Against the backdrop of restrictions on calls in the Telegram and WhatsApp messengers, Russians began to use regular voice calls much more often. According to a study by MTS Link, their use has increased sixfold, writes RBC.

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The study was conducted in the first quarter of 2026. The survey involved 2,020 respondents from Russian cities with a population of over 100 thousand people who make at least one call a week.

Despite the growth of online communications, traditional calls over the mobile network remain the main method of communication: they are used by 96% of survey participants, including 72% daily. Almost all respondents (98%) also use regular calls when traveling.

Among the Internet services for calls, according to the study, Max and Telegram are the most popular. 34% of respondents make at least one call a week via Max, via Telegram — 31%. For comparison, “VKontakte” and WhatsApp for calls at least once a week are used by 15% and 13% of respondents, respectively.

63% of respondents use audio calls on the Internet, video calls — 56%. Almost every fifth respondent uses services for group audio and video conferencing.

Telegram is most often associated with data security and call encryption. This factor was noted by more than a third of service users. Max, according to the study, is most often chosen for the availability of communication in case of poor communication — This item was noted by 38% of users. At the same time, in other respects the service is inferior to competitors: it is less often considered convenient, widespread and safe. In addition, Max users are more likely than others to switch to another calling platform.

Overall, 82% of survey participants are satisfied with the services they use for calls. The least satisfied users are Max — 76% — and WhatsApp — 75%. Discord users showed the highest level of satisfaction — 94%.