Free phone number w/voicemail

July 8, 2006 12:08 AM

Private Phone is a free new (as of last month) service from NetZero that allows anyone to sign up for a unique private voicemail number; now phone numbers are as disposable as web based email accounts. For use by craigslisters, ebayers, and random cads, bounders & ne'er do wells, not to mention women who aren't sure if that hot guy is, in fact, dangerously crazy.
posted by jonson (17 comments total)

You know what'd be cool? If they had a podcast of your voicemails. Then I have all my voicemails automatically downloaded to my computer along with metadata.
posted by null terminated at 12:30 AM on July 8, 2006

...just sayin'
posted by null terminated at 12:30 AM on July 8, 2006

It's myspace for drug-dealers and call-girls! How rad.
posted by unmake at 12:33 AM on July 8, 2006

everything old is new again, I recall some outfit like Yahoo had free voicemail 1-800#'s in the early to mid 90s
posted by edgeways at 12:56 AM on July 8, 2006

"Podcasts" of "Voicemail", old-school style.
posted by Jimbob at 1:32 AM on July 8, 2006

Let me guess... When you call in to check your voicemail, they make you listen to two hours of commercials, and if you try to tune them out, they send the thought police after you.

Besides, if you don't actually want to be able to talk to someone, but rather just allow them to leave a message for you, isn't email perfectly sufficient?
posted by epimorph at 3:34 AM on July 8, 2006

For you, the other person, and the NSA
posted by Postroad at 6:11 AM on July 8, 2006

It's free now but they'll eventually change subscription rates. But even if they charge for it, it's well worth it. Make it your "public" number to give out to any business (plumber, bank, cable company, etc,,) that might sell your number to a list. Keep your home number "private" for friends and family. It's the best way to fight phone spam. I've been doing it for years (but with two landlines), and I have not received one spam call on my private number.
posted by stbalbach at 7:04 AM on July 8, 2006

Since this is NetZero, I smell a nasty little catch here somewhere. I do know they limit the free accounts to 10 messages and possibly the length of time they will save those 10. Also, you can download those messages online and that provides NZ an opportunity to spew ads from that website. Still, being NZ, I suspect another, much bigger catch but I have not yet identified it, nor will I join just to find out.
posted by mischief at 7:26 AM on July 8, 2006

*joins just to find out*
posted by emelenjr at 7:38 AM on July 8, 2006

This NetZero... it has a revenue stream?
posted by anotherpanacea at 9:52 AM on July 8, 2006

This brings to mind Community Voice Mail. They provide free voicemail to homeless people.
posted by bleary at 11:04 AM on July 8, 2006

It would be cool if a company that didn't suck offered this service.
posted by exlotuseater at 11:17 AM on July 8, 2006

WTF?! A gallery? Hey, who wants to flirt with this hot babe?
posted by Gator at 11:33 AM on July 8, 2006

I'm looking at cars online, and I'm nearly ready to submit a request to dealers via their site, except they want a phone number. This might be a great way to avoid giving that out and getting their calls for the rest of my life.
posted by booth at 11:46 AM on July 8, 2006

Not available in Alaska or Hawaii.
posted by scottymac at 1:03 PM on July 8, 2006

Jihad3-9812
posted by HTuttle at 5:15 PM on July 8, 2006