate and fold it together into a simple to use, consumer (and business) friendly package.”
Details about pricing are not yet finalized, but Indiegogo reward tiers suggest a subscription model. One perk priced at $100 includes a limited-edition hello T‑shirt and a one-year platform subscription, hinting at how early backers might gain initial access.
hello also plans to offer disposable phone numbers that users can rent by the day for incoming calls, and to provide lower international dialing rates than many domestic plans.
The service will include advanced call filters that follow an IFTTT (If This Then That) style of automation. Example scenarios Grimshaw highlights include diverting a parent’s calls to voicemail on Sunday mornings, or automatically logging a receipt when an important client calls.
As with Skype-to-Skype calls, hello-to-hello calls will be free. But Grimshaw positions hello as more than just a Skype competitor.
He emphasizes security and ethics, stating that hello is “like Skype, but it’s smart, open and secure.” He adds that calls will be encrypted so no one can eavesdrop, and that the peer-to-peer architecture avoids a single central server that could become a point of surveillance.
“It’s far more than a Skype replacement,” Grimshaw says. “It blends open source applications with a commercial platform to create advanced telephony features and a competitive free market. Skype better watch out!”
The team intends to launch cross-platform: iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows, macOS, Linux, ChromeOS and a web app are all planned, subject to successful funding.
Although the project is in an early stage, the idea has clear appeal. Growing privacy concerns surrounding major providers—especially in light of disclosures about government surveillance programs—could increase interest in a secure, decentralized calling alternative.
Microsoft has publicly addressed its engagement with government requests for customer data and stated its expectation that calls over all networks should offer comparable privacy and security protections.
If you’re interested in supporting the project, the Indiegogo campaign is accepting contributions on the platform.
What do you think about hello’s proposal? Would you consider backing it?