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> It's not even about not willing to spend 1$ for a random phone number.

Some sites (e.g. Scaleway.com) won't accept VOIP numbers: they require numbers from actual mobile networks. That is a pain for me since my main phone# is a VOIP number that forwards to my mobile. I do that so I can change my mobile number and just update the forwarding target, or can forward to a landline if I'm someplace with a lousy mobile signal, etc. All of this sucks.

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It's also not unheard of to enter a valid phone number and get a message that the number has been used too many times and is no longer valid for 2FA.

get an ultra cheap prepaid line then cancel

some (like visible) allow you to sign up without providing any of your own PII

That defeats the purpose, which is to give them a number that works in case they have to contact me. I have a stable VOIP number that forwards to one of various ephemeral numbers at any given time. The VOIP number really is the right one to give them and for them to use. But they are too smart for their own good.

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