Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand
New Zealand: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 130.09 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand stood at 130.09 per 100 people.
That represents a change of up 2.6% on the previous year and up 15.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand peaked at 132.98 per 100 people in 2017 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places New Zealand 58th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0.0727 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0.3016 per 100 people | +314.6% |
| 1989 | 0.8669 per 100 people | +187.5% |
| 1990 | 1.59 per 100 people | +83.7% |
| 1991 | 2.08 per 100 people | +30.4% |
| 1992 | 2.84 per 100 people | +36.6% |
| 1993 | 4.02 per 100 people | +41.9% |
| 1994 | 6.61 per 100 people | +64.2% |
| 1995 | 9.93 per 100 people | +50.4% |
| 1996 | 13.22 per 100 people | +33.0% |
| 1997 | 15 per 100 people | +13.5% |
| 1998 | 20.73 per 100 people | +38.3% |
| 1999 | 36.39 per 100 people | +75.5% |
| 2000 | 39.97 per 100 people | +9.8% |
| 2001 | 58.79 per 100 people | +47.1% |
| 2002 | 61.98 per 100 people | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 64.61 per 100 people | +4.2% |
| 2004 | 74.12 per 100 people | +14.7% |
| 2005 | 85.37 per 100 people | +15.2% |
| 2006 | 90.92 per 100 people | +6.5% |
| 2007 | 100.66 per 100 people | +10.7% |
| 2008 | 108.4 per 100 people | +7.7% |
| 2009 | 109.19 per 100 people | +0.7% |
| 2010 | 108.33 per 100 people | -0.8% |
| 2011 | 109.98 per 100 people | +1.5% |
| 2012 | 111.57 per 100 people | +1.4% |
| 2013 | 107.01 per 100 people | -4.1% |
| 2014 | 112.76 per 100 people | +5.4% |
| 2015 | 121.37 per 100 people | +7.6% |
| 2016 | 129.38 per 100 people | +6.6% |
| 2017 | 132.98 per 100 people | +2.8% |
| 2018 | 128.94 per 100 people | -3.0% |
| 2019 | 120.47 per 100 people | -6.6% |
| 2020 | 123 per 100 people | +2.1% |
| 2021 | 114.45 per 100 people | -6.9% |
| 2022 | 115.98 per 100 people | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 126.86 per 100 people | +9.4% |
| 2024 | 130.09 per 100 people | +2.6% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 130.09 per 100 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 125.74 per 100 people, 1.0× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 130.09 per 100 people is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 115.3 per 100 people, 1.1× the median. (37 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | +314.6% | 0.0727 per 100 people | 0.3016 per 100 people |
| 1989 | +187.5% | 0.3016 per 100 people | 0.8669 per 100 people |
| 1990 | +83.7% | 0.8669 per 100 people | 1.59 per 100 people |
| 1999 | +75.5% | 20.73 per 100 people | 36.39 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.1241 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.8669 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 11.24 per 100 people | 1.59 per 100 people | 36.39 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 79.4 per 100 people | 39.97 per 100 people | 109.19 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 118.28 per 100 people | 107.01 per 100 people | 132.98 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 122.08 per 100 people | 114.45 per 100 people | 130.09 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
More infrastructure data for New Zealand
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 6.78 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 564,000 (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 10.82 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.1066 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -14.93 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 564,000 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.28 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 6.78 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand was 130.09 per 100 people in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in New Zealand?
- The highest recorded value was 132.98 per 100 people in 2017.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does New Zealand rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- New Zealand ranks 58th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in New Zealand?
- Over the last ten years it is up 15.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this New Zealand data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
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.