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There are still lots of services requiring a phone number (at registering or using it for 2FA). No one likes it but that's the reality. And no, virtual numbers

There are still lots of services requiring a phone number (at registering or using it for 2FA). No one likes it but that's the reality. And no, virtual numbers like Google Voice are often (but not always) blocked.

ks2048 2y ago
I can see why people want a phone number now. I was thinking more about why society doesn’t move away from phone numbers (for me, it’s been a hastle to be linked to a carrier and a country)
- joha4270 2y ago
  What better system can you think off? That allows calling the doctor, a restaurant, or that friend-of-a-friend who is selling a tractor? Without requiring people self-host a brunch of infrastructure (I like self-hosting stuff, most people wouldn't) Also, inertia
  - cujo 2y ago
    i think the problem isn't the phone number, but the special hardware/vendor lock in that is required for it. if you travel a lot or live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, it quickly becomes obvious that being tethered to a regional provider for your phone number is a problem. you end up paying ridiculous roaming fees to keep your number active in the other country, or you lose any ability for people to contact you by phone. it's incredibly frustrating when voip is so close, but not the 100% solution. couple that with providers still charging ridiculous fees to call numbers in other countries and it gets even worse.
    - L3viathan 2y ago
      > if you [] live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, [] providers still charging ridiculous fees What places other than the EU does the "easy to cross borders as a part of life" apply to?
      - cujo 2y ago
        why does it matter? but to answer: literally near any bordering country.
- B1FF_PSUVM 2y ago
  > I was thinking more about why Good question - e.g. why isn't a phone number like an email address. My guess is that it functions as an anchor - not to help motion, but to guarantee immobility. Like a physical address, the inconvenience of changing makes for fewer changes. A low-pass filter, for system stability, if you want to look at it that way.

ks2048 2y ago

I can see why people want a phone number now. I was thinking more about why society doesn’t move away from phone numbers (for me, it’s been a hastle to be linked to a carrier and a country)

joha4270 2y ago
What better system can you think off? That allows calling the doctor, a restaurant, or that friend-of-a-friend who is selling a tractor? Without requiring people self-host a brunch of infrastructure (I like self-hosting stuff, most people wouldn't) Also, inertia
- cujo 2y ago
  i think the problem isn't the phone number, but the special hardware/vendor lock in that is required for it. if you travel a lot or live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, it quickly becomes obvious that being tethered to a regional provider for your phone number is a problem. you end up paying ridiculous roaming fees to keep your number active in the other country, or you lose any ability for people to contact you by phone. it's incredibly frustrating when voip is so close, but not the 100% solution. couple that with providers still charging ridiculous fees to call numbers in other countries and it gets even worse.
  - L3viathan 2y ago
    > if you [] live in a country where it is just easy to cross borders as a part of life, [] providers still charging ridiculous fees What places other than the EU does the "easy to cross borders as a part of life" apply to?
    - cujo 2y ago
      why does it matter? but to answer: literally near any bordering country.
B1FF_PSUVM 2y ago
> I was thinking more about why Good question - e.g. why isn't a phone number like an email address. My guess is that it functions as an anchor - not to help motion, but to guarantee immobility. Like a physical address, the inconvenience of changing makes for fewer changes. A low-pass filter, for system stability, if you want to look at it that way.