Encrypted communication on the MP02
Instruction manualContents
Part one
4 Encrypted calls on the MP02
6 Installing the software andregistering with Signal
6
6
6
8
8

Preparation
Installing the Pigeon encryption software
Activating Pigeon and registering with Signal
Setting a passcode (PIN)
Securing the Signal account

9 Settings
9
9
9
10
10
10

ProfileNotifications
Privacy
Attachments
Storage
Advanced

11 Contacts
11
11
11
12

Review auto-added Contacts
Inviting people to start using Signal
Confirm connections with other Signal users(‘exchange private keys’)
RefreshEncrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

13 Spoken communication
13
13
14
14

Making calls
Voice messages
SearchReset secure session

15 Written communication
15
15
16
16
16

Text messages
Conversations
Mark all read
Archiving or deleting conversations
Groups19 Other features
19
19

Attachments
Note to Self

20 Advanced settings
21 Appendix 1: list of symbols
22 Appendix 2: Lost passcode

March 20212About this instruction manual⏤ Version

1.0 (based on Pigeon
version 1.0776)⏤ Revision date

March 2021
⏤ Change

First version

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

March 2021

3

Encrypted calls on the MP02

Signal: bringing true
encryption to the worldof communication

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

The Signal Foundation

The Signal application

Signal is a telecommunications platform with roots that go backto 2010. It is run by a registered non-profit organisation, theSignal Technology Foundation (usually shortened to ‘the Signal
Foundation’). They are based in California, USA.

This is a free app that can be installed on almost all
desktop/laptop computers, tablets and smartphones. It gives
access to the Signal network.

The Signal Protocol

The Signal network

The Signal Protocol is an encryption system developed and usedby Signal. It is also licensed out to other companies, such as
WhatsApp/Facebook and Skype. However, there are differencesin how it is deployed. Signal stands out in two ways. Firstly, the‘metadata’ (who called whom, when, on what type of device,etc.) is also 100% encrypted/unavailable – instead of being
harvested and sold. Secondly, encryption is always activated: it isnever necessary to select it as an extra option.

The Foundation’s servers and the millions of people with Signalcompatible devices together constitute a global network thatanyone can join free of charge. Unless specified otherwise, allreferences to Signal in this document refer to the Signal
network.

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Pigeon: bringing Signal to
the MP02

Pigeon is closely based on the Signal app. It is designed specifically for accessing the Signal network from a voicephone: small
screen and a keypad-only interface. Inevitably, some elements of Signal are not provided; the focus is on high-quality encrypted
phone calls, with encrypted messaging also available.
Pigeon provides encrypted communication with any other Signal user, to the same level of security. Signal calls are Internet-based(VoIP), which means that they are free of charge (apart from any data charges that may arise).

This instruction manual:bringing Pigeon to theowners of MP02s

The MP02: bringing the
focus-friendly option to
the Signal network

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

The MP02 does not have a Help feature. The text-based interface is very quick to use, once it is mastered, but in general it is notguessable. This manual needs to be worked through carefully, from the beginning until the end. In addition, it assumes fullknowledge of the MP02’s main instruction manual. More information about Signal, any known software bugs, pending newfeatures, etc., are available on the Punkt. website’s Support section.

Using Signal on the MP02 means foregoing a number of secondary features. But sometimes it is good to take a break fromsmartphones. And now it is possible to do that without missing out on the world’s leading communication encryption system.

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Installing the software and registering with Signal
Carefully read this section to the end before
commencing the set-up process.

Installing the Pigeon encryption software
1.

Preparation
There are two separate stages to setting up encrypted
communication on the MP02: installing extra software,called Pigeon, and then registering with Signal. Before
proceeding, the following are required:•••Up-to-date operating system on the MP02 – v2.0
(v02.00.0082) or later.
Connection to the Internet (preferably with bothmethods available: Wi-Fi for downloading thesoftware and then via the MP02’s own 4G LTE
connection for registering with Signal).
A phone number that can be used to receive a oneoff unencrypted SMS text message or unencrypted
automated voice message. This does not need to be
the MP02’s phone number, although theregistration process is slightly simpler if it is.
However, for as long as it is linked to a Signal
account it will not be available for anyone else to
use with Signal. Also, it will be visible to any other
Signal user with whom messages are exchanged (aprerequisite for making phone calls).

2.

3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Activating Pigeon and registering with Signal
1.

2.
Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

Connect the MP02 to a power source, or ensurethat its battery is at least 30% charged.
Connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi or the MP02’s
4G LTE data connection, as preferred. (Wi-Fi may
avoid unnecessary data charges.)
From the Main menu, select Settings, thenApplications, then Manage.
Wait for a few seconds while the MP02 checks foravailable software.
When ‘Pigeon’ appears on the screen (scroll to findit, if necessary), select it.
Wait while the software is downloaded andinstalled.
When a message appears stating that the
installation process has finished, press the Punkt.
key to return to the Home screen.

