Hello all, recently wanted to signup for temporary permanent legit emailmid in gmail. It was asking me Phone number in process, i tried to use multiple numbers from regular online resources ( more than 30) but nothing worked. I don’t want to give my personal phone number in real life to someone’s unless Its I want to.

How do I sign up services where phone number is required ? Is there throw away phone number I can get ? Is there way to skip it all together ( not on Gmail for sure ) Your help be appreciated.

  • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I use a ‘burner’ number with a prepaid provider that I pay $6 a month for, for all my “needs your phone number” bullshit. It’s not a true burner since I’m holding it long-term, but it’s a secondary number that I don’t use unless I get a call or message on that number. Keeps my main/‘real’ number safe, from both data breaches and the weird manager at the pizza place or whatever.

    • minnix@lemux.minnix.dev
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      9 months ago

      If you can get away with a non North American number, most countries will give you a SIM for free or next to nothing and you pay only once for pre-paid service, no monthly fee.

      • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Tello. $5 for baseline call service and minutes, unlimited text. $1 for some backup data if my primary carrier doesn’t have service in an area. Runs on the t-mo network. Deprioritized to qci7 so data might not be reliable in areas where they have over-subscribed their towers, but that’s only for data, so it’s a footnote.

          • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            I used to use that RP plan, and for some reason I decided to switch… and then they took literally 4 months to get back with me with my porting information. I had to try information by other users on /r/nocontract to try and port away myself, which worked. Wouldn’t you know it, the very next day, “oh no we are soooo sorry for the inconvenience, but I see you have ported away successfully” like yes mf what the actual shit were you doing for 120 days that you couldn’t look up two values and email them back?

            Tello’s cs is actually quite good.

            • /home/pineapplelover@lemm.ee
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              9 months ago

              Why did you switch may I ask? You switched to tello? How you like it?

              I haven’t bad the need to switch my redpocket number so it’s a non issue for me. It’s cheap and it works unless you see another reason why I should make the switch. I’m open to hearing you out.

              • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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                9 months ago

                It’s been a couple years so I don’t remember why I wanted out; it might have been concern about renewal, losing the number, or something like that, I just can’t remember. But I’ve been happy with tello, and I remember I had to contact cs once a while back, they got back with me within the day, and I’ve needed no other help. The site is pretty user-friendly, even for porting in/out. Data allotments recently doubled with no charge, which is nice. The number I was assigned doesn’t have any issues with spam, and the price has remained the same (for my plan selection), even when I’ve hopped around on other MVNOs the last few years. It’s a pretty nice place for cell service, assuming your area/tower isn’t strained for data bandwidth.

                • /home/pineapplelover@lemm.ee
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                  9 months ago

                  Yeah just checked them out and I think I’ll stick with RP. It’s the cheapest you can get and it works. Tello’s plan is a bit more expensive for less of what I’m getting

    • EngineerGaming@feddit.nl
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      9 months ago

      $6 a month is much more than my actual phone plan holy shit, that is a shit ton of money for such a subscription.

        • EngineerGaming@feddit.nl
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          9 months ago

          I mean, my full plan with more internet and minutes than I need is around $4. Paying $6 for something you don’t even fully use is a ripoff.

          • wreckedcarzz@lemmy.world
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            9 months ago

            You can technically get that here in the states, but it’s veeeery limited: Redpocket, and a couple of by-the-minute recharge plans afaik. This $6 plan only supplies 300 minutes, and 1gb of data. The typical rate for most people’s service is $50-$60 here (‘unlimited* data, messages, and minutes’), with my main line costing $85 plus bs fees. $6 as a backup/secondary could be a rounding error.