Mobile cellular subscriptions in North America
North America: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 434.00 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in North America, 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
North America recorded 434.00 million for mobile cellular subscriptions in 2025. That is the highest value across all 51 years on record.
The figure is up 1.4% on the previous year and up 19.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in North America peaked at 434.00 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places North America 39th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Mobile cellular subscriptions in North America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 | — |
| 1965 | 0 | — |
| 1970 | 0 | — |
| 1975 | 0 | — |
| 1976 | 0 | — |
| 1977 | 0 | — |
| 1978 | 0 | — |
| 1979 | 0 | — |
| 1980 | 0 | — |
| 1984 | 91,600 | — |
| 1985 | 352,213 | +284.5% |
| 1986 | 741,825 | +110.6% |
| 1987 | 1.33 million | +79.2% |
| 1988 | 2.27 million | +70.9% |
| 1989 | 3.85 million | +69.7% |
| 1990 | 5.87 million | +52.2% |
| 1991 | 8.33 million | +42.0% |
| 1992 | 12.06 million | +44.7% |
| 1993 | 17.35 million | +43.8% |
| 1994 | 26.01 million | +49.9% |
| 1995 | 36.38 million | +39.9% |
| 1996 | 47.55 million | +30.7% |
| 1997 | 59.52 million | +25.2% |
| 1998 | 74.57 million | +25.3% |
| 1999 | 92.97 million | +24.7% |
| 2000 | 118.22 million | +27.2% |
| 2001 | 139.16 million | +17.7% |
| 2002 | 153.70 million | +10.4% |
| 2003 | 173.97 million | +13.2% |
| 2004 | 199.89 million | +14.9% |
| 2005 | 220.77 million | +10.4% |
| 2006 | 248.41 million | +12.5% |
| 2007 | 269.65 million | +8.5% |
| 2008 | 283.47 million | +5.1% |
| 2009 | 298.18 million | +5.2% |
| 2010 | 311.03 million | +4.3% |
| 2011 | 324.24 million | +4.2% |
| 2012 | 332.65 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 339.15 million | +2.0% |
| 2014 | 351.45 million | +3.6% |
| 2015 | 361.90 million | +3.0% |
| 2016 | 369.10 million | +2.0% |
| 2017 | 371.90 million | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 381.50 million | +2.6% |
| 2019 | 390.20 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 385.00 million | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 395.00 million | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 407.00 million | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 423.00 million | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 428.00 million | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 434.00 million | +1.4% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in North America 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | +284.5% | 91,600 | 352,213 |
| 1986 | +110.6% | 352,213 | 741,825 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 1.23 million | 0 | 3.85 million | 7 |
| 1990s | 38.06 million | 5.87 million | 92.97 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 210.54 million | 118.22 million | 298.18 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 353.31 million | 311.03 million | 390.20 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 412.00 million | 385.00 million | 434.00 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near North America
More infrastructure data for North America
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 112 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 89.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 23 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.2321 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -4.3 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 89.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.13 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 434.00 million (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in North America?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in North America was 434.00 million in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in North America?
- The highest recorded value was 434.00 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in North America?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does North America rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- North America ranks 39th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in North America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this North America 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 — 51 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.