If the Internet connection for the software
installation was via Wi-Fi, reconnect using the
MP02’s 4G LTE connection if possible. If doing sowhile abroad, be sure to activate data roaming.
(Wi-Fi can be used if necessary, but theauthentication process may be more complicated.)
From the Main menu, select ‘Pigeon’. (Short-cut:

3.
4.

5.

long-press the Message key from the Home
screen.)Read the Software Disclaimer and Terms of Useand Privacy texts, and then select ‘Continue’.
Select ‘Allow’ to permit Pigeon to access the
MP02’s Contacts list, use and record audio, view
SMS, access photos/media/files and make/manage
phone calls. More information about this isavailable in the Support section of the Punkt.
website.
The next step is to enter a phone number (mobile
or land-line) suitable for receiving a one-off,
unencrypted verification code from Signal (SMS
text or auto-generated voice message). The Signal
account will be linked to this phone number. It
does not have to be the number of the MP02 that iscurrently being set up; it can only be linked to asingle Signal account. If the correct country code
has been automatically displayed, scroll down andselect ‘Next’; otherwise press the Punkt. key anduse the search feature to find the correct code.
Enter the phone number itself, omitting the initialzero, and select ‘Next’ to send the account request
to Signal. (From this point on, do not press the
End key until a Signal Profile has been set up as
this will cancel the registration process and a new
account request will need to be sent.)
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6.

7.

When the request is received by Signal, there may
be a requirement to negotiate a ‘Captcha’ test inorder to demonstrate that it is a bona fide
registration attempt. The test requires theregistrant to select from a range of images,
according to a specific instruction. Use the 2, 4, 6
and 8 numerical keys to a) locate all the images
that have been sent (not all will be visible on thescreen at once) and b) highlight an individual
image so that it can be selected by pressing the
Punkt. key (or the 5 key). If the images fail to load,press the 0 key to refresh. (This can also be done if
a 4x4 image test is loading; there is a possibility
that the replacement will be the easier 3x3 format.)
When all the required images have been selected,press the 6 and 8 keys to move down to highlightwhat may either be ‘Verify’ or ‘Continue’(depending on which version of the Captcha test
has been sent) and press the Punkt. key.
Once the Captcha test has been passed (it may takea few attempts), Signal will then send an
unencrypted SMS message containing theverification code to the number that has been
provided (there may be a short delay).
Confirmation that this has been received needs tobe sent back to Signal:a. If the phone number that was entered is thatof the MP02 currently being set up, theEncrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manualb.

c.

MP02 will autofill the confirmation receipt
text box automatically (dismiss the SMS
notification). Select Next to send
confirmation of receipt to Signal.
If a different phone number has been used,the verification code needs to be returned
manually. If the number is for a phone thatcan receive SMS messages, simply copy thecode into the MP02 over the greyed-out text
and select ‘Next’ to send confirmation ofreceipt to Signal. If the phone cannot receive
SMS messages (i.e. is a land-line phone),
scroll down and select ‘Call me instead’ torequest an auto-generated voice message
that reads out the verification code (thisoption disappears when there are six digits inthe text box, there is a 60-second countdown
before it can be used, and a second Captcha
test may be required). When the call comes,
note down the code and send it back to
Signal as described above.
If the confirmation code does not arrive,
check the phone number that was sent to
Signal by scrolling down and selecting‘Wrong number’. The phone number will be
displayed, and it can be edited and resent if
required. If it shows the correct number,check with Signal (their website and social

8.

9.

media) to see if there is a problem with theirserver.
d. If an incorrect code is sent to Signal, the text
entry box will reappear.
Re-registering only: if the phone number isalready linked to a Signal account that requires a
PIN, this will be requested at this point.
Create a Signal Profile by filling in the ‘First
name’ (mandatory, can be a nickname) and ‘Last
name’ (optional) fields. These will be sent
(encrypted) to recipients of all calls and texts, but
are not sent to the Signal Foundation. Use the Up
and Down keys to move between the text fields.
(It is not possible to have a Signal Profile image
when using the MP02.) Scroll to and select ‘Save’
to finish the registration process.

Further information about registration is available
on Support section of the Punkt. website.

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Setting a passcode (PIN)
IMPORTANT It is essential to set a Signal passcodebefore commencing use of the Signal service. It isnecessary for two reasons:1.

2.

To enable subsequent locking of the Signal account,i.e. protecting it from being taken over by a third
party.
To assist with setting up Pigeon again, in the eventof it being deleted and then reinstalled.

To set the passcode:
1. From the Pigeon menu, select ‘Settings’, then
‘Privacy’, then ‘Create a PIN’.
2. Decide on passcode, and make multiple secure
copies of it. It can be numerals-only or a
combination of numerals, letters and special
characters. It should be unrelated to real-worldthings like birthdates, and not used for any otheraccount. A password manager with two-factor
authentication is recommended.
a. For a numerals-only passcode, simply enter a
PIN of at least four different digits (no singlestep ascending or descending numbers, e.g.
3456 or 8765).
b. Alternatively, scroll down (press the Down
Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

3.

