How did you create a Telegram account without your real number or a number you control? You can create a username and avoid giving out your phone number to other people, if that's what you're referring to. This is not available with WhatsApp or Signal.
Telegram requires a phone number to create an account and to activate the account on additional devices. As an aside, Signal is also tied to a phone number. Wire is the only one that allows people to use email addresses to create accounts.
