How to Fix Telegram SMS Charges and Restore Verification Code Delivery

Table of Contents

• Why Does Telegram Charge SMS Fees?

• Understanding Verification Code Delivery Issues

• Check Your Phone Number and Account Settings

• Fix SMS Delivery Problems on Telegram

• Prevent Future SMS Charges

• Why Choose Turrit as Your Telegram Client

• Contact Telegram Support for Persistent Issues

Telegram users often face unexpected SMS charges and struggle with verification code delivery problems. These issues occur when the app cannot reach you through push notifications or internet-based messages, forcing it to use expensive SMS as a backup method. Understanding why these charges happen and how to stop them helps you keep your messaging app experience smooth and cost-free.

Why Does Telegram Charge SMS Fees?

Telegram itself does not charge you for using its service. However, your mobile carrier charges fees when Telegram sends you a verification code through SMS. These SMS costs happen because your phone cannot receive the verification code through the internet connection.

The app tries several methods to deliver codes in this order: push notifications, internet calls, and finally SMS as a last resort. When all other methods fail, your carrier treats the SMS message as a standard text, and you pay the standard SMS rate. SMS delivery failures usually cost between 15 cents to 25 cents per message, depending on your location and carrier.

Your carrier charges this fee because they are sending actual text messages through their network infrastructure. Telegram pays telecom companies to deliver these SMS messages, and your carrier passes this cost to you when you are out of service or have poor connectivity.

Understanding Verification Code Delivery Issues

When you log into Telegram on a new device or after clearing your app data, the service sends you a verification code. This code confirms that you own the phone number and are not a hacker trying to access your account. Normally, you receive this code instantly through push notifications or your internet connection.

Verification code delivery fails when:

• Your phone has no internet connection or very weak connectivity

• Push notifications are disabled in your device settings

• Your carrier blocks incoming calls that carry voice codes

• The Telegram app has outdated software that cannot receive codes properly

• Your phone number is registered with multiple devices simultaneously

• Your carrier's network is experiencing technical problems

• You are traveling internationally and your home carrier does not have roaming agreements

When these problems occur, Telegram automatically sends the code through SMS instead. This backup method ensures you can still access your account, but it triggers the SMS charges from your carrier.

Check Your Phone Number and Account Settings

The first step to fix Telegram SMS charges is verifying your phone number is correct in your account settings. An incorrect phone number might cause Telegram to send codes to the wrong device or through SMS repeatedly.

Open Telegram and go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number. Confirm this number matches your actual mobile phone. If your number changed recently, update it immediately. Make sure you include the country code with the plus sign (for example, +1 for the United States).

Next, check your notification settings. Go to Settings > Notifications and Sounds. Enable notifications for "Messages" and "Calls." Make sure the notification permission is not muted on your device. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Telegram > Notifications and toggle the notification permission on. On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Telegram and enable alerts.

Clear your app cache if you recently updated Telegram. On Android, go to Settings > Apps > Telegram > Storage > Clear Cache. On iPhone, delete and reinstall the app to clear the cache completely. This removes temporary files that might prevent code delivery.

Fix SMS Delivery Problems on Telegram

If you continue receiving SMS charges despite correct settings, your carrier might be blocking the codes. Contact your mobile carrier's customer support and ask them to whitelist SMS messages from Telegram. The carrier can confirm that their network is not rejecting the messages before they reach your phone.

Check whether your carrier charges for receiving SMS messages. Some international carriers and prepaid plans charge for incoming SMS. If you are on a prepaid plan, verify you have enough credit to receive messages. In some countries, carriers charge for receiving SMS even when you have no balance.

Try receiving the verification code through a voice call instead of SMS. When Telegram prompts you for a verification code, look for an option to receive it as a call. Voice calls sometimes work when SMS fails, and they do not trigger SMS charges.

If you are traveling internationally, consider switching to a local SIM card temporarily. International roaming charges for SMS are extremely expensive. A temporary local SIM ensures your carrier sends codes using your home country's rates. Alternatively, use an VPN to mask your location and route codes through your home country's network.

Disable two-factor authentication temporarily if you keep receiving repeated SMS charges. In Settings > Privacy and Security > Two-Step Verification, select "Disable" if you need immediate relief from charges. Re-enable it once you resolve the code delivery issue. This prevents Telegram from sending additional verification codes while you troubleshoot.

Prevent Future SMS Charges

Keep your Telegram app updated to the latest version. Open your app store and install any available updates immediately. Updates fix bugs that prevent code delivery and improve how the app handles push notifications. Outdated versions have worse reliability for receiving codes through internet methods.

Enable two-step verification correctly to reduce login attempts. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Two-Step Verification and set a password. This adds an extra security layer and reduces unnecessary verification code requests. Hackers trying to access your account will be blocked at the password step and will not trigger SMS code delivery.

Use a strong mobile data plan with consistent connectivity. Telegram codes arrive instantly over the internet. Weak data signals force the app to fall back on SMS. If you are in an area with poor signal, move to a location with better coverage before logging in or registering a new device.

Save your recovery email in your account settings. Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Two-Step Verification > Set Additional Password. Add a recovery email address. If SMS codes fail completely, you can use the email to recover your account instead of relying on repeated SMS attempts.

Why Choose Turrit as Your Telegram Client

If you want to avoid SMS charges and improve your overall Telegram experience, consider switching to Turrit, a feature-rich alternative client for Telegram. Turrit provides a modern interface with enhanced functionality that helps you manage your account more effectively.

Turrit includes advanced privacy detection that checks your account's privacy score and helps you enhance it with one click. This feature prevents unauthorized access attempts that trigger unnecessary verification codes. With better security monitoring, you reduce the frequency of SMS code delivery requests.

Turrit allows you to log in up to 10 different accounts simultaneously. This means you can verify each account on a single device without constantly logging in and out. Fewer login attempts equal fewer verification code requests and lower SMS charges.

The app offers unlimited ultra cloud storage for saving your important messages and media. This backup feature reduces the need to reinstall the app, which normally triggers verification codes when you set up Telegram on a new device.

Turrit includes real-time translation features powered by AI that translate messages with 99% accuracy before sending. This helps you communicate across languages without leaving the app, reducing the overall app usage time and the number of login sessions you need.

The keyword blocking settings in Turrit help you filter unwanted messages and channel ads. This reduces spam messages that might trigger account security alerts and unnecessary verification codes.

With Video Flow, just like scrolling through TikTok, Turrit gives you a more enjoyable experience for consuming video content in Telegram channels. Download videos up to 20 times faster to your saved files using Turrit's optimized infrastructure.

Turrit offers customizable navigation options. Switch between side navigation and bottom navigation to match your preferred layout. The app also lets you customize the app icon to match your home screen theme, giving you a personalized experience that keeps you engaged with the platform.

Contact Telegram Support for Persistent Issues

If SMS charges continue after trying all these steps, contact Telegram support directly. Open the app and go to Settings > Help > Contact Us. Describe your issue in detail, including the dates when you received unexpected SMS charges and your location.

Provide your carrier name and the country where you are experiencing charges. Telegram support can investigate whether your carrier is having issues delivering codes or if there is a technical problem with your account. They might be able to adjust your account settings to prefer internet-based code delivery over SMS.

Keep records of all SMS charges you receive. Take screenshots of the charges from your carrier's billing statement. If you can prove the charges are caused by a specific Telegram service failure, you might be able to request a refund from your carrier based on their terms and conditions.

Switch to a different phone number temporarily if the issue persists. In Settings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number, change your registered number to a temporary number from a virtual phone service. This prevents your real phone from receiving SMS codes while you wait for support to resolve the issue.