WhatsApp Issues and Warning for OTC Contact?

@justinyoo I had a similar problem when I tried setting mine up for. Trip in September. I ended up using an app called TextNow and did a trial account then cancelled it 2 days after I set up my WhatsApp. Still seems to be working as I messaged my ATF for our OTC next week just yesterday. Give it a try out other text apps and you should find one that works

Doh! I came here to mention @ZBott's experience with this, and that TextNow was the solution. So yeah, like ZBott says, haha.

I think you might have to pay a couple of bucks for it. But keep in mind you can cancel it right away. I think the only consequence of cancelling after you signed up with Whats would be if you have to reinstall Whats on a new phone, you'll probably be locked out. That's the only time I can recall needing to use my virtual number again with Whats. That's a probably easily solved by saving any numbers you have.

Let us know if that works, because other people are gonna run into the same problem.

You might also try Hushed: hushed.com

This source says it will work with Whats: umnico.com

@,Zbott and @RonJax2 - I wanted to follow up to what I did and it is costly, but worked yet I will need to find an alternative again after using it down there this week.

So I tried some or most of the options and WA was not able to validate.

I got a DM from a another contributor saying he uses TracFone, it is confidential and pays in cash. He does have to carry another phone for the hobby which he doesn't mind. That would be able to get WA validated.

For many reasons, I just wanted to use my existing phone, and look for a one phone solution. What I ended up doing was using the eSIM real phone service trial to get my WA account. All phones have a SIM slot for numbers. Most phones have a second SIM slot but most are eSIM meaning you don't need a physical chip, you just copy paste the info and it works the same. It is really convenient to setup with no delays this way. So your phone will have two numbers to choose to text or call. Lastly, I signed up for two different eSIM trials and both were confidential, I just used any name for phone account and it worked. Unlike TracFone you can't pay in cash but the account name is not under your real name. I did use a credit card number but "accidently" put my alias name in the billing and it still worked...lol.

Here is where I felt dumb because both eSIM numbers (real, not VoIP now) worked to validate WA so mission accomplished I thought. Well, WA requires me to share my phone contacts to use the service. After setting up WA, you can hide statues on WA to contacts but you will see all the friends, family and co workers who have it and now they will see you. This is not what I wanted, so I deleted the account. All this work to get WA and I ended up not wanting it. Ugh.

So, this weekend I went down and just used my Mint Mobile second number eSIM. It worked perfectly down in Zona. Texting between chicas worked well and Google Voice user. I was texting with 3 new chicas this weekend, no problems with the service.

Here is where the issue will be for most of us. I saw that Visible (the other eSIM) I tried worked but it was going to be $25/mo, so I just let that free trial lapse after seeing Mint Mobile at $15/mo for 3 months. Yet after getting it, I looked and she saw that the next 3 months was $25/mo., the $15/mo. was just and introductory rate that was pretty well hidden if you weren't looking closely. On top of that, Mint only works in the US and Canada so I purchased an international pass for $10 for 3 day, it was easy. So as you see this is just starting to get pricey. Since I don't need WA, I'll just try to find a VoIP solution that works with numbers in Mexico that might be free or much less That is tricky as well so will need to test..ugh. I will go down probably in March or the end of February to test the new solutions and post back here then with the results just so those. interested know.

Lastly, my service provider for my main personal phone offers a second number for the eSIM for only $10/mo, no contact, but then thinking about it, that second eSIM will be in my name defeating the purpose and losing anonymity because they will use the info for the main number.

Thanks for following up Justin. Inevitably, someone else is going to come along asking why they can't use Google Voice with WhatsApp and this thread is a good repository of the options.

Well, WA requires me to share my phone contacts to use the service. After setting up WA, you can hide statues on WA to contacts but you will see all the friends, family and co workers who have it and now they will see you. This is not what I wanted, so I deleted the account. All this work to get WA and I ended up not wanting it. Ugh.

This is a real problem and I wonder if there's any workarounds to it. I suppose if you had an actual burner phone without real contacts in it, that might work?

WhatsApp/Meta still does not have my contact info. It allowed me to decline access when I installed the app. And it asks me all the time if it can have access to contacts but I tell it no.

It looks like the app has different functionality now, if it requires your contacts. If anyone knows a work-around for this, please post!