4.

key once, then the Punkt. key – the text does
not highlight prior to selection) and select‘Create alphanumeric PIN’, then scroll backup to recreate the cursor above the line andenter a passcode comprising at least four
letters, numbers or special characters (the last
can be accessed by pressing the Star key).
c. Whichever format is chosen, the charactersshould be observed very carefully while they
are being entered (they are only visible for ashort time), lest an input error occur twice ina row. Work slowly, and be particularly alert
to a character being accidentally duplicated oromitted.
Scroll down and select ‘Next’ and re-enter the
passcode, again checking the characters as they are
entered. The MP02 will then encrypt the passcodeand send it to the Signal server.
Reminders: the MP02 will occasionally and withdecreasing frequency prompt the user to re-enter
the passcode as a way of assisting with thememorisation process. It is recommended that thisfeature be left on.

registered phone number to the account. This process
requires that a passcode has been set, as describedabove.
•••

Staying in the ‘Privacy’ sub-menu, select‘Registration Lock’.
Scroll down and select ‘Turn on’.
Check that ‘Registration Lock ON’ is showing in the‘Privacy’ sub-menu.

Note: a Signal account is only as secure as the phonethat it is linked to. For maximum security, ensure that
the MP02’s auto-lock feature and passcode protection
are activated at all times.

Securing the Signal accountFinally, it is essential to protect the Signal account frombeing taken over by someone else, by ‘locking’ theMarch 2021

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Settings
From the Pigeon menu, select ‘Settings’ and go througheach sub-menu in turn.

ProfilePrivacyCommunication•

This displays the Signal Profile (user name), which iswhat will be shown when communicating with other
Signal users. Review it, and then use the Back key toexit. (If a text box is highlighted, it will be necessary topress the Back key repeatedly. The content of the text
box will appear to be deleted but no changes will besaved.) To amend the Signal Profile, scroll between the
text boxes and then select Save to finish.

Notifications
Different sounds can be specified, and vibrating alert
activated/deactivated, for:a. messages
b. callsc. ‘Signal events’. (On the MP02, ‘Signal events’ refers
solely to when someone in the MP02’s mainContacts list joins Signal)
It is strongly recommended that the ringtone and themessage notification sound for incoming Signal calls
and texts be changed, in order to demarcate them fromunencrypted calls and texts. The MP02’s full range of
notification sounds is available to choose from; a filled
white circle indicates which sound is set.
Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

hand, activating the read receipts feature isretrospective: if messages have been exchanged with
it turned off and it is then turned on (on bothdevices), read receipts will appear above all messages
received from the other party, on both sides, in allconversations. (This change is only triggered whenboth devices are connected to the network
simultaneously.)•

Always relay calls When using Signal, calls arealways encrypted. Callers do not see each other’s IP
addresses, but if the necessary steps are taken thesecan be obtained by them, and potentially also by athird party with access to sophisticated techniques.
When ‘Always relay calls’ is selected, calls will be
relayed via Signal’s servers (similar to a VPN). This
makes it impossible to obtain the other party’s IP
address. However, relaying calls may cause someincrease in latency and reduction in audio quality.
Press the Punkt. key to turn this feature on if
maximum security is desired; its on/off state will be
displayed within the horizontal-scrolling text. Selectit again to turn off.
Read receipts A pair of filled ticked circles above asent message indicates that it has been opened on
the recipient’s device (and has most likely been read,hence the feature’s name). ‘Read receipts’ could also
be described as ‘Opened indicators’. For the feature
to function, both parties need to have it turned on.
Deactivating it on the MP02 will remove all read
receipts from the device itself, but will have no effecton any read receipts that may be found on otherdevices showing which messages have been received
by and opened on the MP02 in the past. On the other••Typing indicators When active, an animated ellipsis
next to a Contact’s Signal Profile image indicatesthat they are composing a message. Again, this will
apply to both sender and recipient and will only
appear when both parties have it switched on. Its
state is indicated within the sub-menu. Simply selectit to deactivate or reactivate it according topreference.
Generate link previews A link preview is an image
taken from the website that has been linked to. It iscreated when a message is being composed and a link
to one of a list of popular websites has been
included; an associated thumbnail image is
automatically obtained from the linked-to website(assuming the general Attachments settings permit
this for the current type of Internet connection).
Data usage is minimal. Turning it off will not preventthe receipt of link previews from other devices; thiscan be achieved within the Attachments sub-menu,
described below.
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•Blocked Contacts Selecting this will display thelinked phone numbers of any Signal Contacts who
have been blocked. To block a Contact, select ‘Add
blocked user’, select their name from the list andthen select ‘Block’. To unblock a Contact, select their
Signal-linked phone number (doing this will reveal
their Signal Profile) and then select ‘Unblock’.

