Eventcombo
Eventcombo's feed is buyer guides for 2027, from RFP templates to hybrid platform rankings.
Comparison · Meetings
Asterisk vs Telegram
A side-by-side editorial comparison of Asterisk and Telegram — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.
Asterisk vs Telegram: at a glance
What is Asterisk?
Asterisk 24 is at rc4, and the latest round is repairing regressions left by 22.11.
A release round is in candidate stage across 20.22.0, 22.12.0, 23.6.0 and 24.0.0, all tagged within minutes. October 29's rc4 carries two fixes on every branch: park slot hints stuck at Unavailable after startup, and a segfault when a hint loses its presence part, both regressions from 22.11.0. 22.12.0-rc4 adds a third fix for a subscription leak on dialplan reload. rc3 a week earlier was a single PJSIP WebSocket contact fix.
What is Telegram?
Telegram's agent platform adds AI group admins, Communities and a rich text editor.
Telegram keeps shipping large bundled updates every four to eight weeks. Since the May release of guest AI bots and bot-to-bot chats, it has added AI Guardians that screen new group members, smartwatch apps, a rich text editor that can also generate text, Communities linking groups, channels and bots, and Welcome Messages with buttons inside messages.
Asterisk vs Telegram: editorial side-by-side
Asterisk
5.0MEETINGS
Asterisk 24 is at rc4, and the latest round is repairing regressions left by 22.11.
◆ Current state
A release round is in candidate stage across 20.22.0, 22.12.0, 23.6.0 and 24.0.0, all tagged within minutes. October 29's rc4 carries two fixes on every branch: park slot hints stuck at Unavailable after startup, and a segfault when a hint loses its presence part, both regressions from 22.11.0. 22.12.0-rc4 adds a third fix for a subscription leak on dialplan reload. rc3 a week earlier was a single PJSIP WebSocket contact fix.
◆ Where it's heading
Each candidate round now takes one to three issues, which is how a cycle close to final looks, though four candidates is a longer run than August's rc1, rc2 and final. The lockstep model multiplies repair work: one 22.11.0 hint regression needed the same fix on all four branches.
◆ Prediction
Expect final tags on all four branches together once candidates stop taking fixes, with the certified track following. 24.0.0 final will show what the new line changes; the rc4 User and Upgrade Notes sections are empty.
Telegram
0.0MEETINGSCOLLAB
Telegram's agent platform adds AI group admins, Communities and a rich text editor.
◆ Current state
Telegram keeps shipping large bundled updates every four to eight weeks. Since the May release of guest AI bots and bot-to-bot chats, it has added AI Guardians that screen new group members, smartwatch apps, a rich text editor that can also generate text, Communities linking groups, channels and bots, and Welcome Messages with buttons inside messages.
◆ Where it's heading
The bot platform is still the direction, and recent updates give bots more formal roles. AI Guardians put automated admins in charge of group entry, rich text for bots improves their output, and Communities give bots a place alongside groups and channels. Consumer polish still ships in the same bundles.
◆ Prediction
Expect the next bundle to extend automated group moderation or bot permissions. Paid access for guest AI bots is plausible, but no entry shows it yet.
Alternatives to Asterisk and Telegram
Other Meetings products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either Asterisk or Telegram.
3CX
3CX is retiring its own cloud transcription and pushing customers to bring their own AI.
Wildix
Wildix pairs security certifications with Wilma AI handling front-line partner support.
Demio
Demio's tracked feed is still pulling Banzai's financial education blog, not Demio.
Kaltura
Kaltura's feed turned to awards and telecom deals after its agentic spring.
JW Player
JW Player moves CMAF VOD into the dashboard, adds AV1, and opens Broadcast Live to audio-only feeds.
See all Asterisk alternatives → · See all Telegram alternatives →
Recent activity from Asterisk and Telegram
Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.
- 3d agoAsteriskAsterisk 24.0.0-rc4: park hints and presence-hint crash fixed
- 3d agoAsteriskAsterisk 23.6.0-rc4: same two hint fixes
- 3d agoAsteriskAsterisk 22.12.0-rc4: hint fixes plus reload leak
- 3d agoAsteriskAsterisk 20.22.0-rc4: same two hint fixes
- 10d agoAsteriskAsterisk 24.0.0-rc3: PJSIP WebSocket contact fix
- 10d agoAsteriskAsterisk 23.6.0-rc3: PJSIP WebSocket contact fix
- 2mo agoTelegramWelcome Messages, Buttons in Messages and Signed Gifts
- 3mo agoTelegramRich Text Editor, Communities, Ephemeral Messages in Groups, 350 Million GIFs
- 4mo agoTelegramSmartwatch Apps, Rich Text for Bots, AI Guardians for Groups, and Much More
- 5mo agoTelegramGuest AI Bots, Bot-to-Bot Chats, Chat Automation, Custom AI Styles, 100M+ Emoji & Sticker Search and Much More ⚡
- 7mo agoTelegramAI Editor, Mighty Polls, Live Photos, Bots Managed by Bots, and More
- 7mo agoTelegramAI Editor, Mighty Polls, Live Photos, Bots Managed by Bots, and More
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Asterisk and Telegram?
They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. Asterisk is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.
Is Asterisk better than Telegram?
Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. Asterisk is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Meetings products to evaluate alongside.
What are the best alternatives to Asterisk?
Top Asterisk alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Asterisk alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/asterisk for the full list with editorial commentary on each.
What are the best alternatives to Telegram?
Top Telegram alternatives in Meetings are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Telegram alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/telegram for the full list with editorial commentary on each.