I disagree. Telegram addresses a different issue from Signal. I see signal as a tool to message people you already know and/or trust, but you do not want a third party to be able to listen in. At the point, it doesn't matter if the other party knows my number or not.

Telegram on the other hand is better for issues like this, where large numbers of people need to communicate anonymously without prying eyes.

They're addressing the same issue for different markets. That's all it is.