Fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern
Africa Eastern and Southern: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 3.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern, 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern is 3.00 million, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 25.0% on the previous year and down 61.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern peaked at 9.46 million in 2010 and was at its lowest, 802,701, in 1960.
That places Africa Eastern and Southern 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 802,701 | — |
| 1961 | 802,701 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 802,701 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 802,701 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 802,701 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 1.00 million | +24.7% |
| 1966 | 1.00 million | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 1.00 million | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 1.00 million | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 1.00 million | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 1.27 million | +26.4% |
| 1971 | 1.27 million | +0.1% |
| 1972 | 1.27 million | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 1.27 million | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 1.27 million | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 1.61 million | +26.8% |
| 1976 | 1.70 million | +5.8% |
| 1977 | 1.80 million | +5.8% |
| 1978 | 1.92 million | +6.5% |
| 1979 | 2.05 million | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 2.21 million | +7.5% |
| 1981 | 2.40 million | +8.8% |
| 1982 | 2.60 million | +8.3% |
| 1983 | 2.78 million | +6.7% |
| 1984 | 2.90 million | +4.4% |
| 1985 | 3.09 million | +6.7% |
| 1986 | 3.38 million | +9.2% |
| 1987 | 3.57 million | +5.7% |
| 1988 | 3.82 million | +7.0% |
| 1989 | 4.09 million | +7.2% |
| 1990 | 4.39 million | +7.1% |
| 1991 | 4.59 million | +4.6% |
| 1992 | 4.65 million | +1.4% |
| 1993 | 4.85 million | +4.3% |
| 1994 | 5.11 million | +5.4% |
| 1995 | 5.46 million | +6.8% |
| 1996 | 5.85 million | +7.3% |
| 1997 | 6.40 million | +9.3% |
| 1998 | 7.03 million | +9.8% |
| 1999 | 7.66 million | +9.0% |
| 2000 | 7.41 million | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 7.60 million | +2.6% |
| 2002 | 7.97 million | +5.0% |
| 2003 | 8.41 million | +5.5% |
| 2004 | 8.60 million | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 8.36 million | -2.9% |
| 2006 | 8.49 million | +1.6% |
| 2007 | 8.80 million | +3.6% |
| 2008 | 9.01 million | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 9.45 million | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 9.46 million | +0.1% |
| 2011 | 9.21 million | -2.6% |
| 2012 | 8.94 million | -2.9% |
| 2013 | 7.65 million | -14.5% |
| 2014 | 7.59 million | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 7.70 million | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 8.30 million | +7.8% |
| 2017 | 8.30 million | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 6.60 million | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 5.30 million | -19.7% |
| 2020 | 5.00 million | -5.7% |
| 2021 | 4.00 million | -20.0% |
| 2022 | 4.00 million | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 4.00 million | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 4.00 million | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 3.00 million | -25.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 902,320 | 802,701 | 1.00 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.54 million | 1.27 million | 2.05 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.08 million | 2.21 million | 4.09 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.60 million | 4.39 million | 7.66 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 8.41 million | 7.41 million | 9.45 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.90 million | 5.30 million | 9.46 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.00 million | 3.00 million | 5.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Africa Eastern and Southern
More infrastructure data for Africa Eastern and Southern
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 734.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 93.1 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 0.4 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0038 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -25 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 3.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9305 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0005 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 734.00 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Fixed telephone subscriptions in Africa Eastern and Southern was 3.00 million in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The highest recorded value was 9.46 million in 2010.
- What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- The lowest recorded value was 802,701 in 1960.
- How does Africa Eastern and Southern rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
- Africa Eastern and Southern ranks 42nd out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in Africa Eastern and Southern?
- Over the last ten years it is down 61.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Africa Eastern and Southern data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Fixed telephone subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.