Telegram [channels](/en/article/introduction-to-channels-1qyruqs/) give you access to a super-fast, simple and free platform used by over 500 million people around the world through any mobile device. Telegram is a cloud-based instant messaging service – similar to WhatsApp and WeChat – with a focus on speed, openness and security. It’s open source and encrypted end-to-end, meaning that all data sent and received via Telegram cannot be deciphered when intercepted by your ISP, network administrator or other third parties.
Why Telegram?
There are five key factors that make Telegram our first choice for cloud-based messaging:
- Unlike most cloud-based chat applications, Telegram provides an open API that encourages integration and development.
- Telegram’s values of openness and security fall in line with our own, allowing us to provide an encrypted channel for organizations communicating sensitive information.
- It’s completely free.
- Telegram will allow you to send up to 30 messages per second – the same throughput a short code would allow at no cost.
- Telegram provides a web app; a desktop version for Mac, PC and Linux; and mobile apps for all iOS and Android devices. It can be used anywhere an internet connection is available.
How Does it Work?
Your Telegram channel will be represented by a Bot. Telegram Bots are special accounts that will serve as an interface for the workflows and messages you send via our platform. Bots differ from standard accounts in that they:
- Have no online status and no last seen timestamps, the interface shows the label ‘bot’ instead.
- Are given usernames that always end in ‘bot’ (e.g. @TriviaBot, @GitHub_bot).
- Act as a simple interface for Telegram’s API.
Much like us, Telegram Bots allow you to create custom tools that provide you with alerts, weather forecasts, translations, or other services upon request, e.g. Poll bot.
Bulk Messaging
As it stands, Telegram doesn’t provide a method for sending bulk messages or notifications. In fact, a Bot not connected to our platform can’t initiate conversations with new contacts. A new contact must either add them to a group or send them a message first (they can use telegram.me/<bot_username> links or username search to find your bot). However, when a Bot is connected to your account, your Telegram contacts become contacts in our platform, allowing you to leverage our broadcast functionality to initiate conversations and send bulk notifications with ease.
Click here to add a Telegram channel.