What is Telegram Messenger, And Why Should You use it?
Telegram is a messaging platform that has gained popularity over the last few years. It is designed to be lightweight, fast and secure. It is also one of the most popular options for group communication and discussion.
What is Telegram?
Telegram Messenger is a messaging app that has become popular among teenagers. It is a secure and fast messenger that allows you to send messages with encrypted channels and messages.
Telegram Messenger is an open-source project, which means anyone can build and release new features, bug fixes, or new versions of the app. This gave rise to “Telegram”, the unofficial name for the entire project.
Among its unique features are its privacy and encryption features, as well as an open-source API. Besides the official Telegram app and web interface, there are dozens of unofficial clients available. Multiple devices can use the same account (verified via SMS), and multiple accounts can be created on the same device.
How Does Telegram Work?
As with most other messaging apps, Telegram offers the same core functionality: Messages, group conversations, calls, video calls, files, stickers, and video calls. Although it works differently from other chat apps, there are a few specific features that make it stand out.
Using the cloud more effectively is the reason for Telegram’s success. It stores your messages and photos on a secure server. Telegram is much more multi-platform friendly than other chat apps, such as WhatsApp, because you can access them from any connected device.
Usernames are another security feature that makes the system more usable. It is more convenient to give your username rather than your phone number. As a result, you can control what information is available and how to make future contacts.
Alternatively, you can generate a temporary QR code people can use to add you without providing a username or phone number.
Is Telegram Safe To Use?
The safety of Telegram is as good as or better than most other chat applications. WhatsApp’s ties to Facebook/Meta, which offers end-to-end encryption, may turn privacy advocates off all messaging.
If you’re using the “secret chats” feature, you get the same level of encryption. Secret chats can also be programmed to self-destruct, so users can’t forward or screenshot messages. You can delete not just your messages but also the messages of other users when you delete a message. As a side note, all chats are encrypted, even when they are not end-to-end.
Also, remember that Telegram doesn’t make money by selling your data. According to Telegram’s page on Internet privacy, one of its tenets is “protecting you from third parties, such as marketers, advertisers, etc.” That stands in stark contrast to a variety of other services.
Although Telegram is a popular messaging app, it doesn’t mean that your messages are private or secure compared to WhatsApp. Even with encryption, server-side data leaks can still occur, and if your end device has already been compromised, no encryption will help.
Is Telegram free?
As part of its monetisation strategy, Telegram began offering Telegram Premium subscription services, although its core chatting service will remain free.
Ads are displayed in public one-to-many channels (like Twitter feeds), premium features are available to business teams, and sticker packs are paid. Besides enhanced channel visibility, some funds will be returned to users as payments to sticker pack creators.
Can Telegram Be Used On PC?
Rather than storing chats and files on your device, Telegram stores them on a remote server that can be accessed via the web (except for secret chats). Several Chrome extensions are available, or you can access them through the web portal.
Developers can also create clients based on the API on other platforms using the company’s API, which is also free. There are also free customisation options, such as bots, themes, stickers, and more.
Pros of Switching
There are many distinct differences between Telegram and its competitors, although its main features may cross over with others. Below are some main features that might make you switch messaging apps.
Secret Chats
End-to-end encrypted messaging can be done with contacts through the aforementioned secret chats. The benefits of secret chats do not stop there: In addition to not being able to forward messages from them, they also do not allow screenshots to be taken. While it is possible to take a picture of the screen with another device, it is discouraged, and self-destruct timers bolster it further.
Self-Destruct Timers
You can set self-destruct timers for your secret chat messages if you don’t want them to remain for a long time. You can choose from one second up to one week before a message disappears from the chat after it is received.
This option isn’t available on Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and WeChat, so you’ll have to be especially concerned with privacy. It’s a nice alternative to the chat logs available on these platforms.
SIM-Less Access
A SIM card is no longer required to sign up for Telegram. Fragment, however, requires that you purchase an unknown phone number. In most cases, these can be purchased for between $10 and $20 using Telegram’s Toncoin cryptocurrency. These numbers are linked to the blockchain and only work with Telegram.
Usernames
Your account isn’t tied to a single phone number since usernames are used instead of phone numbers. Adding someone as a contact in Telegram does not require sharing your phone number with them, so it is easier to log in on different devices, and you can have multiple accounts on the same device.
Large File Size Limit
With support for up to 2GB of files, Telegram beats much of the competition for sending large files. In contrast, WhatsApp caps data transfers at a meagre 100MB, WeChat limits data transfers to 100MB, and Skype limits data transfers to 300MB. You can also access Telegram files from other devices because they are stored in the cloud.
Customisations
Unlike many competitors, Telegram offers several customisation options, including the dominant app colour, how links are opened, whether or not the UI shows animations, etc. The chatbot integration also allows you to use bots to improve the user experience.
By using the Telegram API, you can even create your themes, bots, and full apps. Telegram’s bot ecosystem offers even more functionality than before.
Conclusion
Telegram is a messaging platform that offers different ways to communicate. Many people around the world have used it. It is one of the most popular platforms for keeping in touch with friends and family and sending messages to businesses.
The storage space provided by Telegram is unlimited. Their cloud will store all your text messages, images, media files, and documents. There is no need to worry about backups or restores since you can log out and log in multiple times without losing any data.
FAQ
Why is everyone using Telegram?
Telegram allows you to create your username so you can be found through its search engine. You only need to know people’s usernames, and you will find them in a few seconds. You can send videos, audio, and texts and make unlimited video calls with many participants. All this on your cell phone or computer.
When did Telegram become popular?
It was the most downloaded app in January 2021, with 1 billion downloads globally as of late August 2021. Research suggests that the Telegram surge in January 2021 was driven partly by the deplatforming of Parler by big-tech firms. In June 2022, Telegram surpassed 700 million monthly active users.
Is Telegram getting popular?
The telegram reached 500 million active users in 2021, making it one of the most popular messaging platforms in the world.
