Bitchat has become the most downloaded app in Uganda amid a government-ordered nationwide internet shutdown. 
Discussion
Watching the developments closely…today another internet shutdown.
How does one use it without internet if they are not in close proximity of each other? And if they are, does this defeat the point of using an app? Or what am I missing?
I think users also act as relays.
Over … wifi? Bluetooth?
Or do they still have internal internet and the point is to … what, avoid censorship while staying anonymous?
If they join public spaces wouldn’t the govt also be able to join and track conversations?
you ask good questions
the answers will be vibes
sure. a goverment member would join the mesh network, while being in close proximity, and monitor conversations, but they can't be tracked since it's all anonymous. they could also disperse signal jammers, if they really needed to do so, but you can't stop all communcation, only the communication in the proximity. you'd have to deploy the jammers everywhere to where they're as frequent as street lights.
Blue tooth
🧐
But you need to be super close for this to work… doesn’t that defeat the point of an app? Couldn’t you just talk in person then?
Phone to phone I've got halfway down the block, with one phone still in the house. Bluetooth range is father than I thought. I think the Android version is going to utilize wifi as well soon.
wtf… I can’t walk more than the distance of my entire house and still maintain a connection
I think phone to phone is better than phone to headphones. Better antennae and more power. I use my phone as a bt keyboard & mouse and I can control my PC from outside the house, easily 50m away, through a few walls.
Interesting 🤨
Headphones are definitely not as good. I just tried with my PC and I lose audio in the next room 🤣
I get about 20 feet max on headphones
I'm assuming it uses this, lowering data rate for extended range. Simple text chat should use orders of magnitude less bandwidth than audio streams.
---
Introduced in Bluetooth 5.0, a feature called LE Coded PHY (Physical Layer) allows devices to extend their range significantly—up to 4 times the standard distance—by reducing the data rate. It does this by repeating bits of data, which makes the signal easier for the receiver to "hear" through noise or over long distances.
Bluetooth LE Speed vs. Range
| Mode | Data Rate | Max Range (Approx.) | Use Case |
| LE 2M | 2 Mbps | ~10–30 m | Fast transfers, low latency |
| LE 1M | 1 Mbps | ~30–100 m | Standard connection (default) |
| Coded (S=2) | 500 kbps | ~200–400 m | Better range, moderate data |
| Coded (S=8) | 125 kbps | ~1 km+ | Long range (industrial/outdoor)
Both my phones, pixel 6 & 8 series support the long range modes, probably why I get such long distance connections. This app lets you check your hardware capabilities.
https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nRF-Connect-for-mobile
This is nice 👍
I have some testing to do
The lastest update has town level meshes too, initially it was just Bluetooth. Country level chatrooms too, from what I saw messing around in it this week after the Lora update ~ LG
That's not using mesh though, that's using Nostr relays. It won't work without internet. The mesh & Nostr parts are currently disconnected as well, they don't interact or exchange messages.
For the Nostr side of it I much prefer https://nym.bar for a better interface, and more options.
Thanks for the clarification, didn't know that. Tried multiple permutations but still ended up being the lone account online in my region.
Will check out Nym.bar , seems like a good addition to the #FreedomTech #PrivacyRefuge hashtags. ✅
It is Bluetooth mesh (~100m per hop) + nostr relays (probably did not work) + Lora (just recentl upgrade, not sure how or if it works yet) - kilometers per hop !
It’s not immediately deployable. Especially since you need internet to get the app, and what authoritarian regimes do first is cut the internet.
A bitchat over meshtastic firmware was release a couple of days ago, that could extend the range significantly. Still not perfect.
I find it works great across rooms or within a building. It works good underground like in subways. And the most obvious use case is classrooms/movies/auditoriums in general.
gov: *shuts down internet*
ugandan people: set up a mesh network and download the bible
I can’t understand how they can download bitchat if they have no internet 🤣
Ugandans be like:
Wtf is that
How do they download without Internet, I have a cousin currently working there.
Would it be possible to have audio calls over BLE mesh ?
would be much more useful if instead of a useless chat room with anonymous people and ephemeral messages (that they're probably using only to kill time)
they could have a real mesh social network with permanent content and identities and structured threading conversations if they were sending nostr posts back and forth via their bluetooths
Checkoit samiz by nostr:nprofile1qqsxg45ph8gx0vdrvtzta6xal7v86frx6jvstsnvhrlvtehmwwh4epqpr9mhxue69uhkummnw3ezuun0vfhhxct5wvhx7un89uq3vamnwvaz7tm9v3jkutnwdaehgu3wd3skuep0qy88wumn8ghj7mn0wvhxcmmv9uclz208 also they could do that
they whom could do what?
Bitchat team, would love for that to be a feature.
There is an already defined NIP for this, any app can just follow it to be interoperable. This way, People using nostr:npub1yjxerh4msvgqf230ej3648a28xhvxjstqr2rhpjt2eelf538e70scnl9d0 or Bitchat (or any other future app) will be able to sync and communicate https://github.com/nostr-protocol/nips/blob/master/BE.md
There are much more suitable protocols like Meshtastic and MeshCore, and they already implement what you’re talking about — Store & Forward and Room Server.
nostr is better
Actually, no. JSON is pretty crappy.
ok, just do it
The Ugandan government is now bitchat’s new marketing department lol
Any data on Iran?
Bitchat for the win! Allowing people to communicate with other humans regardless of internet access.
So that works kind of like you get sent a lot of messages that you store and distribute?
Isn’t that very memory consuming?
Bitchat is a decentralized, peer-to-peer messaging app launched by Jack Dorsey in July 2025. It is designed to work without the internet, cellular service, or accounts.
How it Works
• Offline Mesh: Uses Bluetooth to send messages directly from phone to phone. Messages "hop" across nearby devices to extend range.
• Nostr Integration: Uses the Nostr protocol as a fallback for global messaging when internet is available.
• No Identity: No phone numbers or emails required; users are anonymous by default.
• Resilience: Built for communication during internet blackouts, protests, or natural disasters.
• Payments: Supports offline Bitcoin/Lightning payments via Cashu e-cash tokens.
I’ve been spending a lot of time around, the broader Bitcoin/blockchain space, and one thing is becoming very clear, automation is quietly changing how people interact with markets.
Auto algorithm trading isn’t about shortcuts or hype. It’s about using transparent, rules-based systems that remove emotion and let the tech do what it does best.
I’ve an ongoing VIP group, A space for people who want to learn how these strategies actually work, how they’re built, and how to use them responsibly as innovation continues to move fast around the blockchain.
If you’re curious, open-minded, and interested in where this is heading, you’re welcome to join.