Overview of Telegram and Ways to use it without your real phone number

Telegram is a free messaging app from Russia that launched in 2013, known for its focus on privacy and security. It supports sending and receiving all types of files, including text messages, photos, and videos, and accommodates personal chats, group chats, and public channels. It strongly protects user privacy through end-to-end encrypted secret chats and self-destructing messages. Additionally, unlike many messaging apps, Telegram is open source, which provides both transparency and reliability.

Telegram is considered one of the most secure messaging apps, with over a billion users worldwide. In modern society, privacy and data protection are increasingly important, and there is a high awareness of the risks of personal information leaking to outsiders. Telegram enhances user confidence by adhering to a policy of not sharing user information with third parties and not storing data on its own servers. These elements make Telegram a standout choice for privacy-conscious users.

In this article, we will introduce why Telegram, with over a billion users worldwide, is highly rated by security-conscious individuals and why it might be the right choice for you if you are considering using it but have concerns about its safety.
We will also provide a complete guide on how to register for Telegram without a phone number!

What is End-to-End Encryption?

End-to-end encryption (E2EE) ensures that messages are encrypted from the sender to the receiver, so that servers and third parties cannot decrypt the content. This means that only the sender and receiver can access the message content, and it remains secure even if intercepted during transmission.

Telegram implements its own encryption protocol called "MTProto (Mobile Transport Protocol)", which is highly rated for balancing performance and security on smartphones.
MTProto has the following main features:

• Segmented Encryption: MTProto encrypts messages in multiple layers. Data encryption and authentication use different algorithms, enhancing security.
• Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange: For E2EE in secret chats, the Diffie-Hellman key exchange protocol is used to generate a shared key between the sender and receiver. This key is securely shared without being known to third parties and is used for encrypting messages.
• AES Encryption: AES-256 (Advanced Encryption Standard) in CTR mode is used to encrypt messages. This provides strong protection for message content.
• SHA-256: SHA-256 hash functions are used for message authentication to prevent data tampering.

Need a more concrete image? Let’s compare with major messaging apps!

1. Facebook Messenger

• E2EE Usage: Facebook Messenger offers E2EE, but it is not enabled by default and must be manually started with "Secret Conversations".
• Telegram’s Advantage: Telegram’s secret chats also need to be manually started, but Telegram is open source, offering high transparency and reliability regarding security. Additional privacy protection features like self-destructing messages and non-storage of data further strengthen its security.

2. WeChat

• E2EE Usage: WeChat does not offer end-to-end encryption by default and is susceptible to government regulation, making data more likely to be monitored.
• Telegram’s Advantage: Telegram is designed with user privacy protection as a priority, offering robust encryption that does not allow access from governments or third parties. This is particularly notable in regions with restrictions, such as China.

3. Snapchat

• E2EE Usage: Snapchat uses end-to-end encryption for some messages but does not apply it to all communications. While it features disappearing messages, they are temporarily stored on servers, so they cannot be considered entirely secure.
• Telegram’s Advantage: Telegram’s secret chats do not store messages on servers, reducing the risk of data leakage from server-side storage. Additionally, default encryption is applied even outside of secret chats, providing a higher overall security level.

4. WhatsApp

• E2EE Usage: WhatsApp provides end-to-end encryption for all chats by default, which is very strong. However, WhatsApp is owned by Facebook, raising concerns about metadata collection and user information sharing.
• Telegram’s Advantage: Telegram minimizes metadata collection and prioritizes user privacy. Unlike WhatsApp, Telegram is open source, offering high transparency in security and easier independent audits.

MTProto’s specifications are also available online, ensuring high transparency. Additionally, Telegram's features, such as minimal data storage, make it superior in privacy protection and security compared to other messaging apps.

Are you curious about how these security features are specifically implemented?
In the next section, we will showcase the actual app screens of Telegram!

Telegram Secret Chats

Secret chats, equipped with powerful end-to-end encryption features, are very easy to use.
From the main menu of Telegram, simply tap "New Message", select "New Secret Chat", and choose the person you want to message to start a chat immediately.

Secret chats occur in a separate chat room from regular messages. You can easily identify if a chat is a secret chat by the lock icon displayed in the image.

Sending self-destructing messages is also simple; you can delete a message from the recipient's device as soon as 1 second after they receive it.
Messages do not exist on Telegram's servers and are deleted from the device through self-destruction, making it extremely difficult to recover messages through digital forensics.

Self-Destructing Messages

Self-destructing messages can be configured for all types of interactions on Telegram, including personal chats, group chats, and Telegram Channels.
A self-destructing message is one that is automatically deleted after a specified time once it has been read by the recipient.

Typically, many messaging apps do not allow message recall or, even if you recall a message, it often remains on the server or the recipient's device.
Thus, the ability to specify the lifespan of a message from the sender's side is a unique feature of Telegram.

