Telegram rolls out phone number verification feature: Here’s how it works

Telegram has introduced a new feature allowing businesses to verify phone numbers through the app, offering a cost-effective alternative to traditional SMS verification methods.

Telegram now offers businesses a cost-effective way to verify phone numbers directly through the app. (Telegram)

Telegram has launched an update that enhances its offerings for businesses. The platform now enables companies to verify phone numbers directly through Telegram, providing a practical alternative to traditional methods like SMS.

Telegram Business Features

In a recent blog post, Telegram outlined the challenges businesses face in verifying customer phone numbers. These verification systems often incur significant costs. To address this issue, Telegram introduces its own phone number verification solution, aimed at streamlining the process for businesses, apps, and websites.

“From our experience, we understand the expenses involved in verifying customer phone numbers. Effective immediately, any business can send verification codes through Telegram and handle payments via Fragment. Telegram's verification codes offer speed, cost-effectiveness, security, and convenience compared to SMS or other alternatives,” the company stated.

When businesses use Telegram for verification, users will receive codes in a dedicated chat within the app. This system allows users to copy the code with a single tap, making it easy to complete the verification process. For businesses, the cost is set at $0.01 per verified user, which is significantly lower than the rates charged by SMS-based platforms.

Additional Features

Alongside the new verification feature, Telegram has rolled out additional updates. One notable addition is the capability for users to send gifts to each other, celebrating various occasions with custom animations and messages. Users can showcase received gifts on a new 'Gifts' tab in their profile, or they can opt to discard the gift while retaining some of its associated Stars for future use, including sending more gifts.

To send a gift, users can access the recipient's profile, select the option to send a gift, and customise their message or emoji. Additionally, users can choose to keep their identity private when sending gifts. While the recipient will know who sent the gift, others will not see the sender's name displayed on the recipient's profile.

Telegram for iOS is available at no cost on the App Store. Users are encouraged to ensure they have the latest version installed to access all these features.