I have no phone but want to register a Telegram account

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Halvor Raknes

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I have been trying for two years with no success. I have a laptop which I can connect to the Internet via free wifi when I visit public libraries etc.

I have been attempting to follow various instructions which I have found on the web as well as YouTube videos, including connecting with sites where I can receive SMS messages to a free phone number that can be viewed on a web page (such as https://freephonenum.com/ and https://www.receivesms.org/), but I never receive the login code when I request it from the Telegram Linux desktop app. The only thing I can figure is that it assumes I am already registered. But I only see options to "log in", none to "register" or "sign up".

I'm pretty much at my wits end, so please help if you know something that can get me going on Telegram!
 


If you have access to a regular phone you can do the Google Voice thing, but Telegram may block Google Voice numbers.

They don't allow registrations without a phone number.

Also, this really doesn't have anything to do with Linux. Ain't nothing we can do to resolve this - except suggest Google Voice. They're likely to block numbers from applications like TextFree, but Google Voice numbers usually 'pass the muster'. So, I'm gonna move this to off-topic.
 
If you have access to a regular phone you can do the Google Voice thing, but Telegram may block Google Voice numbers.

No, I don't have access to a phone.
Also, this really doesn't have anything to do with Linux. Ain't nothing we can do to resolve this - except suggest Google Voice. They're likely to block numbers from applications like TextFree, but Google Voice numbers usually 'pass the muster'. So, I'm gonna move this to off-topic.

I posted in the sub-forum called "General Computing". If that still is too off-topic, fine.

I cannot access Google Voice since I live in Europe.
 
Hmm... Maybe you could borrow a phone for a brief spell. Sign up, get the code (it's like 6 digits), grab the application and enter the code so that you're good to go with your computer. After that, the other person can delete Telegram from their phone and not get bothered by the notifications. So long as they dutifully forget the signup code, you should be good.

Hold on... Give me like 10 minutes...
 
Alright...

You can use TextNow to get a phone number. You then have to pay them a few bucks, it's not much, for them to 'forward registration text messages' (unsure, but it's like $5 a year). At that point, you should be able to sign up for Telegram with your TextNow address.
 
Alright...

You can use TextNow to get a phone number. You then have to pay them a few bucks, it's not much, for them to 'forward registration text messages' (unsure, but it's like $5 a year). At that point, you should be able to sign up for Telegram with your TextNow address.
I don't use money (that's a big part of why I have this issue). I also don't know anyone I could ask to borrow a phone.
 
Hmm...

Yeah, anything I check seems to involve money - or a friend. In my country, they'll give means-tested people, people below or around the poverty line, a cell phone and a plan with some data. Of course, using a friend's phone (or one of those free online SMS sites) means someone could recover your account. Or at least have a chance at recovering the account.
 
Hmm...

Yeah, anything I check seems to involve money - or a friend. In my country, they'll give means-tested people, people below or around the poverty line, a cell phone and a plan with some data. Of course, using a friend's phone (or one of those free online SMS sites) means someone could recover your account. Or at least have a chance at recovering the account.
I don't worry much about data security. I'll take that chance in most cases.
 
Your best bet is to find a friend then. You're not going to access Telegram without a phone number, sadly.

Heck, I can relate to some extent. I just begrudgingly gave up my phone number to get a Twitter account (to share links to my Linux Tips site).

If you'd asked about a month ago, I'd have done it for you. I had a phone number that I changed. I'd offer to do it with my phone number, but I need Telegram on that to keep up with a distro's team chat when I'm not home.

I did find this, which is dirt cheap (assuming it's "legit" in that you do end up with an account):

 
As I can understand, not for registering.
You can register on web or mobile, they have sim cards but you can sign up for free for a VOIP number. Telegram supports their service.
 
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This happens with both Facebook and Google (I don't have Apple). It happens both in Brave and in Firefox.
 
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