Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) in South Africa
South Africa: Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) was 134.67 per 100 people in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa, 1960–2011
Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
In 2011, fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa stood at 134.67 per 100 people. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
That represents a change of up 23.3% on the previous year and up 285.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa peaked at 134.67 per 100 people in 2011 and was at its lowest, 3.74 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places South Africa 4th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.74 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 3.81 per 100 people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 4.15 per 100 people | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 4.67 per 100 people | +12.7% |
| 1976 | 4.86 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 5.08 per 100 people | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 5.3 per 100 people | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 5.6 per 100 people | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 5.92 per 100 people | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 6.33 per 100 people | +7.0% |
| 1982 | 6.68 per 100 people | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 6.97 per 100 people | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 7.06 per 100 people | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 7.34 per 100 people | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 7.88 per 100 people | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 8.1 per 100 people | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 8.5 per 100 people | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 8.94 per 100 people | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 9.43 per 100 people | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 9.58 per 100 people | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 9.46 per 100 people | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 9.7 per 100 people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 10.75 per 100 people | +10.9% |
| 1995 | 11.6 per 100 people | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 13.03 per 100 people | +12.3% |
| 1997 | 15.84 per 100 people | +21.5% |
| 1998 | 20.08 per 100 people | +26.8% |
| 1999 | 24.88 per 100 people | +23.9% |
| 2000 | 30.23 per 100 people | +21.5% |
| 2001 | 34.98 per 100 people | +15.7% |
| 2002 | 40.73 per 100 people | +16.4% |
| 2003 | 47.01 per 100 people | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 55.05 per 100 people | +17.1% |
| 2005 | 81.97 per 100 people | +48.9% |
| 2006 | 92.82 per 100 people | +13.2% |
| 2007 | 97.05 per 100 people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 101.3 per 100 people | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 102.91 per 100 people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 109.21 per 100 people | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 134.67 per 100 people | +23.3% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 134.67 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 124.27 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (8 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 134.67 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 57.93 per 100 people, 2.3× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) in South Africa changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | +48.9% | 55.05 per 100 people | 81.97 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.77 per 100 people | 3.74 per 100 people | 3.81 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 4.94 per 100 people | 4.15 per 100 people | 5.6 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 7.37 per 100 people | 5.92 per 100 people | 8.94 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 13.43 per 100 people | 9.43 per 100 people | 24.88 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 68.41 per 100 people | 30.23 per 100 people | 102.91 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 121.94 per 100 people | 109.21 per 100 people | 134.67 per 100 people | 2 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More infrastructure data for South Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 179.34 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.01 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0158 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -25.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa?
- Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa was 134.67 per 100 people in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database.
- What is the highest fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 134.67 per 100 people in 2011.
- What is the lowest fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.74 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions?
- South Africa ranks 4th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 285.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa data come from?
- The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication/ICT Development Report and database, published as part of Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 40 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Fixed line and mobile cellular subscriptions are total telephone subscriptions (fixed line plus mobile). Fixed telephone subscriptions refers to the sum of active number of analogue fixed telephone lines, voice-over-IP (VoIP) subscriptions, fixed wireless local loop (WLL) subscriptions, ISDN voice-channel equivalents and fixed public payphones. Mobile cellular telephone subscriptions are subscriptions to a public mobile telephone service that provide access to the PSTN using cellular technology. The indicator includes (and is split into) the number of postpaid subscriptions, and the number of active prepaid accounts (i.e. that have been used during the last three months). The indicator applies to all mobile cellular subscriptions that offer voice communications. It excludes subscriptions via data cards or USB modems, subscriptions to public mobile data services, private trunked mobile radio, telepoint, radio paging and telemetry services.