Hello Reader,

In my previous post, I discussed the challenges encountered when signing up for cloud services using IP addresses originating from AWS EC2. Today, I'd like to focus on another common hurdle: receiving verification text messages once you've successfully started the sign-up process.

Here are a few key observations:

1. If you've created multiple accounts over the years, cloud providers eventually flag your phone number as overused, rendering it ineligible for verification purposes.

2. Attempts to circumvent this restriction by using text-to-email services typically fail because providers cross-reference phone number blocks against mobile carrier assignments.

3. Even if you initially created an account using your personal system and subsequently logged in from an AWS IP address to create another, you might face double scrutiny, resulting in providers rejecting your phone number entirely.

To navigate around these restrictions, I opted for a straightforward solution: purchasing a used Google Pixel smartphone from Amazon and subscribing to a $20/month Google Fi plan using an eSIM. This approach provided me with a reliable "burner" number accepted by cloud providers, simplifying the verification process considerably.