create hotmail account without phone number

The only way around this is if you already have a Google account that they trust, you can then use that to create a Gmail address and account. It effectively limits one Gmail account per phone number. This is a measure that Google has put in place to try to prevent spammers signing up for hundreds Gmail accounts that they'll use and then throw away. Update: even if you verify by text message, the phone number won't appear in your settings.

If you are transitioning as part of the Google Apps upgrade process like I am, and your old account had Google Voice, you could enter its phone number, and Google will send the verification to that number.

It might still be stored in Google's database behind the scenes though.

You can go to Google Account Settings > Change Password Recovery Options, and you will see that there is only an SMS section, and your phone number isn't stored there. While this does give them your phone number during the sign-up process, it seems like it isn't stored in your account.

Choose to verify by voice rather than text message, and enter in your phone number.

I'm not sure if they will activate it for you or not since I went with the last option: If enough people do this, it may persuade Google to use some other means of verification.

You could try filling out the support form linked to on that page and select 'I don't want to give my telephone number to Google' as the issue.

This form of verification only happens occasionally, so you could try creating another account.

Create hotmail account without phone number