Sealed senderThis refers to whether the sender’s address is hidden.
This has for some years been inherent within the Signal
system.
••

Display indicators If activated, an indicator will be
displayed above a message to show that it was sentwith Sealed Sender activated. Because this feature is
now pretty much universal, this option can in mostcases be left switched off.
Allow from anyone If this is turned off, incoming
messages from senders whose Signal-linked number
is not in the MP02’s main Contacts list will be
automatically blocked and deleted. The sender will be
informed that the message has not arrived. In orderto start communication, their Signal-linked phone
number must be added to the MP02’s main Contacts
list. After a short period (or immediately, if ‘Refresh’is selected from the ‘New message’ sub-menu), their
Signal Profile name will become visible within the
Pigeon Contacts list and messages can be received.

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

Pigeon PIN
It is essential to have a) created a numeric oralphanumeric Signal passcode (PIN), and b) activatedRegistration Lock in order to protect the Signal accountbeing taken over by a third party. If this has not alreadybeen implemented, follow the instructions describedabove.
•••

Change your PIN Selecting this will cause a repeat of
the initial setting-up process. It can be exited bypressing the Back key.
PIN reminders These are generated by Pigeon to help
ensure that the passcode (PIN) is memorised
effectively. If preferred, they can be deactivated.
Registration Lock This should be kept on at all
times, but if it is necessary to turn it off, this can bedone here.

the new connection. The acceptance settings can beoverridden: an attachment can be accepted at any timeby selecting it within its accompanying message.
Attachments (and messages) are sent via the Signal
server, and will be held there for at least seven days.
Documents cannot be opened on the MP02, but it ispossible to forward them to another device for viewing
there.

Storage
This refers to how long received messages are retainedby the MP02. Settings apply to all messages and are
entirely optional.
••

Attachments
This governs whether the MP02 automatically accepts
files enclosed with messages (images, audio, video or
documents – always automatically encrypted), when its
Internet connection is via each of the three options ofmobile data (home country), mobile data (roaming),
and Wi-Fi. If the current Internet connection changes,
the MP02 will automatically accept any pending
attachments that are compatible with the settings for•

Keep messages Sets a time limit for how longmessages are retained.
Conversation length limit Defines the maximum
number of messages that are retained. Once the limit
is reached, oldest messages are automatically deleted.
A single limit applies to all message threads.
Clear message history Permanently deletes allreceived messages and media.

Advanced
Information about Advanced settings is provided at theend of this document.
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Contacts
Review auto-added Contacts
As soon as Pigeon is installed, it creates a Signal
Contacts list by automatically identifying which phone
numbers in the MP02’s main Contacts list are linked to
Signal accounts. Signal Contacts can only be included in
the Signal Contacts list if they are already in the MP02’s
main Address Book. This means that Signal
communication can only begin once the recipient’s
Signal-linked number is in the MP02’s main AddressBook.

listed phone number is not already linked to a Signal
account; it can be sent to people individually orcollectively.
•

•

•

•

Signal Contacts are all shown, in alphabetical order,
below the ‘New message’ menu (and also in the ‘New
group’ menu). Note that if someone has given
themselves a different name for their Signal Profile it
will be converted to the name they have in their entry in
the MP02’s main Contacts list. Also, individuals who arein the MP02’s main Contacts list will not appear in the
Signal Contacts list if their Signal account is linked to aphone number that is not included in the main list.

Inviting people to start using Signal
A pre-written text message is available, inviting people
to start connecting via Signal. It is ready to be sent (instandard, unencrypted SMS format) to anyone who is
included in the MP02’s main Contacts list but whose
Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual••

If sending to multiple Contacts, make a separate
note of their names.
From the main menu, select ‘New message’ and then‘Invite Contacts’.
Read the horizontal-scrolling message. (It is notpossible to edit it.)Select ‘Share with Contacts’.
Select the Contact(s) to whom the message is to be
sent. Contacts whose phone numbers are alreadylinked to a Signal account will not be listed. As eachContact is selected, the circle next to the name willchange from unfilled to filled.
Select ‘Send SMS to’, and then ‘Yes’ to confirm.

