Mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran
Iran: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 159.39 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran stood at 159.39 million. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
The figure is up 5.8% on the previous year and up 131.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran peaked at 159.39 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places Iran 11th out of 214 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran, 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 | 0 | — |
| 1986 | 0 | — |
| 1987 | 0 | — |
| 1988 | 0 | — |
| 1989 | 0 | — |
| 1990 | 0 | — |
| 1991 | 0 | — |
| 1992 | 0 | — |
| 1993 | 0 | — |
| 1994 | 9,200 | — |
| 1995 | 15,902 | +72.8% |
| 1996 | 59,967 | +277.1% |
| 1997 | 238,942 | +298.5% |
| 1998 | 389,974 | +63.2% |
| 1999 | 490,478 | +25.8% |
| 2000 | 962,595 | +96.3% |
| 2001 | 2.09 million | +116.8% |
| 2002 | 2.28 million | +9.2% |
| 2003 | 3.45 million | +51.4% |
| 2004 | 5.08 million | +47.1% |
| 2005 | 8.51 million | +67.7% |
| 2006 | 15.39 million | +80.8% |
| 2007 | 29.77 million | +93.5% |
| 2008 | 43.00 million | +44.4% |
| 2009 | 52.55 million | +22.2% |
| 2010 | 54.05 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 56.04 million | +3.7% |
| 2012 | 58.16 million | +3.8% |
| 2013 | 65.25 million | +12.2% |
| 2014 | 68.89 million | +5.6% |
| 2015 | 74.22 million | +7.7% |
| 2016 | 80.52 million | +8.5% |
| 2017 | 87.05 million | +8.1% |
| 2018 | 88.72 million | +1.9% |
| 2019 | 118.06 million | +33.1% |
| 2020 | 127.62 million | +8.1% |
| 2021 | 135.89 million | +6.5% |
| 2022 | 145.67 million | +7.2% |
| 2023 | 150.66 million | +3.4% |
| 2024 | 159.39 million | +5.8% |
Iran compared with similar countries
- Iran's 159.39 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.01 million, 19.9× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- Iran's 159.39 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 16.65 million, 9.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | +298.5% | 59,967 | 238,942 |
| 1996 | +277.1% | 15,902 | 59,967 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 120,446 | 0 | 490,478 | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.31 million | 962,595 | 52.55 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 75.10 million | 54.05 million | 118.06 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 143.85 million | 127.62 million | 159.39 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iran
More infrastructure data for Iran
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 174.07 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 28.23 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 30.83 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.3083 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -2.74 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 28.23 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.74 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 159.39 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in Iran was 159.39 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Iran?
- The highest recorded value was 159.39 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in Iran?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does Iran rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- Iran ranks 11th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in Iran?
- Over the last ten years it is up 131.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iran 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.