I am thinking of going to a provider for the first time in many years. I am married..going for a peticular fetish. How important is it too have a hobby phone? The provider i have contacted is very well reviewed here on ter. I have my own cell phone already not on a family plan. Should i still go get a hobby phone? Maybe a pre-paid phone.

Absolutely get a hobby phone.  First, you are married... So can you ensure that your wife will never pick up your phone and find a strange number in your call history, or email you don't want to explain.  2) You don't really want your phone to be that easily traced back to you.

Go get a $20 no contract, prepaid phone and use it to do all of your hobby calling.

YEs... Yes and YEs.. Especially if you are married..

also a private email account.  Never use a credit card somewhere you should not be.  You can not afford to be sloppy...  not for one second!  Sloppy greatly increases the odds of getting caught.  Ask Tiger!   Do everything in your power to not leave "tracks".  There will be enough risk without adding extra.  If you someday decide to quit the hobby, place the phone under a tire & Poof!!

a must have...

No need for "Hobby Phone"

I fortunately don't fall into those catagories, so I don't, but 90%+ of us on here do.

among other reasons, I don't want any unwelcome visitors on my doorstep.

if you'd rather not disclose your full identity to all the other habitual lawbreakers you're breaking the law with and about whom you know nothing else.

Or if you like the peace of mind of being able to easily cut all ties when things take a bad turn or when your life situation changes.


(Not married, never worked for anyone else and don't want to become a newsmaker.)

Being very active on another board that recently got flipped, a lot of providers and some of the members have my name and phone number, and with all the Shit going on, I really wish I would have started with a hobby phone. If the feds. Really go hardcore, they have all the info they need. Even thou I'm single, no family, no strings, it still would be fucked up to be arrested for "having dinner" with a few lovely ladies.
If I had a hobby phone, I would have a little less stress.

can one just use a hotel phone if you do only outcalls?

And leave info that is easily traced back to you and your CC?

I’m debating if I get a hobby phone.  Having a separate phone will draw suspicions from SO.

The alternative (and current setup) is using Google Voice forwarded to my cell.  Potentially LE can subpoena Google for my real cell# followed by another subpoena to my wireless carrier to get my name.  Trying to mitigate that risk by owning communicating with providers with multi-reviews by TER members who posted multi-reviews.

"draw suspicious from the SO?" Dude, you've got to keep the hobby phone HIDDEN from the SO. I use a gun safe, but any lockable storage should suffice. Just make sure its off when you store it.

No such place to store at home since we live in a condo.  Since I'm either travelling to client sites or working from home, I don't have a regular office either.  In fact, my employer’s closest office is 370 miles away.