buy a phone number online for SMS messages

My cell phone is an old school flip phone. And I prefer to keep it.

Some of my accounts (Robin Hood being one) require that I’m able to receive an SMS message from them before they let me log into my account on my computer. My flip phone is not capable of receiving such message. I’m able to work around this issue, but its a bit of a pain.

There are some online sites that will sell me a phone number, which I can see on my computer, that is capable of receiving SMS message. None of these sites are from familiar names like ATT or Verizon. They are places like simpletexting.com, drfone.com, freesmstexting.com…stuff like that?

I know I might be the last person on the planet using a flip phone…but has anyone here ever bought one of these numbers and had luck with it?

Thanx

I had a similar problem two or so years ago when I had the need to receive text messages (from various places) on my old landline phone. No way to add text capability, so I looked at options.

I looked at those sites a few years ago. Too expensive. For $20/mo (plus taxes, etc), you can get a separate cell number from Consumer Cellular which includes unlimited text and talk, plus minimal data.

You will need to buy a cheap 4G phone, but there are few realistic alternatives if you need the text feature. It does also give you a backup cell phone AND number “just in case”. Comes in handy when one phone needs to recharged, repaired, network problems, or whatever.

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Some battles are not worth fighting, it’s time to move along…

IMHO
(as an AAPL shareholder since the '90s)

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Google Voice does it for free. You get a free phone number and it can send and receive text messages. I just tried it with the Google Voice account/number I’ve had for several years, and it works fine. Tested it by sending and receiving a text from my Moto G6 Tracfone.

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Thanks folks, I appreciate the responses.

I did find this link: Also, a verizon salesman told me my flip phone will be worthless at the end of December.

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/burner-accounts-101-how-to-get-…

I haven’t read the article yet, but I do have a greater trust for articles in PC magazine.

Also, a verizon salesman told me my flip phone will be worthless at the end of December.

Verizon’s 3G network is going away. 4G will remain (probably at least until 6G is in process - probably longer unless 6G finds a way around 5G’s range limitation) and 5G is still growing. The problem with your flip phone is not that it’s a flip phone, or that it isn’t a smartphone, but that it relies on the 3G network and can’t do 4G.

I don’t think Verizon is the only phone company in the process of making that change, but I don’t know specifics on any of the others.

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Thanks for responding.

I did see that Verizon’s last earnings report was less than stellar, while ATT reported much better numbers. And that Berkshire Hathaway sold off all their Verizon shares on Monday.