Confirm connections with other Signal users(‘exchange private keys’)
In order to be able to make a Signal phone call to a
Signal Contact, it is necessary to first exchange text
messages (a minimum of one each way). This is done inorder to ‘exchange private keys’, which ensures thatpeople are talking to whom they think they are and is anecessary step for enabling Signal’s exceptionally highlevel of security. The messages do not have to beretained afterwards, but in situations where theContact’s Signal-linked phone number is not in the
MP02’s main Contacts list (and therefore in the Signal
Contacts list), this message thread will be the only way
of communicating with the Contact and the only recordof their number.
It is strongly recommended that the process of
exchanging private keys with all Signal Contacts be
carried out as part of the Pigeon installation process,creating a separate list of Contacts and working throughit methodically until completion. This should be done inconjunction with establishing which MP02 Contacts
have a different phone number registered to Signal andare therefore not appearing in the list of Signal
Contacts, which Contacts are not registered to Signal at
all and should perhaps be encouraged to join, informing
people that Signal is being used via a voicephone andsome smartphone-based features are not available, etc.
If a Contact’s Signal-linked number is different fromtheir main telephone number(s), and is not used for any
other purpose, the MP02’s custom label feature can beused to list it as ‘Signal’. Note also that Contacts who
are already Signal users will have automatically been
alerted to the fact that this MP02 is now contactable via
Signal.
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If required, it is possible to ascertain whether private
keys have been exchanged with a Signal Contact byseeing whether a safety number has been created andshared with them. This is done via ‘Conversation
settings’ in the Conversation contextual menu.
Exchanging private keys with a Signal Contact :
•

•

•
•

•

linked to Signal, has only recently been added to the
MP02’s main Contacts list, it may be worth selecting‘Refresh’ will cause the MP02 to update the Signal
Contacts immediately. This will also establish whether
any Contacts have very recently deregistered from
Signal.

From the main menu, select ‘New message’, scroll
down and select the recipient’s name as listed with
Signal.
Enter a message, and press the Punkt. key. (It may be
useful to include a reminder that a reply is necessary
before it is possible to make calls.)
Scroll down and select Send.
Await a reply. When it arrives, the process iscomplete and it is possible to start making Signal
calls.
If the other person happens to send the initialmessage first, from the main menu simply scroll
down to their name. Select it, compose a message,
and select Send.

RefreshChanges to the list of Signal Contacts may take a shortwhile to appear. If a Contact, whose phone number isEncrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

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Spoken communication
The Signal protocol has its roots in a messaging-onlyservice; the ability to make calls was added later. For
that reason calls are most easily made via the list ofConversations.

Making calls

when text has been entered into the message
composition box but a reason exists for notsending it.
••

A pre-written text message is available, inviting people
to start connecting via Signal. It is ready to be sent (instandard, unencrypted SMS format) to anyone who is
included in the MP02’s main Contacts list but whose
listed phone number is not already linked to a Signal
account; it can be sent to people individually orcollectively.
•

b.

c.

If a Contact is listed in the Active
Conversations List (or the Archived
Conversations List) below the main menu,
highlight their name and press the Call key.
Any Contact can be called by selecting ‘New
message’, scroll down and select the Contact,and – with the message composition box
visible but with no text in it – press the Call
key.
A third option is to select ‘Call’ within thecontextual menu available when a
Conversation is displayed. This can be useful

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

Various options are available by scrolling down to thecontextual menu that appears during phone calls:a.

There are three ways of making a call:a.

To end the call, press the End key.

Call volume level (select, adjust by pressing
the Up and/or Down keys, and then press the
Back key)b.

Hands-free speakerc.

Mute (turns off the MP02’s microphone)d.

End the call (useful in situations where theEnd key has become soiled)

Voice messages

Punkt. key. This will immediately encrypt therecording and send it to the recipient(s).
Alternatively, cancel by pressing the Back key.
Received voice messages operate exactly like standard
audio files received as attachments to written messages(see below), and follow the same settings specifying
whether they are automatically accepted via different
types of Internet connection.
To listen to a voice message:•••

To send a voice message:•••

Select a Contact or Group from the Active
Conversations List below the main menu.
Scroll down to the contextual menu and select ‘Voicemessage’. The MP02 will immediately begin
recording, while displaying a timer showing theduration of the message.
When the message has been recorded, press the

•

•

•

Select the notification that appears on the MP02
Home screen (depending on settings), stating that
there are new Pigeon messages.
This will lead to the Active Conversations List,
highlighting the Conversation with the most recent
activity.
Select this or any Conversation. This will open it andhighlight its oldest unread message.
When a voice message is located, select it to have themessage begin to play. Press the Punkt. key again topause it.
To cause the play position to jump back to thebeginning, leave that Conversation, re-enter it, andscroll back to the voice message.
To adjust the volume level at which voice messages
are played, adjust the general phone volume via theHome screen then Settings menu.
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Search•The MP02’s Pigeon search feature presents its
results in the following sources, in this order:a.

Names of Contacts with whom there are
current conversations.

b.

Names from the Contacts list overall (someduplication with the results fromconversations).

c.

Words extracted from the content of
individual messages.

Reset secure session
This refreshes the connection with the other Signal user,which is sometimes required by the Signal network.

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

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Written communication
Text messages
Signal text messages are always encrypted. They arealways sent via the Signal server, so there is no relaying
option as there is with calls.
Sending a text message:•

Select a Contact (or a Group – see below) from anyof the following.
a.

an existing Conversation (message thread) in
the Current Conversations List (CCL) below
the Main menu, if applicable (usually thequickest option)b.

the full list of Contacts accessible byselecting ‘New message’ from the main menu
and searching or scrolling down (if there isalready a Conversation with that Contact,
this will automatically jump to the end of it)

c.

