Well Yes, but those are only for recovery after your account has been compromised/blocked/cleaned (and not mandatory).

Example:
If both your hotmail and gmail accounts are compromised, I'd be more worried about the actual cause for that.

EDIT: Don't ever use this type of verification though.
Contact their customer service instead.

That is not the case.
They ask for them as you log in "to prevent your account becoming compromised in future" -- they can hardly use your phone number to unlock your account if you didn't enter one in the first place.
Google, admittedly, just pesters you for this a few times then gives up.
I just checked Hotmail and it asks for a number but does give an option saying "skip - 7 days until this is required" (emphasis mine). I don't know about anybody else's dialect but in mine "required" means "must be done" and does not mean "optional".

I got one of those messages a few weeks ago, but I also had the option of supplying an alternate email address instead of a phone number. You don't have that option?

After opening an Opera account yesterday I tried to send mail and was told the following:

"SEND FAILED You may not send mail untill you have verified your account. Please verify your account by SMS"
(I don't know what SMS means. Probably * mail service, but I'm guessing.

When you click on the note it takes you to another form where you are asked for your cell phone number! I put in my home phone number (no cell phone) and it wasn't accepted. I was going to copy the forms and paste them here but it won't allow you to do that either!

I went to there forum, there was a posting of the very thing I just told you.

If one doesn't have a cell phone (to give away your number) you "CAN NOT" open a working Opera account.

If anyone thinks this is the work of a "Hacker" go open an account and see for yourself.


I am WIDE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS for an email account that doesn't want a cell phone number!

Almost forgot, they will accept incoming mail but NO outgoing mail.

The BIG question here I think is WHY are the trying so hard for those cell numbers? You can bet your last dollar it is NOT to help you or me, that's good enough reason to say NO for me.

SMS (Short Message Service) is the name for what are often called "text messages" sent to mobile phones.

SMS is short message service. It's used, among other things, for sending text messages to/from cell phones. It is also usually supported by pagers.


For marketing purposes, at the minimum. Most likely also at the behest of governments who want to be able to tie all of your online activity together for tracking and identification purposes.

This sounds interesting, can you explain more about doing it and the best place to go? Any cons to doing this?

I don't believe thats what they are up to (ONLY)! They already have a good marketing scheme in relation to reading your email!

Theres a lot more to it then that, and now is the time to say "NO", it'l be to darn late for those stupid enough to give there cell numbers away! Remember cell phones are usually under contract for xxx period of time, so one is in a captured position whether they like it are not.

Then they could refuse "new" numbers to those who want to change services and litterraly have your phone number as a second type of social security number since if you want a phone you would have to keep that number, understand?
That is just one idea, I can think of a lot worse!

Those accounts are tied with your other systems from the same vendor (PC/Phone/Tablet/Xbox).

Neither require your phone number as claimed above (how else could it work for people without a cell phone).
Hotmail (do note that this is your official MS account) does seem to require an other address though ...

I usually take the cynical view too, I just don't like to over-emphasize it on a public forum. That's why I mentioned marketing "at the minimum". I think data collection for marketing purposes is a real objective of web businesses, particularly those that offer "free" services. It is also a credible justification for intrusive questioning that people will assume on their own or readily accept. I doubt most people accept that it is simply so the benevolent web service can help you recover your account in the event it gets compromised.

Like you, I believe there is more to it than that, which I alluded to subsequently. The elimination of online anonymity facilitates tracking of people's activities in both cyberspace and meatspace, and furthers the ability of government to regulate and control. Control is the objective of government. This is nothing new, as Proudhon wrote in 1851:

I'm not being cynical and I do see this as a normal safety procedure.

When I said "like you", I was referring to Lola Kews. But in any case, is safety the only purpose you believe such a procedure serves? If so, why demand a cell phone? Why not an alternative email address, or even better, a series of security questions?

They (Microsoft) do give you this option (as mentioned above).
http://oi42.tinypic.com/veufjc.jpg

It's even easier with Google (plenty of options including security questions).

Do keep in mind that these accounts are a lot more than just email.

Right, I've never seen a case where giving a cell phone number was the only available option. Both Google and Microsoft have asked me for a cell phone before, but I've always had the option to provide alternate email instead. However, Lola suggests that option isn't available in her/his case for Microsoft email account, and stated that a cell phone was required for Opera. I remain skeptical, but that is the claim.

Ok, but I don't see why that makes a difference.