Telegram Features – Groups & Channels – Explained

Telegram is an instant messaging and chatting app similar like WhatsApp. It has similar features like other messaging apps contains like you can connect and send messages to other Telegram users, create groups and having conversation, call contacts send different-different formats files and stickers.

The highlight of Telegram app is, it always promote themselves as cloud-based app, secure and maintain privacy, and it ensures end-to-end encryption.

According to Telegram officials “all its activities including chats, groups and media shared between users, is completely encrypted.”

Features of Telegram

  • It allows users to set a timer on messages to self-destruct after a specified time.
  • Secret chat cannot be forwarded
  • It gives notifications for screenshots taken
  • Cloud storage allows images, text messages, media files and documents to be saved on their cloud.
  • Cloud storage also allows users to log in and out so backup meaning restore is not a cause of worry for users.
  • Ensuring the privacy of users’ contact number, with public username. You can write to your phone contacts and find people by their usernames.
  • Telegram users can chat with others on the app even they do not have the contact number of the others.
  • Telegram has independent apps for all platforms.
  • In Telegram you can send up to 2GB file size
  • It gives media compression options before sending or sharing the file.
  • Groups in Telegram can add up to 200,000 members.
  • Here you can create Public groups and it can be joined by anyone

Difference between Telegram groups and Telegram channels

Telegram groups:- Telegram groups allow you to add or invite users into one common group upto 200000 members where they can chat and all members can contribute.

There are two types of Group

Private Groups

  • Here the creator of the group or an assigned admin only can invite users or peoples to the group directly.
  • Only admin or creator has access to the invite link.
  • Private Groups are not visible in-app search.

Public Groups

  • Anyone can access to the invite link.
  • Public Groups are visible in-app search.

Telegram Channels

Telegram Channels you can use for broadcasting messages to a large audience. Once you will create the channel users can subscribe to your channel and whatever you will publish all will get your broadcasts. Most important thing here is that there is no limit of subscribers and they cannot see or contact each other.

There is one more thing needs to keep in mind you can not send broadcast messages to your contacts until they are subscibed to your channel.

Here also we have two type of Telegram Channels

Private Channels

Private Channels can be subscribed by invitation only.

There two ways to find Private Telegram Channel. Either added by an admin or creator only or get an invitation link to join.

Public Channels

Anyone can find them in Telegram search and subscribe to the channel.

Here we have a couple of common question on Telegram app

Who can see my phone number?

On Telegram, you can send messages in private chats and groups without making your phone number visible.

Your number is only visible to people who you’ve added to your address book as contacts OR  if they know your number already and saved it in their contacts.

If someone finds me by username, messages and I reply — will they know my number?

No. Neither party will see another’s phone number (unless this is permitted by your privacy settings). This is similar to the case when you message a person who you’ve met in a Telegram group.

Mantosh Singh