•

•

the list of archived message threads, if
applicable

Write the required message in the message
composition box that will appear.
Press the Punkt. key or the Call key to immediately
send the encrypted message. (Pressing the Call key
with no text entered will cause the MP02 to make a
Signal phone call instead.)

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual•

The text composition box can be exited without
deleting entered text by repeatedly pressing the Up
key until the beginning of the text is reached, andthen pressing the Back key. In predictive text mode,
it will be necessary to finish entering a word before
the Back key can be used in this way.

Conversations
Sending an initial message will cause a conversation to
be created. Beneath the main menu, the MP02 displays alist of the individual Contacts and Groups with whom a
Conversation is ‘active’, i.e. not archived. Conversation
partners are listed in chronological order; Conversations
with the most recent activity are shown first. There canonly ever be one Conversation per individual Contact orGroup at any one time.
A conversation can be archived by long-selecting andthen selecting “Archive selected”. To de-archive aconversation, send a message within it. Receiving amessage within it will have the same effect.
A conversation can be deleted by long-selecting it andthen selecting “Delete selected”. Contacts will not bedeleted by doing this, and it will still be possible to makephone calls (no need to exchange messages again).

message composition box, with the previous sent andreceived messages above it. A message can be sent bypressing the Call key or by selecting Send from thecontextual menu below where it is also possible to createa voice message or make a call.
Various Conversation options are available via thecontextual menu. Their settings are specific to thecurrently-displayed Conversation, and if it is deleted
they will return to their default states. Note that when inpredictive text mode, an unfinished word will prevent
the Down key from being available for scrolling down tothe contextual menu.

Conversation settings•••

Disappearing messages Causes messages to selfdelete from the recipient’s device after a preset time
(beginning from the moment that the message is
opened). It is not retroactive: messages sent prior toactivation will remain.
Mute notifications Silences the alert sound andprevents notifications relating to that thread fromappearing on the MP02’s Home screen.
Custom notifications Applies different sounds andvibrating alert state specific to that Conversation.

Selecting a Conversation from the list will bring up the
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•

•

View safety number This is a security feature thatenables users to check that they are communicatingwith the person they think they are. Selecting thisand scrolling down will reveal a long number thatshould match the other person’s safety number. If
their device can read QR codes, they can use it toscan the code displayed above the safety number.
Block An alternative way of adding a Contact orGroup to the ‘blocked’ list, in addition to via thePrivacy sub-menu described above.

Disappearing messages As above.
Reset secure session This refreshes the connection
with the other Signal user, if required due to difficulties
with the Signal network.

Add to Contacts This adds the Signal Contact to the

MP02’s main Contacts list, by either creating a new entry
or adding to an existing one as preferred. Only the phone
number is transferred, and it should be borne in mind
that this number may not be the Contact’s number foruse other than for Signal identification purposes. If thisis the case, it can be marked as such by using the MP02’s
custom label feature.

Conversation is represented by a becircled number. If
all messages in the Conversation have been opened, atemporal statement indicates how many hours ago oron what date the most recent message was sent fromor received by the MP02.
•

Archiving or deleting conversations

In the CCL, the number of unread messages in each

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

Signal Groups are stored on the Signal-registered devicesof each member. Any member can send a recorded or
written message; this will be received by everyone who isin the Group. It is not possible to have Group phone
calls.

Creating a Signal Group1.

To create a Group, select ‘New group’ from the main
menu.

2.

Either by scrolling or using the search feature, selectthe Contacts who are to be added to the Group. (Thelist of Contacts is a duplicate of the one available byselecting ‘New message’.) As each Contact is added,
the circle next to their Profile name will change fromunfilled to filled. Select again to undo.

3.

When all the required Contacts have been added,
select ‘Done’.

Conversations can be archived or deleted in order tokeep the list of current conversations short and easier tolook through. Contacts will not be affected, and phone
calls with recipients will still be possible.
•••

Mark all read•

Selecting ‘Mark all read’ will remove the unread
message counts. If ‘Read receipts’ are enabled, thesewill be triggered – including on senders’ devices asapplicable.

Groups•To archive or delete a Conversation, long-select it andselect the desired option.
The list of archived Conversations can be viewed by
selecting ‘Archived conversations’ below the list of
current conversations on the Pigeon main menu.

••

A Conversation can be dearchived either by a)selecting it and sending a message or b) long-selecting
it again.
There is no way of retrieving a Conversation once it
has been deleted.

•

Enter a name for the Group.
The MP02 will be in predictive text mode;change to multi-tap or numerical by pressing
the Hash key (long-press to change language).
Unusual characters can be accessed bypressing the Star key.
If possible, choose a name short enough to fit
onto the MP02’s screen.
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•

4.

5.

