The messenger Telegram overtook WhatsApp (owned by Meta, considered extremist and banned in the Russian Federation) in terms of traffic in Russia, while WhatsApp still remains in first place in terms of the number of users, according to data from Russian mobile operators.
At the beginning of 2023, Telegram’s share exceeded 60-80% of all traffic. A representative from Vimpelcom noted that the WhatsApp indicator is stable: «there is no increase or decrease.» At the same time, Telegram traffic continues to grow, with a 68% year-on-year increase in the first two weeks of January 2023.
An MTS representative confirmed Telegram’s leadership in terms of traffic, but WhatsApp is still ahead of its competitor in terms of the number of users. A representative of Tele2 announced an increase in Telegram’s viewership among subscribers by almost 50% within a year.
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