In recent years, internet-based calling applications have seen widespread use, offering users cheaper alternatives to traditional mobile calls. This includes platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, FaceTime, and others.
Many users assume that these apps are more secure than standard voice calls made through mobile networks. However, the truth may be more complex.
While internet calls are generally more secure than regular cellular calls, they are not immune to surveillance or interception, especially when using apps that lack strong privacy or data protection standards.
Key Differences Between Cellular Calls and Internet Calls
There are fundamental differences between calls made over mobile networks and those made over the Internet. The core distinction lies in the type of server used to process and transmit the call.
- Cellular calls rely on local mobile towers and the servers of the telecom company.
- Internet calls, on the other hand, depend on the servers of the application provider — even if those servers are not located in your country.
For example, a call made through WhatsApp is routed through WhatsApp’s servers, and the same applies to FaceTime and other similar platforms, regardless of where their infrastructure is physically located.
Call quality also varies depending on the strength of the respective network. If your internet connection is stronger than your mobile signal, you’ll generally experience better call clarity through internet-based apps — and vice versa.
Encryption and call security depend on the server managing the transmission, whether it’s part of a mobile carrier or an internet app.
Are Internet Calls Safer Than Cellular Calls?
Most internet apps now use end-to-end encryption, meaning that the content of the call is not visible to the service provider — offering a level of privacy superior to regular cellular calls.
But does this mean that WhatsApp calls cannot be tracked? And are they truly safer than traditional mobile calls?
Monitoring vs. Tracking Internet Calls
Before answering that question, it’s important to distinguish between monitoring and tracking:
- Monitoring refers to accessing the actual contents of the call, including audio recordings — essentially, listening in.
- Tracking, however, refers to logging details such as the call’s start time, duration, location, recipient information, and metadata — without accessing the actual conversation.
Most end-to-end encrypted internet calls cannot be monitored in the traditional sense. Even the service providers cannot decrypt the conversation content, as it requires a private encryption key that exists only on the devices of both call participants.
However, companies and agencies can track these calls — logging metadata such as timing, frequency, and contact details — even without knowing what was said. This is confirmed in a report by Acephone, a cybersecurity firm.
What Can Be Discovered Through Internet Call Tracking?
According to cybersecurity firm Ucybers, internet-based calls can be tracked to reveal a variety of data — even without breaching the privacy of the actual conversation.
Here’s what can typically be uncovered:
- Time and duration of each call
- IP addresses used to initiate and receive the call
- Server data involved in routing the call
- Geolocation of each participant during the call
- Type of media shared (voice, video, images, or text), based on the data volume
- Device information, including phone number, network ID, service provider name, and the app used to place the call
By comparing timestamps, data volumes, and transmission patterns between caller and recipient, surveillance systems can even determine who was on the other end of the call, without hearing a word.