Be aware that because there is no central
register of Signal Groups, it is possible forGroups to have the same name as each otherand some people be members of both. For
this reason, a distinctive name may bebeneficial. (If there is a problem withmembers being in namesake Groups, thename can easily be renamed in the future.)

When finished, select ‘Create group’. The MP02 will
display a message input box, ready for sending amessage to the Group. If desired, exit by pressing the
Back key.

the includer, they will not be added immediately;
they will instead receive an automated message
requesting confirmation.

Using a Signal Group••

Check how the Group name looks in the CCL,
including when it is highlighted, and consider
adjusting its length (see below for information on
how to do this).

New members•••

In order for a Signal user to join the Group, they need
to be added either by any member or specifically bymembers with administrator privileges, depending on
the Group’s settings. If necessary, their Signal-linked
phone number can be provided to an administrator
or the administrator’s phone number can be provided
to them.
If the includee has never exchanged messages with

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual•

Messages can only be sent to the Group by replying
to a Conversation – either in the CCL or theConversation archive. Groups are not included in theContacts list below ‘New message’.
A Group Conversation can be archived or deleted in
the same way as one-to-one Conversations. If a
Conversation is deleted, messages to the Group will
still be received and the first one that arrives will
create a new Conversation. It will not be possible topost to the Group from the MP02 until this new
Conversation has been created; if desired, this can berequested of another member.

device. The Group’s Conversation will remain on exmembers’ devices unless they also delete their copies.
When a Group Conversation is displayed, theConversation contextual menu contains the following
extra items.

Conversation settings•••

Members can be appointed as administrators byselecting ‘Edit group’, selecting their name, and thenselecting ‘Make admin’.
A Group can be dissolved by ejecting all members
apart from one administrator. This final member
cannot leave the Group, because they would have toappoint another administrator. Deleting the Group’s
Conversation at this point means that it can never beseen on the MP02 again, or ever posted to from any‘Mentions’ – choose whether to receive notifications
when mentioned (together with an ‘at’ symbol) in a
message posted to the Group‘Add members’ (only effective if the user has
administrator privileges) – specify whether ordinary
members (not administrators) can add new people to
the Group.
‘Edit Group info’ (only effective if the user has
administrator privileges) – specify whether ordinary
members (not administrators) can amend theGroup’s name, replace the profile image (on certain
devices), create a Group link (on certain devices) andeject other members.

Edit group••

Change the Group’s name.
Add new members to the Group.

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Leave group
•

•

•

•

Selecting this means that it is no longer possible tosend messages to this Group, and new messages sent
to it will no longer arrive.
It will not delete the Group’s message thread on the
MP02; this can be done separately.
Readmission to the Group will need to be effected byanother member.
If departing from the Group would leave it without
an administrator, a replacement will need to beappointed first.

There is no way of creating back-ups of Signal Contacts,settings or received messages. The MP02’s mainContacts list should be backed up regularly, so that in
the event of loss of the phone, these can be reinstalled.

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

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Other features
Attachments
Message attachments up to 100 MB in size can bereceived by the MP02, but not created and sent
(received attachments can be forwarded). Only images,
videos and audio files can be opened; as described in the
Settings section, documents cannot be opened but it ispossible to forward them on to another device. In thecurrent version of Pigeon it is not possible to delete an
attachment or delete the specific message it is attachedto; it is only possible to delete the entire Conversation.
Attachments that have not yet been accepted are
represented by a downward-facing arrow, with the
exception of audio files: these are shown as an empty
time-amplitude graph ready for a waveform to be added
to it. Depending on the settings, an attachment may not
be auto-accepted; it can be manually downloaded at any
time by selecting it within the message to which it is
attached.
Attachments are displayed within the message box ofthe message they were sent with. Images will generally
not fit within the screen and need to be scrolled
through. They can be viewed in their entirety, shrunk to
fit the screen, by being selected – press the Punkt. key asecond time to remove the text shown at the top of thescreen. Press the Back key to return to theConversation.
Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

Audio files cannot be played via the hands-free speaker.
The volume level can be adjusted via the MP02’s main
‘Phone volume’ control, accessed via the ‘Settings’ menu
from the Home screen. ‘Play’ and ‘pause’ are selected bypressing the Punkt. key. To return to the beginning, exit
and re-enter the thread: this will cause the audio
attachment to reset. If it has some text with it, this canbe noted and then located by using the search feature, as
an alternative to scrolling back to it.
The minimalist video playback feature is controlled bypressing the Punkt. key to play and pause. There is no
fast-forward or rewind feature; the video will reset tothe beginning once it has played to completion.

Note to Self
This also leads to the message composer screen, withexactly the same options below (including voicemessages) and is designed for creating aide-mémoires. A
series of notes can be created, written or audio. They are
shown in the form of a standard thread of messages, andare accessed in the same way: via the Current
Discussions List below the main menu.

