Beeline voice traffic is growing five times faster than mobile data

Beeline mobile subscribers have started using traditional voice calls much more frequently, bypassing instant messengers for direct communication. According to the company's press service, voice call volume within the operator's network increased by 24.3% in the first nine months of 2026 compared to the same period last year.

• Voice traffic grew by 24.3% over the first 9 months of 2026.
• Mobile internet traffic increased by just 4.9%.
• Grozny led the voice growth with an 84% increase in calls.
• Voice calls are growing almost five times faster than data traffic.

Regional leaders in voice communication The most significant surge in voice communication was recorded in the North Caucasus and several other major regions. Grozny became the absolute leader, where the number of phone calls skyrocketed by 84%. It was followed by Nazran with a 74% increase and Makhachkala with a 51% rise. Other regions in the top ten for voice traffic growth include Yakutia (+48%), Vladikavkaz (+46%), Nalchik (+38%), Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug (+36%). Cherkessk (+34%), Kazan (+31%), and Saint Petersburg (+30%) rounded out the list, showing robust demand for classic cellular calls.

Comparison with mobile internet growth Interestingly, the geography of mobile internet growth followed a different pattern and lagged far behind voice communication in terms of speed. Over the same period, mobile internet traffic on the Beeline network grew by a mere 4.9%, which is nearly five times lower than the growth rate of phone calls. The highest increases in data traffic were registered in Vologda (+26%), Chelyabinsk (+25%), Grozny (+24%), and Yakutia (+23%). They were followed by Kaliningrad (+22%), Amur Oblast (+21%), Perm and Irkutsk (at +19% each), Kurgan (+18%), and Arkhangelsk (+17%).

What this means for the telecom market This trend points to an unexpected revival of traditional phone calls despite the widespread dominance of internet messengers in recent years. Industry experts attribute this shift to improved network infrastructure and changing user habits across various regions. For the telecommunications market, this signals that voice communication remains critically important for subscribers. Operators will need to continue investing not only in high-speed mobile data expansion but also in upgrading voice infrastructure to maintain service quality for increasing call volumes.