Nostr Web Client

Use an encrypted communication app like signal. Tell friends and family you only answer calls and texts there.

When the app rings you know it’s someone who you know.

When the phone rings you know it’s someone that you don’t know.

Feel free to mute the phone ringer and have it go straight to voicemail. If it’s something important like a doctors office calling they always leave messages and you just call them back at your convenience.

People will complain at first but they will soon figure out that if they want to call you that they have to use the app because you don’t answer the phone.

TBone 2w ago

I'd considered this, but after retiring my phone number for two weeks, it became very apparent that there's lots of friends, family and services that are not savvy enough to make that transition yet.

Also there's a bunch of services that use your phone number for 2FA reasons, and no, some of them don't offer different solutions.

It's still very difficult to have a conversation with a new friend and demand they install a new app on their phone to be able to contact you.

With my proposal above, I figure you can accommodate the normie without even having the conversation and essentially costing you $2 per year (just to keep your number active).

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Discussion

GHOST 2w ago

Use whatever works best for your life. I’m just sharing what I do. I had to walk my 80 year old parents through how to use signal but they now call me there. My spouse still complains to this day about having to text me on a second app but they do it. I still have a regular phone number for 2FA and what not but I only check my messages once a day.

I insist that my communication channel has to be encrypted and set disappearing messages for everyone. It’s amazing how many people fall in line when you set boundaries and enforce them. There are a handful of people that I rarely talk to because of the need for a second app but I consider that signal rather than a loss.

TBone 2w ago

I admire your fortitude, but there's clearly a simpler solution for my situation - I'm just surprised nobody has shared it yet.

But yes, just as I had to explain 'landlines' wouldn't be a thing anymore to my parents, they will ultimately have to come to terms that 'phone numbers' will become obsolete too.