The messaging service and social-media platform owes creditors roughly $700 million by the end of April, according to people briefed on the company’s plans and loan documents viewed by The Wall Street Journal. At the same time, Telegram Group Inc. must cover rising equipment and bandwidth expenses because of its rapid growth, despite going years without attempting to generate revenue.
A Telegram spokesman declined to comment on the bond issue or the amount of the debt the company has due. The spokesman said Telegram’s equipment and bandwidth costs are growing because it has consistently posted more than 40% year-to-year growth in users.
