Pinger

RJM62

RJM62

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Jun 15, 2007
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Geek on the Hill
So I went to log in to my Google account this morning, and Google started pestering me for a cell phone number again, which surprised me as I'd already provided them with a [bogus] Pinger number and confirmed it.

Apparently what happened is that Pinger canceled my account for non-use, and I never got the email because I almost never check the equally-bogus email address I gave to Pinger. You have to actually send messages from the Pinger account once in a while or else they cancel it.

How Google knew that the Pinger number was no longer valid is something I don't even want to ponder.

In any case, I now have a new Pinger number, which I dutifully have provided to Google as well as to every other pain-in-the-a$$ organization that demands my cell phone number for "password recovery" purposes, promises never to use it for any other reason, but somehow knows when its been deactivated. I just have to remember to send a message from it every so often. Maybe I'll get another Pinger number and send messages back and forth between the two.

What I'd actually prefer would be that Pinger just allow me to pay an annual fee to keep the number. With so many organizations demanding cell numbers nowadays, having a bogus (but verifiable) cell number that can receive text messages is becoming almost as much a necessity as having a bogus landline number.

MagicJack works well for the bogus landline, by the way. Twenty bucks a year gets me a perfectly legal, legitimate phone number that I never answer. I give it to financial institutions, insurance companies, Google, department stores, supermarkets, the government, my ex, and other entities I never care to hear from. Works great.

-Rich
 
Welcome to 1984. Orwell was right just off by a number of years.
 
What is the bad part of giving Google your cell phone number. Have you reviewed their privacy policy?
 
SkyHog said:
What is the bad part of giving Google your cell phone number. Have you reviewed their privacy policy?
Click to expand...

I have reviewed their privacy policy and believe it's both inadequate in scope and a crock of manure in practice. But that's irrelevant in any case.

The only reason that I need for not wanting Google (or anyone else) to have my cell number is because I don't want them to have it. That's it. No other reason is necessary. It's my number, I pay the bill, and I get to decide who gets it. Shouldn't that in itself be sufficient reason for me to withhold it?

There are maybe 10 people in the world who have my cell number. I want to keep it that way. Am I not allowed to do that?

And yet more and more, banks, insurance companies, local governments (for "Swift911" purposes), and even department stores and supermarkets (for their "loyalty cards") are demanding cell phone numbers. Google already locked me out of my account once in an attempt to compel me to provide them with a cell number.

None of these outfits will ever get a real cell number from me. If I have to, I'll purchase the cheapest prepaid cell phone and service I can find, give that number out to anyone other than family and close friends, and throw the phone in the sock drawer and never answer it again.

-Rich
 
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BTW, I use Pinger for free text messages back to the States when in Europe and it works great. Have Zero desire for any other texting so I save a bit on my cell account.

I just check the box "I don't have a cell phone" when asked. Seems to work so far but the Pinger number may be useful if required. ;)

Cheers
 
X3 Skier said:
BTW, I use Pinger for free text messages back to the States when in Europe and it works great. Have Zero desire for any other texting so I save a bit on my cell account.

I just check the box "I don't have a cell phone" when asked. Seems to work so far but the Pinger number may be useful if required. ;)

Cheers
Click to expand...

I don't remember seeing that box. The time Google locked me out, there was no way -- NO WAY -- for me to proceed beyond the page demanding my cell phone number.

Maybe enough people responded to that demand by telling Google to stick their vaunted services up their anuses, and they've softened up a bit.

-Rich
 
RJM62 said:
I don't remember seeing that box. The time Google locked me out, there was no way -- NO WAY -- for me to proceed beyond the page demanding my cell phone number.

Maybe enough people responded to that demand by telling Google to stick their vaunted services up their anuses, and they've softened up a bit.

-Rich
Click to expand...

I doubt it. Most people probably see it for what it is: a free service offering another way to help those that forgot their password.
 
I gave up years ago and got my own domain that I can MX to where I want.
I currently use TUFFMAIL.COM which is one of the better email providers.
There's a nominal charge for both services.
 
flyingron said:
I gave up years ago and got my own domain that I can MX to where I want.
I currently use TUFFMAIL.COM which is one of the better email providers.
There's a nominal charge for both services.
Click to expand...

It's not the mail. I have 20 or 30 domains and my own mail server. I only use gmail for the crap that Google sends me, none of which is ever important, and most of which I delete unread.

I have to access Google for business reasons, unfortunately. I log in long enough to do what I have to do, and then log out again.

However, my dislike of Google notwithstanding, I'm annoyed with any agency that demands a cell phone number from me, so I simply refuse to give them one (a real one, at least). I don't need a reason. I say they can't have it, and that's the only reason I need.

I think it basically comes down to one's attitude with regard to personal freedom and privacy. I refuse to answer census questions that I believe are no one's business, but I'm supposed to bow to Google or some other private company? Not gonna happen.

But Pinger seems a good solution. Assuming that Google and the rest are telling the truth when they say they won't use it for marketing or user tracking, then Pinger serves as well as a real cell number would. And if they're lying, then they deserve for their data to be skewed.

-Rich
 
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Don't know what personal info they need to provide it for free, but these guys have been around forever Rich.

http://www.k7.net/faq.htm

I know they make you listen to ads when you call to check Voice Mail and attach ads to the e-mail copy they send you.

Could give Google their phone number, and them your Google e-mail address. A perfect loop of BS. Hehe.
 
denverpilot said:
Don't know what personal info they need to provide it for free, but these guys have been around forever Rich.

http://www.k7.net/faq.htm

I know they make you listen to ads when you call to check Voice Mail and attach ads to the e-mail copy they send you.

Could give Google their phone number, and them your Google e-mail address. A perfect loop of BS. Hehe.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll check it out.

-Rich
 
Would a google voice number work for you? Kinda ironic, but an idea.

I have one, and it works well.
 
Seems to me all this effort to avoid being bothered is way more bothersome!
 
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