Mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada
Canada: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 37.40 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada is 37.40 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 1.1% on the previous year and up 29.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada peaked at 37.40 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
Canada ranks 44th of 214 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1981 | 0 | — |
| 1982 | 0 | — |
| 1983 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 0 | — |
| 1985 | 12,000 | — |
| 1986 | 60,000 | +400.0% |
| 1987 | 98,364 | +63.9% |
| 1988 | 202,633 | +106.0% |
| 1989 | 345,178 | +70.3% |
| 1990 | 583,766 | +69.1% |
| 1991 | 775,831 | +32.9% |
| 1992 | 1.03 million | +32.3% |
| 1993 | 1.33 million | +29.8% |
| 1994 | 1.87 million | +40.0% |
| 1995 | 2.59 million | +38.8% |
| 1996 | 3.50 million | +35.1% |
| 1997 | 4.20 million | +19.9% |
| 1998 | 5.35 million | +27.4% |
| 1999 | 6.91 million | +29.3% |
| 2000 | 8.73 million | +26.3% |
| 2001 | 10.65 million | +22.0% |
| 2002 | 11.87 million | +11.5% |
| 2003 | 13.29 million | +12.0% |
| 2004 | 15.02 million | +13.0% |
| 2005 | 17.02 million | +13.3% |
| 2006 | 18.75 million | +10.2% |
| 2007 | 20.28 million | +8.2% |
| 2008 | 22.09 million | +9.0% |
| 2009 | 23.81 million | +7.8% |
| 2010 | 25.83 million | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 26.84 million | +3.9% |
| 2012 | 27.72 million | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 28.36 million | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 28.79 million | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 29.77 million | +3.4% |
| 2016 | 30.75 million | +3.3% |
| 2017 | 31.69 million | +3.1% |
| 2018 | 33.21 million | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 34.37 million | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 32.36 million | -5.8% |
| 2021 | 33.61 million | +3.9% |
| 2022 | 35.42 million | +5.4% |
| 2023 | 37.00 million | +4.5% |
| 2024 | 37.40 million | +1.1% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 37.40 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.70 million, 8.0× the median. (82 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +400.0% | 12,000 | 60,000 |
| 1988 | +106.0% | 98,364 | 202,633 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 71,818 | 0 | 345,178 | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.81 million | 583,766 | 6.91 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.15 million | 8.73 million | 23.81 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 29.73 million | 25.83 million | 34.37 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 35.16 million | 32.36 million | 37.40 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More infrastructure data for Canada
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 94.11 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 10.97 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 27.6 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.2658 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.9 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 10.97 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.9064 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 37.40 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Canada was 37.40 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 37.40 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Canada rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Canada ranks 44th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 29.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions. 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.