Telegram was #9 on SensorTower's list of most downloaded (non-game) mobile app in December 2020. Fast forward one month, however, and it had jumped up to #1. WhatsApp and Instagram were #3 and #4 at the end of 2020, but fell to #5 and #6 respectively at the start of 2021.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Telegram-is-the-most-downloaded-mobile-app-for-January-2021-as-WhatsApp-slips-to-fifth.519160.0.html
Why do people decided to swith to Telegram from another messenger? Do they really think it's much more safe and doesn't use their data? And what about the phone number you have to provide? Isn't it better to choose something blockchain based like Utopia p2p? It seems more trustful for me.