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Advanced settings
•

•

•

•

Pigeon messages and calls This displays the phone
number to which the Signal account is linked, andallows Pigeon to be deactivated/reactivated (but notdeleted – that can be done by the MP02’s‘Applications’ menu). If Pigeon is deactivated, otherusers will not be able to contact the MP02 via Signal;
any message threads that exist on their devices will
be unaffected. Assuming a PIN is set and the Signal
account is locked, the phone number and its
associated account will be protected against third
parties taking it over, but to begin using Signal
communication again it will be necessary to go
through the registration process and Signal Profile
creation once more.

removed: linked phone number, date of firstregistration, date of most recent use. Unless theaccount has previously been locked, the associatedphone number will immediately become available foranyone to use with a new Signal account. Assuming
the number has not been claimed, the account canalso be reinstated immediately.

Advanced PIN settings Enables/disables PIN
protection. In almost all circumstances, the PIN
should be left enabled. It is required for a) locking
the Signal account against someone else taking it
over, and b) reinstating settings, Contacts lists andGroup memberships (not messages) in the event of
Pigeon being deleted and reinstalled.
Pigeon [version number] upon Signal [version
number] Shows which version of Pigeon is installed
and which version of Signal it is based on.
Delete account This causes the MP02’s linked Signal
account to be completely deleted, with all data

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

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Appendix 1: list of symbols

•

•

•

•

•

•

Unlocked padlock
Shows that a message has not been encrypted
Animated ellipsis
Someone is composing a message (this can be deactivated)
Dotted, unfilled circle
Message is being sentSingle unfilled, ticked circle
Message has been placed in the outbox folder, ready for transmission
Pair of unfilled, ticked circles
Message has been delivered

•

•

•

Unfilled circle with moving ‘timer countdown’ indicator
Message is in the process of self-destructing
Cancelled loudspeaker
The thread has been muted (no notifications)
Envelope symbol partially obscured by a rectangle

Message sent using Sealed Sender••

Downward-pointing arrow
A message attachment that has not yet been accepted
Head and upper torso with ‘+’ symbol
Someone in the MP02’s main Contacts list has joined Signal

Pair of filled, ticked circles
Message has been opened by recipient (only shown if both sender and recipient
have read receipts enabled)

Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

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Appendix 2: Lost passcode
The passcode is necessary for two things: recovering
settings, Contacts lists and Group memberships in thecase of Pigeon being deleted and reinstalled, and reregistering a number when that number is subject to aregistration lock.

‘Applications’ > ‘Manage’ > ‘Pigeon’, and then selectUninstall. (If the passcode were available, this would
result in only the loss of Contact verifications;
everything else would be recovered by reinstalling
Pigeon and entering the passcode.) The act ofuninstalling will send a message to the Signal server,
telling it to cancel the registration of the linked
phone number after seven days unless there is anattempt to re-register to that number before thoseseven days have passed. (If an attempt is indeed
made, this will cancel that request to the server.) All
records (registered phone number, date ofregistration, date of most recent use) will also bedeleted at that time.

If the passcode is entered incorrectly ten times in a row,
Pigeon will be locked and further attempts will only bepossible once every 24 hours.
As a necessary consequence of the exceptional level of
security that Signal provides, there is absolutely nothingthat either the Signal Foundation or Punkt. can do tohelp if the passcode is forgotten and no record isavailable. There is no way of a) recovering the passcodeor b) circumventing the need to enter it in order toaccess encrypted messages, attachments and settings.
If the passcode is irretrievable, the following steps will
create a fresh install of Pigeon. All content will bepermanently lost, but the new Signal registration will belinked to the same phone number as before. The nearest
there is to message recovery is to ask Contacts to help
by resending messages and attachments they havepreviously sent or received. This should be requested assoon as possible, lest they be automatically or manually
deleted from those Contacts’ devices.
1.

From the MP02’s main menu, select ‘Settings’ >Encrypted communication on the MP02 - Instruction manual

2.

At some point during the subsequent week,
download Pigeon again, but do not begin the
installation process.

3.

If the passcode is recovered, do reinstall Pigeon andre-register with Signal immediately.

4.

After seven full calendar days (starting frommidnight at the end of the day when Pigeon wasuninstalled), the linked number becomes available
for a Signal registration again, for anyone who is able
to receive a message to it. Install Pigeon and reregister with Signal in exactly the same way as wasdone originally.

5.

If an attempt to re-register with Signal is made too
soon, it will be necessary to wait for another sevendays.

As with the initial registration, phone numbers listed in
the MP02’s main Contacts list that are linked to Signal
will automatically appear in the list available via ‘New
message’. Some will receive a ‘Signal event’ notification
informing them that this phone number has beenregistered with Signal, but note that this feature can bedisabled. It will again be necessary to exchange messages
with people before making phone calls, and Groups will
have to be rejoined by contacting members.

March 202122

punkt.ch
info@punkt.ch
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Fax +41 91 924 9004
Punkt Tronics AG
Via Losanna 4CH-6901 Lugano
Switzerland