Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income

Upper middle income: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 313.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
313.00 million
Change on year
down 4.9%
Rank
9th
of 47 groups
All-time high
425.30 million
in 2015
All-time low
16.62 million
in 1975
Years of data
36
1975–2025

Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income, 1975–2025

0100.0M200.0M300.0M400.0M1975200020251975: 16.6M1976: 18.3M1977: 20.0M1978: 21.9M1979: 23.7M1980: 25.8M1981: 28.4M1982: 30.8M1983: 33.0M1984: 35.7M1985: 38.7M1986: 41.9M1987: 45.6M1988: 50.5M1989: 55.2M1990: 60.8M1991: 67.2M1992: 76.5M1993: 88.9M1994: 106.4M1995: 127.3M1996: 151.0M1997: 175.7M1998: 202.4M1999: 234.9M2015: 425.3M2016: 400.7M2017: 393.9M2018: 381.1M2019: 369.4M2020: 358.0M2021: 354.0M2022: 348.0M2023: 348.0M2024: 329.0M2025: 313.0M

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

Analysis

In 2025, fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income stood at 313.00 million.

The figure is down 4.9% on the previous year and down 26.4% over ten years.

Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income peaked at 425.30 million in 2015 and was at its lowest, 16.62 million, in 1975.

Upper middle income ranks 9th of 47 groups on this measure, in the top quarter.

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

Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income, year by year

Annual values for Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income, 1975 to 2025.
Year Value Change
1975 16.62 million
1976 18.26 million +9.9%
1977 19.96 million +9.3%
1978 21.87 million +9.6%
1979 23.72 million +8.4%
1980 25.81 million +8.8%
1981 28.37 million +9.9%
1982 30.77 million +8.5%
1983 32.96 million +7.1%
1984 35.75 million +8.4%
1985 38.72 million +8.3%
1986 41.88 million +8.2%
1987 45.64 million +9.0%
1988 50.52 million +10.7%
1989 55.21 million +9.3%
1990 60.75 million +10.0%
1991 67.17 million +10.6%
1992 76.53 million +13.9%
1993 88.93 million +16.2%
1994 106.39 million +19.6%
1995 127.26 million +19.6%
1996 150.96 million +18.6%
1997 175.75 million +16.4%
1998 202.38 million +15.2%
1999 234.88 million +16.1%
2015 425.30 million +81.1%
2016 400.70 million -5.8%
2017 393.90 million -1.7%
2018 381.10 million -3.2%
2019 369.40 million -3.1%
2020 358.00 million -3.1%
2021 354.00 million -1.1%
2022 348.00 million -1.7%
2023 348.00 million +0.0%
2024 329.00 million -5.5%
2025 313.00 million -4.9%

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income 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
2015 +81.1% 234.88 million 425.30 million

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 20.09 million 16.62 million 23.72 million 5
1980s 38.56 million 25.81 million 55.21 million 10
1990s 129.10 million 60.75 million 234.88 million 10
2010s 394.08 million 369.40 million 425.30 million 5
2020s 341.67 million 313.00 million 358.00 million 6

Countries ranked near Upper middle income

  1. 6 France 37.28 million compare
  2. 7 Mexico 29.52 million compare
  3. 8 Iran 28.23 million compare
  4. 9 United Kingdom 23.77 million compare
  5. 10 Brazil 22.55 million compare
  6. 11 South Korea 21.29 million compare
  7. 12 Russia 20.82 million compare

See the full ranking of 261 places →

More infrastructure data for Upper middle income

All data for Upper middle income →

Frequently asked questions

What is fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income?
Fixed telephone subscriptions in Upper middle income was 313.00 million in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Upper middle income?
The highest recorded value was 425.30 million in 2015.
What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in Upper middle income?
The lowest recorded value was 16.62 million in 1975.
How does Upper middle income rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
Upper middle income ranks 9th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in Upper middle income?
Over the last ten years it is down 26.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Upper middle income 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 Upper middle income. 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/upper-middle-income/

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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.