Telegram is auctioning cellphone numbers to let customers signal as much as the service with none SIM

After auctioning distinctive usernames on the TON blockchain, Telegram is now placing nameless numbers up for bidding. These numbers might be used to join Telegram without having any SIM card.

Identical to the username public sale, you should purchase these digital numbers on Fragment, which is a web site specifically created for Telegram-related auctions. To purchase a quantity, you’ll have to hyperlink your TON pockets (Tonkeeper) to the web site.

You should buy a random quantity for as little as 9 toncoins, which is equal to roughly $16.50 on the time of writing. A few of the premium digital numbers — akin to +888-8-888 — are promoting for 31,500 toncoins (~$58,200).

How Telegram digital numbers work. Picture Credit: Telegram

Notably, you possibly can solely use this quantity to join Telegram. You’ll be able to’t use it to obtain SMS or calls or use it to register for an additional service.

For Telegram, that is one other approach of asking its most loyal supporters to help the app by serving to it make some cash. The corporate launched its premium subscription plan earlier this year. On Tuesday, the chat app’s founder Pavel Durov stated that Telegram has more than 1 million paid users only a few months after the launch of its premium options. Whereas Telegram gives options like cross-device sync and enormous teams, it’s essential to do not forget that chats will not be protected by end-to-end encryption.

As for people who need anonymization, Telegram already gives to cover your cellphone quantity. Alternatively, there are tons of digital cellphone quantity companies on the market — together with Google Voice, Hushed and India-based Doosra — that permit you to obtain calls and SMS as effectively.