Mobile cellular subscriptions in IDA total

IDA total: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 1.73 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
1.73 billion
Change on year
up 2.5%
Rank
14th
of 48 groups
All-time high
1.73 billion
in 2025
All-time low
0
in 1960
Years of data
54
1960–2025

Mobile cellular subscriptions in IDA total, 1960–2025

0500.0M1.0B1.5B196019922025

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

Analysis

IDA total recorded 1.73 billion for mobile cellular subscriptions in 2025. That is the highest value across all 54 years on record.

That represents a change of up 2.5% on the previous year and up 52.9% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in IDA total peaked at 1.73 billion in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.

IDA total ranks 14th of 48 groups on this measure, in the middle of the range.

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

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 0 0 2
1970s 0 0 0 6
1980s 0 0 0 10
1990s 440,543 3,160 2.07 million 10
2000s 158.41 million 4.20 million 508.84 million 10
2010s 1.04 billion 616.07 million 1.40 billion 10
2020s 1.62 billion 1.48 billion 1.73 billion 6

Countries ranked near IDA total

  1. 11 Iran 159.39 million compare
  2. 12 Mexico 152.44 million compare
  3. 13 Philippines 133.57 million compare
  4. 14 Vietnam 128.87 million compare
  5. 15 Thailand 115.13 million compare
  6. 16 South Africa 114.79 million compare
  7. 17 Egypt 113.19 million compare

See the full ranking of 260 places →

More infrastructure data for IDA total

All data for IDA total →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile cellular subscriptions in IDA total?
Mobile cellular subscriptions in IDA total was 1.73 billion in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in IDA total?
The highest recorded value was 1.73 billion in 2025.
What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in IDA total?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
How does IDA total rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
IDA total ranks 14th out of 48 groups with data for 2025.
Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in IDA total?
Over the last ten years it is up 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this IDA total 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 — 54 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Mobile cellular subscriptions
Source
World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
260 places, 13,039 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.