How to Get a Temporary Phone Number?

Published 12 June 2024

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Temporary phone numbers offer a great solution for keeping your phone number private and personal all the time. These numbers can be used for a particular time and can be disposed of after using it for a pre-determined purpose.

Temporary numbers are useful for both personal use as well as business use. Businesses can use it to separate private numbers and business numbers. On the other hand, individuals can use it to make a call without exposing their personal number. Despite these benefits, many still do not know how to get a temporary phone number. Luckily, the process is simple, and you can get it online from the comfort of your home.

What is a Temporary Phone Number?

A temporary phone number is a virtual number that you can use for a short period. This disposable phone number helps to keep the personal phone number private, in the circumstances, where you are required to use your phone number but don’t want to expose your personal number. You can use this number in the same way as a general number and can discard it after using it for your desired purpose.

Temporary phone numbers are not linked with physical devices and are generally obtained through different mobile apps and virtual phone number service providers.

How Does Disposable Phone Number Work?

A temporary phone number works for a specific period of time. These numbers don’t have a permanent address, but when you get this number, you can use it from your preferred device. When you call someone using that particular device, the receiver sees your temporary number instead of your actual number. This safeguards your private number from exposing, providing you an extra layer of privacy and security.

In the case of receiving phone calls - when someone calls your phone number, it directly gets forwarded to your actual device.

How To Get A Temporary Phone Number?

You can get a virtual phone number and use it as your temporary phone number. Also, you can purchase new SIM cards or phones to use temporarily.

Using a Virtual Phone Number

Disposable number providers like Google Voice, textPlus, and Burner provide a virtual number that you can use as a temporary phone number.

Disposable Number Apps

Various apps such as Google Voice and Burner provide virtual numbers that are used for short-term purposes like online verification, temporary business transactions, and privacy. Once you use these numbers, they allow you to dispose of them without affecting the private phone number.
SMS Only Services by TextPlus

TextPlus provides you with a free virtual number, which you can use for temporary purposes. However, these numbers only allow you to send and receive the texts and messages, not the calls. So, you can consider using these numbers when you require a temporary phone number for verification by text or SMS.

Buying the temporary Use Card or Phone

If you don't want to use the app, you also have an option to buy a temporary car or phone. Some of the options include:

Prepaid Mobile Phone

A prepaid mobile is an excellent choice for temporary use. You can buy prepaid cell phones, which include several credits for SMS and calls from any mobile carrier. Such phones are generally known as burner phones, and they are often cheap and do not require a contract to purchase.
Temporary SIM Card

If your phone is unlocked, you can consider getting a temporary sim card. You can replace your old SIM card with it till your temporary SIM card remains active. These sim cards are typically found in mobile shops or stores. However, they are available only in certain regions.
Switch Number From Mobile Provider

If you do not want to involve a third party, then you can also ask for your phone number to change your mobile number temporarily. Typically, most service providers offer this service. However, they will charge you a certain cost for it.

Why to Purchase a Disposable Phone Number?

Getting a Disposable number is beneficial for various purposes. Some of the key reasons to purchase the temporary phone numbers include:

Cut Down on SMS Spam

Disposable phone numbers help to prevent spam messages. For instance, using disposable phone numbers for online sign-up helps to reduce the risk of your personal number being flooded with spam.
Universal Platform Compatibility

The disposable number works across various platforms and devices, ensuring smooth functionality whether you are using an Android, iOS, or computer.
Privacy

Disposable phone numbers ensure privacy by allowing to make phone calls without revealing their personal information. Also, you can use these numbers to obtain OTP to sign up on different online platforms without revealing your private number.

Conclusion

A temporary phone number is a great tool for privacy and security when you need to make calls without revealing your personal number or signing up on the online platform. It prevents you from getting unwanted calls and messages on your private number. You can get a temporary number from a mobile carrier or a telephone service provider. You can also use a virtual number as your temporary phone number.

Consider getting a virtual phone number from Calilio. Our virtual numbers are not only great for temporary use, but they include features that significantly secure your privacy. Call Masking, for instance, lets you make a phone call using a different number than your actual number.