Sounds like Time Commando.
Very impressive how far this app has come in a few updates. Seriously well done.
When's the last time you used Matrix? Its definitely smooth nowadays.
You're more than welcome to register an account on canchat.org (my server).
And yes, as long as you enable OMEMO encryption, your server provider cannot read your encrypted messages.
https://providers.xmpp.net/ is a good resource for finding a provider (homeserver) as well.
I've tried it, it's definitely better. If I absolutely had to use Signal I'd use it through a Matrix bridge.
Once an account is deleted will you be able to make a new account with the old email? This could be a security nightmare for old accounts tied to google email addresses.
I got rid of Signal after they added cryptocurrency to their app.
While I have no issues with cryptocurrency itself, it was a reminder that they have full control over the app. Now I happily use XMPP and Matrix for communication with friends and family.
Federation makes usernames a lot less rare.
The fact that the server is still running is impressive!
I use Let's Encrypt on my domains, but they're domains that my afraid.org subdomains point to.
$20/mo?! When free alternatives exist, why would anybody do this?