[billpg]

Who do y'all use for a dialable USA phone number these days? (I'm in England.)

I have (had) a +1-423 Skype number to receive calls (twice a month or so) that took messages that I could play in the Skype web-app.

[lxgr]

Google Voice is amazing, but requires a US phone number to set up.

[billpg]

I wonder if an American friend could set it up for me. My gmail mailbox but their US phone number. (Thanks for the recommendation!)

[lxgr]

It should, but they've recently been somewhat picky about which phone numbers they accept for the initial setup.

Once you get it, you don't need access to that US number afterwards – very useful when traveling; everything just works via VoIP, including texting, which is a lifesaver for 2FA when traveling without US roaming.

Of course, it's a Google service, so expect it to be discontinued without warning at the exact moment you've totally integrated it into your daily life.