The auto-delete period can be set as short as 1 second, and of course, you can also set messages not to be auto-deleted.

Privacy Protection Design Philosophy

Data is Local-Based, Policy on Information Provision to Governments and Law Enforcement

Telegram has a mechanism to minimize metadata and message copies even for regular chats.
In typical messaging apps, message and user information is stored on servers and used for advertising and service provision. However, this involves privacy risks, so Telegram retains only minimal information and does not engage in detailed personal data collection or message tracking.

Furthermore, Telegram takes a very cautious stance on cooperation with governments and law enforcement agencies. According to Telegram’s official policy, there are extremely strict restrictions on providing user data to protect user privacy.

User Data Provision Criteria

Telegram states that specific conditions must be met when providing user data to third parties, especially governments or law enforcement agencies. As Telegram’s founder Pavel Durov has previously stated, "Data provision is considered only in cases of terrorism with a court order." However, there have been no reported instances of such data being provided.

Encryption and Data Non-Storage

Telegram's secret chats use end-to-end encryption (E2EE), so Telegram itself cannot access message content. This means that even if there are requests from governments or law enforcement, Telegram is technically unable to provide the content of messages. Additionally, for regular chats, messages are deleted from the server once the user no longer accesses them, keeping stored data to a minimum.

Transparency and Reporting

Telegram emphasizes transparency and regularly reports on its responses to government data requests. These reports detail the requests received from various countries and how they were handled. This allows users to see the extent to which Telegram is committed to protecting privacy.

Response Outside Legal Frameworks

Telegram shows a commitment to protecting user privacy, even in the face of government pressure or legal difficulties in specific countries or regions. For instance, in response to excessive government surveillance or data requests, Telegram may choose to temporarily suspend the service or restrict access.

In this way, Telegram prioritizes robust protection of user privacy and takes a very cautious approach to cooperation with governments and law enforcement.

Practical Tips for Enhancing Security

Trends in Telegram Usage

• Image From Telegram Business: The Ultimate Telegram for Business Guide [January 2024]

Telegram’s strong commitment to user privacy has made it an excellent tool for protecting personal information. Originally popular in countries with stringent government censorship and conflict zones, Telegram has expanded rapidly in other regions since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Registering on Telegram While Keeping Your Phone Number Hidden

So, how can you use Telegram more securely?
One of the challenges for Telegram users is the requirement for phone number verification.

When creating a Telegram account, it is mandatory to link a valid phone number to each account.
The validity of the phone number is verified via SMS authentication, and accounts cannot be created with invalid numbers.

However, a phone number is essentially a piece of personal information. In every country, phone number contracts require valid identification, such as an ID card or passport.
In other words, regardless of Telegram's security measures, if the phone number registered on Telegram is exposed due to user errors or shoulder surfing, investigators could potentially obtain your name, address, personal ID, and workplace from the phone number.

So, what should you do?
One highly recommended free solution is to use a temporary phone number provider like SMSOnline.

https://www.smsonline.cloud

SMSOnline is an online service that shares disposable phone numbers from around the world, allowing you to view incoming SMS on the web.

By using SMSOnline, you can avoid exposing your real phone number online.
SMSOnline provides phone numbers from over 20 countries, including Tier 1 countries like Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, the USA, and Germany, with over 100 numbers available online at any time.

How to Create a Telegram Account Using SMSOnline

To use SMSOnline, access SMSOnline here and search for available disposable phone numbers.
Since Telegram does not restrict the country of the phone number used for account registration, it is advisable to use a highly-rated or recent phone number based on user feedback.

Using SMSOnline is straightforward. Enter the phone number provided by SMSOnline into Telegram's phone number registration form and wait for the SMS verification to arrive.
The SMS received on the phone number will be processed and displayed on our website, typically within 10 minutes.

Once registered with SMSOnline's phone number, you can also receive two-factor authentication SMS using the same number.

Important Notes

There are a few crucial points to consider when registering on Telegram using SMSOnline.

First, always enable two-factor authentication. This is the most important step.
SMSOnline's phone numbers and SMS verification codes are publicly available on the web, meaning anyone could potentially log into your account if they have these two pieces of information.
To prevent this, setting up a two-factor authentication passcode in Telegram is effective. Once set, you will need three pieces of information to log in: the phone number, the SMS verification code, and the two-factor authentication passcode, which completely prevents anyone who sees the code on SMSOnline from accessing your account.

Secondly, a single phone number can only be used to create one Telegram account.
Fortunately, our service is used globally to enhance security.
This means the SMSOnline phone number you want to use might already be in use by someone else.
We source phone numbers through various channels and collaborate with over 500 volunteers worldwide, allowing us to add several new numbers online each week.

Phone number update status is published on Telegram. Please subscribe to the channel or regularly check the SMSOnline homepage for the latest numbers.