- SpaceShip thunderbolt replaces its phone number with a domain name: if you are sufficiently expert in technology
- Thunderbolt promises an end -to -end encryption without central storage
- Domain names are safe, but they may not be practical for daily messaging and calls
Thunderbolt, a new application developed by the domain registrar spacecraft, aims to replace the telephone numbers and email addresses with domain names for voice, video and text communication.
Promoted as an alternative focused on privacy to existing platforms, Thunderbolt uses the property of the DNS as a form of identity verification. SpaceShip says that this approach avoids the vulnerabilities of centralized databases and traditional login credentials.
While it shares conceptual similarities with systems such as What3Words, which translate complex data into simpler and more memorable units, Thunderbolt applies this idea to communication instead of geography.
The tone and angle of privacy
Thunderbolt presents a domain as a “digital home” that can serve as a universal identifier. This concept allows users to make calls or send messages using a domain like “Alice.Chat” instead of a telephone number.
The company states that domain names are safer, inherently private and easier to remember. “A domain is a public speech, but it does not reveal anything personal,” says the company.
Thunderbolt also promises an end -to -end encryption and there is no storage of central messages, which claims to offer a high degree of privacy. Security is linked to the property of the DNS, with DNSSEC used to further authenticate access.
However, this model assumes that users feel comfortable navigating the domain registration and the DNS server configuration, tasks that many still find opaque and unintested.
The statement that the platform is “practically impossible to hack” also guarantees skepticism. While decentralized identity and DNSSEC offer strong protections, no system is completely immune to commitment.
Thunderbolt admits traditional domains, as well as handshakes and Ens domains, offering compatibility with third -party registrars.
Even so, the experience of incorporation of the application is optimized for users who record domains through a spacecraft, which raises concerns about the blockage of suppliers and the true commitment to decentralization.
For a tool that emphasizes user control and independence, this preference seems to conflict with their declared objectives, since users may be careful to be channeled towards a single supplier under the appearance of convenience.
There is also the widest question of how many people really want to handle their identity through domain infrastructure. While this can attract those who already execute personal websites or portfolios online, the average consumer could find it cumbersome compared to the services that work outside the box.
Thunderbolt enters a market full of people dominated by platforms such as WhatsApp, Zoom and Skype. People looking for the best alternative to Skype can appreciate that Thunderbolt has no ads, uses a strong encryption and gives users more control over their identity.
However, it is not clear how well the platform works at the scale, or how easy it is to find and connect with others in the application.
