One of the upcoming functions in the next Telegram version 7.5 update will be Broadcast Groups.
Despite the fact that there was no release yet, the function has already raised many questions: What is the difference between a broadcast group and a regular group or a channel? What is Broadcast Group for?
| Channel | Group | Broadcasting Group | |
| Participants | ∞ | 200,000 | ∞ |
| Animations | + | Configurable | – |
| Messages | Administrators | Everybody | Administrators |
| Statistics | 50 participants | 500 participants | 500 participants |
| Voice Chats | – | + | + |
| Comments | Everybody | – | Administrators |
| Admin anonymity | Configurable | Configurable | Configurable |
| Group stickers | – | + | + |
| Public polls | – | + | + |
Differences between a group and a broadcast group
- In a regular supergroup, the limit for the number of participants is 200,000, in a broadcast group there is no limit.
- Animated emoji will not work in most of Telegram clients (because the app thinks stickers are prohibited).
- In a regular group all members can write messages, in a broadcast group only administrators can do that.
Differences between a channel and a broadcast group
- You can’t start a voice chat on a channel (likely only for now), you can in a broadcast group.
- In a broadcast group, you can use public polls (but you can’t on a channel).
- In a broadcast group, you can install group stickers (most likely temporarily).
- You can attach a channel to a broadcast group (most likely temporarily, since comments still don’t work – only broadcast group administrators can write).
Group for the screenshots: t.me/broadcastchat.
Most likely, the function was made for those who mistakenly created a group instead of a channel with all permissions disabled for regular participants, so the chat got filled to the limit and could no longer accept new participants.
At the moment, a broadcast group can’t be created independently, Telegram will offer to do this if there are 199,000 members in an ordinary supergroup (slightly less than the current limit).
Although groups and channels functionally differ from broadcast groups, it is not entirely clear what they are for. Most likely, the answer awaits for us in the near future.
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