Normally, you get a phone number only when you pay for a phone landline service, when your buy a cellular SIM card or when your register for a VoIP service. The number comes with the service. But you can get free phone numbers without engagement and without monthly bills. There are services out there offering that, often in a package with a lot of interesting features. Here are some:
Google Voice
Google Voice gives you a free phone number, through which you can have multiple phones to ring at the same time on an incoming call. The number comes along with a package of interesting features. For instance, you can have your voice calls recorded and converted into text and eventually sent to your email. You can also use this number to make free local calls, within the US, Speaking of which – so far, only people in the US are entitled to have a Google Voice number. You can also have your old phone number ported to the Google Voice service. You will want to read more on Google Voice: Google Voice Review and How Google Voice Works More »
iNum
The iNum project is an interesting because it aims at making the world a real ‘global village’. Through location-independent numbers, it allows users to establish a unified presence worldwide. iNum provides users with phone numbers with the +883 global country code, a code that has been created lately by the ITU. One can use a +883 number as a virtual number and be contacted through his/her phone and another communication device anywhere he/she is in the world, without having to worry about area codes and rates associated therewith. Read more on iNum. More »
Phonebooth Free
Phonebooth Free is interesting for businesses, but you can take advantage of it at home as well. Like Google Voice, it gives you a free phone number that you can use to have multiple phones (50 phones exactly) ring at the same time on an incoming call, including to your mobile phone. There is also a voice-to-text transcription of the text, an auto attendant, and a click-to-call widget that you can add to your website. Read more on Phonebooth Free. More »
CallCentric
CallCentric offers a free phone number in a limited list of areas of the United States. The number is also only for receiving calls. The free number comes with three inbound channels and the possibility of adding other channels for free.