Yes, Signal has improved significantly since around 2018–2019 (when you last used it), especially in handling unwanted messages and making the app less "annoying" for people who want tight control over who can reach them.

The biggest relevant change is the Message Requests feature (introduced around 2020 and still core today). It works like this:

• If someone not in your contacts tries to message you, call you, or add you to a group, it doesn't just pop up in your chat list or ring your phone right away.
• Instead, it goes to a separate Message Requests section.
• You see their profile name/photo (if set), phone number (or username if they've hidden it), and the initial message.
• You can then accept (to start chatting normally), delete the request (and conversation), or block them outright.
• Blocking also often lets you report as spam, which helps Signal disrupt spammers network-wide.
• Your phone won't ring for calls from unknowns until you accept the request.

This setup gives you much better control to "lock it down" to only wanted messages—far better than older versions where random contacts could just drop in.

Additional privacy tweaks that help reduce annoyances/unwanted contact:

• In Settings > Privacy > Phone Number, set "Who can see my number" and "Who can find me by my number" to Nobody. This makes it much harder for randos to discover or message you just by guessing/ having your phone number.
• You can block/report anyone anytime from a chat or request.
• Signal has added server-side spam detection and other anti-spam measures over the years to cut down on junk reaching you in the first place.

Spam/unwanted messages aren't zero (some users still report occasional issues, especially if scammers adapt), but the tools are way stronger now, and Signal remains one of the best for minimizing that compared to less strict apps.

Regarding Telegram — you're right that not everyone uses it yet (though it's huge, with over a billion users). It has more features (like big groups, channels, bots, and customization), which some find less annoying for social use. However, privacy-wise, Signal is generally considered superior: full end-to-end encryption by default on everything, nonprofit-run, open-source, minimal data collection. Telegram only does E2EE in optional "secret chats," and it stores more data (like non-secret messages on servers).

If your main annoyance with Signal was unwanted messaging spam/pop-ups, the current version addresses that pretty well with the request system and privacy settings. Many people who want maximum control + privacy prefer it now. If your circle still isn't on it, Telegram might be more practical for broader reach, but you could try nudging key contacts back to Signal for sensitive chats.

If you reinstall it (it's free and quick), poke around Settings > Privacy first to tighten things up. Has your experience with unwanted messages been the main blocker, or was there something else annoying about it back then?