Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany

Germany: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 38.40 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
38.40 million
Change on year
down 0.8%
World rank
5th
of 214 countries
All-time high
54.79 million
in 2005
All-time low
3.22 million
in 1960
Years of data
65
1960–2024

Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany, 1960–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M196019922024

Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Analysis

In 2024, fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany stood at 38.40 million.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 18.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany peaked at 54.79 million in 2005 and was at its lowest, 3.22 million, in 1960.

That places Germany 5th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany, year by year

Annual values for Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany, 1960 to 2024.
Year Value Change
1960 3.22 million
1961 3.22 million +0.0%
1962 3.22 million +0.0%
1963 3.22 million +0.0%
1964 3.22 million +0.0%
1965 4.84 million +50.4%
1966 4.84 million +0.0%
1967 4.84 million +0.0%
1968 4.84 million +0.0%
1969 4.84 million +0.0%
1970 8.59 million +77.2%
1971 8.59 million +0.0%
1972 8.59 million +0.0%
1973 8.59 million +0.0%
1974 8.59 million +0.0%
1975 12.83 million +49.5%
1976 14.21 million +10.7%
1977 15.75 million +10.8%
1978 17.30 million +9.9%
1979 18.92 million +9.3%
1980 20.43 million +8.0%
1981 21.65 million +5.9%
1982 22.57 million +4.3%
1983 23.39 million +3.6%
1984 24.42 million +4.4%
1985 25.39 million +4.0%
1986 26.19 million +3.1%
1987 27.01 million +3.1%
1988 27.82 million +3.0%
1989 28.85 million +3.7%
1990 31.89 million +10.5%
1991 33.56 million +5.2%
1992 35.42 million +5.5%
1993 37.00 million +4.5%
1994 38.80 million +4.9%
1995 42.00 million +8.2%
1996 44.10 million +5.0%
1997 45.20 million +2.5%
1998 46.53 million +2.9%
1999 48.21 million +3.6%
2000 50.22 million +4.2%
2001 52.33 million +4.2%
2002 53.67 million +2.6%
2003 54.23 million +1.0%
2004 54.53 million +0.5%
2005 54.79 million +0.5%
2006 54.40 million -0.7%
2007 53.10 million -2.4%
2008 50.30 million -5.3%
2009 53.70 million +6.8%
2010 52.90 million -1.5%
2011 51.40 million -2.8%
2012 50.10 million -2.5%
2013 48.70 million -2.8%
2014 47.02 million -3.4%
2015 45.35 million -3.6%
2016 45.30 million -0.1%
2017 44.40 million -2.0%
2018 42.50 million -4.3%
2019 38.27 million -10.0%
2020 38.38 million +0.3%
2021 38.49 million +0.3%
2022 38.58 million +0.2%
2023 38.70 million +0.3%
2024 38.40 million -0.8%

Germany compared with similar countries

  • Germany's 38.40 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 445,236, 86.2× the median. (82 countries reporting)
  • Germany's 38.40 million is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 716,034, 53.6× the median. (56 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany 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.

YearChange FromTo
1970 +77.2% 4.84 million 8.59 million
1965 +50.4% 3.22 million 4.84 million
1975 +49.5% 8.59 million 12.83 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 4.03 million 3.22 million 4.84 million 10
1970s 12.20 million 8.59 million 18.92 million 10
1980s 24.77 million 20.43 million 28.85 million 10
1990s 40.27 million 31.89 million 48.21 million 10
2000s 53.13 million 50.22 million 54.79 million 10
2010s 46.59 million 38.27 million 52.90 million 10
2020s 38.51 million 38.38 million 38.70 million 5

Countries ranked near Germany

  1. 2 United States 81.55 million compare
  2. 3 Japan 59.33 million compare
  3. 4 India 39.24 million compare
  4. 6 France 37.28 million compare
  5. 7 Mexico 29.52 million compare
  6. 8 Iran 28.23 million compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More infrastructure data for Germany

All data for Germany →

Frequently asked questions

What is fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany?
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany was 38.40 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Germany?
The highest recorded value was 54.79 million in 2005.
What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Germany?
The lowest recorded value was 3.22 million in 1960.
How does Germany rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
Germany ranks 5th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in Germany?
Over the last ten years it is down 18.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Germany 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.

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Fixed telephone subscriptions in Germany. Statizoid, drawing on World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://infrastructure.statizoid.com/stat/fixed-telephone-subscriptions/germany/

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About this data

Indicator
Fixed telephone subscriptions
Source
World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
261 places, 14,489 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.