Susan Hill
Telegram is an instant messaging service that lets you do more than just send a text. It also lets you send emojis, call a friend, or start a video call. As long as the person that you want to contact has a Telegram account as well, you can all do these for free.
The best part? Everything is encrypted so you know that all your conversations are safe. You can also use your phone, your web browser, or your laptop to do all these. That’s why a lot of people all around the world are seeking to join Telegram.
When signing up, they’d ask for your phone number. But you’re probably hesitant to provide that. So is there a way around it? Keep reading and find out any other options that you might have.
Do you need a phone number?
Yes. Requiring a Telegram phone number is a way for them to verify your identity. This is important because Telegram doesn’t want its messaging platform to be overrun by fake accounts.
Also, unlike other platforms like Facebook and Instagram, it isn’t a social media account. The platform is meant to replace regular texting and calling, both of which require a phone number.
But even though a phone number is required, it doesn’t have to be your private number. What a lot of people don’t realize is that when it comes to sourcing a phone number, your traditional phone company isn’t the only choice out there.
What are your other options if you don’t want to use your number?
When it comes to number verification for Telegram, there’s only one rule: the number should not have been used before. Your private number doesn’t have to be registered to the account. For as long as you can find an alternative that you can use, it’s going to work out just the same.
- Free sites
There are so many free sites where you can get a number that you can use for verification. A quick Google search would tell you that the options are almost endless!
Usually, the number is generated randomly. Then, you can use it to verify your Telegram account. But when something is free, you have to be a little careful. There’s always a catch.
While we believe it’s perfectly fine for them to recuperate their spending through ads, you’re never sure if that’s the only way the site tries to turn a profit. Because it’s free, perhaps they’re not investing in security. The number itself may even be easily hacked as a result.
Plus, you may not be able to access the same number should you change your phone. Therefore, we only recommend free sites if you’re not using Telegram to contact people who are important in your life.
- Google Voice
Google Voice is also a superb option if you’re living in the United States. Otherwise, the advantages here will be a little limited. Although this service is free, the services themselves are very US-centric.
For example, it’s free to text and call another Google Voice number or other US numbers. However, this benefit isn’t available anywhere else in the world.
Some have reported success in registering their Telegram account using a Google Voice number. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case anymore. So if you’re really trying to not spend anything, we advise you to try this first. However, whether or not you’ll be successful isn’t guaranteed.
- Landline number
This may seem like an odd suggestion, but the term phone number also applies to landline phones. So if you still have a landline in your home, you can use it to open an account. Instead of getting your verification code via text messaging, Telegram will call you instead.
There may be fees associated with this based on your provider, so ask first before proceeding. Moreover, if you don’t want to use your private phone number for privacy concerns, you may want to opt out of this option as well.
- Telecom providers
Modern telecommunication providers like Telnum provide a temporary VoIP number that you can use for verification. Unlike other VoIP numbers, it doesn’t come with a one-time porting fee or a monthly subscription fee. Instead, you pay a one-time fee that lets you send one verification text to it. After that, it would expire.
What makes this option better than everything else is it’s the best combination of affordability, security, and convenience.
Plus, it will also allow you to access Telegram even if you’re in a country where it’s supposed to be banned. To do so, all you need to do is get a temporary number from a country where it’s legal. That’s it.
Even though you need a phone number to open a Telegram account, you don’t need to compromise your security for it. We’re here to help you do it safely!
