Robert Greene Tech 10.13.2022 03:Oct AM EDT

Mozilla’s Firefox Relay Can Now Keep Spam SMS, Robocallers at Bay

Mozilla has the answer to spam in all imaginable ways spammers are doing to emails, text messages, or robocalls by launching an update of its email relay service.

Mozilla's Firefox Relay has been designed to keep spammers at bay or at least at a safe distance because it protects the user's email from public view as the user will only share the email mask and not the true email.

"Now you can receive only the messages you want in your inbox," Firefox Relay announced on its website.

Phone Number Masking

Previously, a user had the tool to protect the identity of contacts with the use of aliases. Mozilla extended this tool to phone numbers.

The newest service, phone number masking, could be a big help in protecting users from robocallers and spam SMS. It operates a lot like having email aliases.

But this is available only to Firefox Relay Premium. A subscription to this service would enable the users to generate a phone number alias. The alias can be used to reply to the last SMS when a user is required for a one-time confirmation text.

Cap on Calls And Text Messages

The alias service, however, has a cap. A subscriber has up to only 50 minutes of incoming calls using the alias line. It is up to 75 messages when in text message mode.

Once the subscriber has exceeded the limits, incoming calls will stop coming. It will be available again by the next billing cycle.

Another letdown is every subscriber can generate only a single phone number alias. Also, the service allows a one-time setting of the alias. There is no way a subscriber can change it.

There is one good thing about this Mozilla service. And it is the way it compensated the limits in the phone number masking alias with unlimited masking when it comes to email.

Firefox Relay Increased File Size

TechRadar noted that the latest update also comes with an increased file size to be attached to the email. From 150KB files, Mozilla enables users to send a file as big as 10MB.

This change in file size will save users the trouble of attaching documents, images, concert tickets, and videos.

In addition, Mozilla, in its blog, announced that the Firefox Relay extension is available on Google Chrome. Previously, only Firefox users had access to it.

Firefox Relay Premium Price

Subscribers can choose between two packages of Firefox Relay Premium. The service will only cost $4 a month if the subscriber chooses an annual plan. It is $5 a month for monthly billing.

The company has promised to add support for outgoing calls and text messaging. It also plans to add more regions where the service will be available in the future.

At the moment, only US and Canadian residents can have phone number masking.

Check Out Google Voice

If the price does not sound good, try to check out Google Voice, where a user can enjoy similar functions at no cost.

Google Voice is a telephone service for Google account customers. The service gives a customer in the United States a phone number.

The service is available outside the United States only for customers of Google Workspace in Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Sweden.