Yes, you need to register with a phone number, but publicly you'll show up as your @username and that's how most people will interact with you.
replyAnd I agree, I think yours is an accurate assessment. Telegram is indeed much more community centric.
That's almost the same as Signal, though on Signal you don't show up as anything. People need to get a username from you to share your contact.
replySigning up for an account requires a phone number, but you can keep that hidden from other uses and use the username for everything.
replyIt lets you keep your number private from everyone else you're chatting with.