Telegram is definitely preferred. It's virtually zero delay when sending and receiving, and there are no content restrictions. With text, the recipient network will block your (our number) number if you get flagged for adult content etc sending to their networks. Rogers, Telus, etc do run your received messages through content flagging system. It's a thing.
So on text we have to watch what we say. There can also be network issues which cause delayed delivery on either side.
With telegram you can choose who you share your number with. When you message you are actually interacting with a bot that we connect with via API, not sending a normal message. As such we do not receive your number, only the username or telegram account handle, however as I said on telegram for someone to see your number you need to add them as a contact and check the box that says share my number with this contact etc.
Telegram is basically like WhatsApp, but without Facebook watching (WhatsApp will block adult content etc pretty fast they are watching), and with user IDs instead of phone numbers being the account identifier.
Telegram is end to end encrypted, and the messages can't be intercepted, read, filtered, reviewed, etc.
If telegram is good enough for the Ukranian military, it's probably good enough for you from a privacy standpoint.
Anyway, short version, text or telegram is fine, but telegram is preferred. If using text you will need to use a real number as VoIP numbers are automatically flagged and although we will happily respond to inquiries, we will not accept bookings from fake numbers. This helps us maintain a proper blacklist, otherwise it's virtually impossible to block bad clients, as well as cuts out the fake bookings etc which are a thing in the industry.
