I suppose you could try using a landline phone number and see what happens. For some odd reason, I occasionally get text messages sent to my landline. Sometimes I'll get instructions on how to reply, sometimes not. If it turns out that there is no other option, I'd forget about Yahoo and use another service. My $.02.

I had remembered that this was optional at one time that you could say no to, but just tried it and you are absolutely correct - what a pain!

I have gmail accounts that are free, and don't require a cell phone number (yet).

Here are some other sites for free email accounts:
http://email.about.com/od/freeemailreviews/tp/free_email.htm

I opened a Google account when I tried to download books and thought that was the only way for me to do it. I didn't like it but gave them my only phone number and as soon as I hung up I got 4 spam text messages. It had to be Google even though the messages had nothing to do with my Google account. I deleted the account immediately.

In case any of you don't know this...all you have to do to get taken off a text list is to reply with STOP and it does stop. They may reply again with Okay or something like that. I think it is the same thing as the do not call list.

I just verified that you do not need to provide a phone number to Google when creating a new account. They are tricky in that nothing is shown as required (like with a * or colored font) until you don't fill it in, bad design (or good if people continue to fill it in 'cause they think it's required). I was able to create an account without providing a phone number.

Now I do get the typical 'please provide us a cell phone number for recovery purposes' screen now and then on my gmail login with a teeny tiny 'no thanks'.

It was required and I tried once changing a number in the phone number and it would not accept it.

Wanted to edit this to say: I mentioned this to a clerk in Best Buy when looking at a tablet and he agreed, but he told me that to use the tablet I would not have to give them details like that for an account to use the tablet. That didn't sound right to me but if it is maybe there are different kinds of accounts, I don't really think so.

This post was edited by EmmaR on Wed, Sep 11, 13 at 21:42

You don't need to give Google your phone #. I didn't and I have 5 different accounts.

Jane

Yahoo asked me just a couple days ago for cell phone number. The page didn't have button to dismiss it other than one that said 'ask me later. Think that's the 2nd time its presented me with the same page when logging into mail.yahoo.com in past month or so .

I have a yahoo account and multiple gmail accounts and all have my cell phone number listed as part of the security and have never received a text from any of them except when I have changed my password (which is what they say it is for),

I have a yahoo account and multiple gmail accounts and all have my cell phone number listed as part of the security and have never received a text from any of them except when I have changed my password (which is what they say it is for),