ChatGPT now has a phone number, and calling is free

Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority

OpenAI offers its ChatGPT app on all major platforms, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and the web. Nevertheless, accessing it from places with poor network coverage can be challenging, as it requires an active internet connection to fetch the requested results. Fortunately for those with limited or no data, ChatGPT now has a phone number anyone can call in the US and Canada. International users can similarly utilize the service by texting the same number on WhatsApp.

OpenAI has announced that users in the US and Canada can now call 1-800-CHATGPT (or 1-800-242-8478) to access ChatGPT. Each phone number gets up to 15 minutes of ChatGPT access per month. Once consumed, the company advises users to switch to its mobile app to continue using the service.

Similarly, users can now text ChatGPT on WhatsApp globally via the same phone number. For now, Plus and Pro users still can’t sign in with their ChatGPT accounts on WhatsApp to utilize paid perks, but OpenAI is working on that. So, while chatting on WhatsApp seems limited to text, it could support sending AI-generated images and more in the future.

While these additions may be useless to typical smartphone users, they’re still welcome options that can assist people in particular situations. For example, those still carrying dumbphones can now conveniently ask the service for assistance. It could also serve people in areas with no data coverage.

On the other hand, the WhatsApp integration can deliver the needed information when connected to a slow Wi-Fi network. That’s not to mention that it likely consumes less data, which many users with limited plans will appreciate.

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