Fixed telephone subscriptions in World
World: Fixed telephone subscriptions was 815.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Fixed telephone subscriptions in World, 1966–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2025, fixed telephone subscriptions in World stood at 815.00 million.
That represents a change of down 2.2% on the previous year and down 22.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, fixed telephone subscriptions in World peaked at 1.26 billion in 2006 and was at its lowest, 116.34 million, in 1966.
World ranks 1st of 47 groups on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Fixed telephone subscriptions in World, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 116.34 million | — |
| 1967 | 116.34 million | +0.0% |
| 1968 | 116.34 million | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 116.34 million | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 158.44 million | +36.2% |
| 1972 | 158.44 million | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 158.44 million | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 158.44 million | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 229.13 million | +44.6% |
| 1976 | 243.36 million | +6.2% |
| 1977 | 259.05 million | +6.4% |
| 1978 | 275.75 million | +6.4% |
| 1979 | 294.23 million | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 310.83 million | +5.6% |
| 1981 | 336.62 million | +8.3% |
| 1982 | 351.91 million | +4.5% |
| 1983 | 368.58 million | +4.7% |
| 1984 | 385.18 million | +4.5% |
| 1985 | 403.51 million | +4.8% |
| 1986 | 420.36 million | +4.2% |
| 1987 | 441.04 million | +4.9% |
| 1988 | 464.61 million | +5.3% |
| 1989 | 489.42 million | +5.3% |
| 1990 | 517.58 million | +5.8% |
| 1991 | 543.08 million | +4.9% |
| 1992 | 570.94 million | +5.1% |
| 1993 | 602.71 million | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 642.26 million | +6.6% |
| 1995 | 688.18 million | +7.1% |
| 1996 | 738.05 million | +7.2% |
| 1997 | 792.11 million | +7.3% |
| 1998 | 838.35 million | +5.8% |
| 1999 | 904.52 million | +7.9% |
| 2005 | 1.24 billion | +37.4% |
| 2006 | 1.26 billion | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 1.25 billion | -0.6% |
| 2008 | 1.25 billion | -0.3% |
| 2009 | 1.25 billion | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 1.23 billion | -2.0% |
| 2011 | 1.20 billion | -2.2% |
| 2012 | 1.18 billion | -1.9% |
| 2013 | 1.14 billion | -3.1% |
| 2014 | 1.09 billion | -4.1% |
| 2015 | 1.05 billion | -4.5% |
| 2016 | 1.01 billion | -3.6% |
| 2017 | 984.30 million | -2.4% |
| 2018 | 954.90 million | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 925.40 million | -3.1% |
| 2020 | 903.00 million | -2.4% |
| 2021 | 890.00 million | -1.4% |
| 2022 | 872.00 million | -2.0% |
| 2023 | 858.00 million | -1.6% |
| 2024 | 833.00 million | -2.9% |
| 2025 | 815.00 million | -2.2% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Fixed telephone subscriptions in World 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +44.6% | 158.44 million | 229.13 million |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 116.34 million | 116.34 million | 116.34 million | 4 |
| 1970s | 215.03 million | 158.44 million | 294.23 million | 9 |
| 1980s | 397.20 million | 310.83 million | 489.42 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 683.78 million | 517.58 million | 904.52 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.25 billion | 1.24 billion | 1.26 billion | 5 |
| 2010s | 1.08 billion | 925.40 million | 1.23 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 861.83 million | 815.00 million | 903.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near World
More infrastructure data for World
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 9.17 billion (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 111.5 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 9.9 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0992 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.16 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 815.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.12 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 9.17 billion (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is fixed telephone subscriptions in World?
- Fixed telephone subscriptions in World was 815.00 million in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in World?
- The highest recorded value was 1.26 billion in 2006.
- What is the lowest fixed telephone subscriptions recorded in World?
- The lowest recorded value was 116.34 million in 1966.
- How does World rank for fixed telephone subscriptions?
- World ranks 1st out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is fixed telephone subscriptions rising or falling in World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 22.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this World 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 — 54 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.