Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand
New Zealand: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 6.78 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
In 2024, mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand stood at 6.78 million. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in New Zealand peaked at 6.78 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places New Zealand 114th 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 | 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 | 2,400 | — |
| 1988 | 10,000 | +316.7% |
| 1989 | 28,900 | +189.0% |
| 1990 | 54,100 | +87.2% |
| 1991 | 72,300 | +33.6% |
| 1992 | 100,200 | +38.6% |
| 1993 | 143,800 | +43.5% |
| 1994 | 239,200 | +66.3% |
| 1995 | 365,000 | +52.6% |
| 1996 | 492,800 | +35.0% |
| 1997 | 566,200 | +14.9% |
| 1998 | 790,000 | +39.5% |
| 1999 | 1.40 million | +76.6% |
| 2000 | 1.54 million | +10.5% |
| 2001 | 2.29 million | +48.4% |
| 2002 | 2.45 million | +7.0% |
| 2003 | 2.60 million | +6.1% |
| 2004 | 3.03 million | +16.5% |
| 2005 | 3.53 million | +16.6% |
| 2006 | 3.80 million | +7.7% |
| 2007 | 4.25 million | +11.8% |
| 2008 | 4.62 million | +8.7% |
| 2009 | 4.70 million | +1.7% |
| 2010 | 4.71 million | +0.2% |
| 2011 | 4.82 million | +2.3% |
| 2012 | 4.92 million | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 4.77 million | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 5.10 million | +7.0% |
| 2015 | 5.60 million | +9.8% |
| 2016 | 6.10 million | +8.9% |
| 2017 | 6.40 million | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 6.32 million | -1.3% |
| 2019 | 6.01 million | -4.9% |
| 2020 | 6.24 million | +3.7% |
| 2021 | 5.85 million | -6.3% |
| 2022 | 5.95 million | +1.8% |
| 2023 | 6.56 million | +10.2% |
| 2024 | 6.78 million | +3.4% |
New Zealand compared with similar countries
- New Zealand's 6.78 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 4.70 million, 1.4× the median. (82 countries reporting)
- New Zealand's 6.78 million is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 4.10 million, 1.7× 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 | +316.7% | 2,400 | 10,000 |
| 1989 | +189.0% | 10,000 | 28,900 |
| 1990 | +87.2% | 28,900 | 54,100 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 4,130 | 0 | 28,900 | 10 |
| 1990s | 421,860 | 54,100 | 1.40 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.28 million | 1.54 million | 4.70 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.47 million | 4.71 million | 6.40 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 6.28 million | 5.85 million | 6.78 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near New Zealand
- 111 Finland 7.07 million compare
- 112 Panama 6.98 million compare
- 113 Costa Rica 6.98 million compare
- 115 Oman 6.35 million compare
- 116 North Korea 6.35 million compare
- 117 Turkmenistan 6.25 million compare
More infrastructure data for New Zealand
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 130.09 per 100 people (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 6.78 million 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 6.78 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in New Zealand?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does New Zealand rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- New Zealand ranks 114th 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 33.0%. 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. 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.