| From: o1bigtenor via talk <talk@gtalug.org> | > I have never used a cellphone to access https://chat.openai.com -- this is where I signed up for free and later where I upgraded to Plus. The process to register is quite easy, I don't quite understand the issues you and Kevin are having. | One doesn't use a cell phone (well I wouldn't) but a cellphone number | is demanded to | verify one's identity. Without a working cellphone connection one is | today - - - a NON-person. This is "two-factor authentication" (often called 2FA). Lots and lots of things require it. And then assume that that number is a good way to contact you. Grrr. SMS is not a great second factor. Especially in the cases where there is no first factor. A related issue: places that ask my phone number and then assume it works for SMS. My phone number dates back more than forty years and it is a landline (no SMS). The thing is that the world has changed faster than some of us have adjusted. I feel that way about many things; at least Flash is gone.