Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa
South Africa: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 114.79 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa is 114.79 million, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
That represents a change of up 5.9% on the previous year and up 44.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa peaked at 114.79 million in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places South Africa 16th 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 South Africa, 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 | 3,980 | — |
| 1990 | 5,680 | +42.7% |
| 1991 | 7,100 | +25.0% |
| 1992 | 12,510 | +76.2% |
| 1993 | 40,000 | +219.7% |
| 1994 | 340,000 | +750.0% |
| 1995 | 535,000 | +57.4% |
| 1996 | 953,000 | +78.1% |
| 1997 | 1.84 million | +92.7% |
| 1998 | 3.34 million | +81.8% |
| 1999 | 5.19 million | +55.5% |
| 2000 | 8.34 million | +60.7% |
| 2001 | 10.79 million | +29.4% |
| 2002 | 13.70 million | +27.0% |
| 2003 | 16.86 million | +23.0% |
| 2004 | 20.84 million | +23.6% |
| 2005 | 33.96 million | +63.0% |
| 2006 | 39.66 million | +16.8% |
| 2007 | 42.30 million | +6.7% |
| 2008 | 45.00 million | +6.4% |
| 2009 | 46.44 million | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 50.37 million | +8.5% |
| 2011 | 64.00 million | +27.1% |
| 2012 | 68.39 million | +6.9% |
| 2013 | 76.87 million | +12.4% |
| 2014 | 79.28 million | +3.1% |
| 2015 | 88.00 million | +11.0% |
| 2016 | 82.41 million | -6.3% |
| 2017 | 88.50 million | +7.4% |
| 2018 | 92.43 million | +4.4% |
| 2019 | 96.97 million | +4.9% |
| 2020 | 95.96 million | -1.0% |
| 2021 | 100.33 million | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 100.26 million | -0.1% |
| 2023 | 108.42 million | +8.1% |
| 2024 | 114.79 million | +5.9% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 114.79 million is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 8.01 million, 14.3× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 114.79 million is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 13.69 million, 8.4× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | +750.0% | 40,000 | 340,000 |
| 1993 | +219.7% | 12,510 | 40,000 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 398 | 0 | 3,980 | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.23 million | 5,680 | 5.19 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 27.79 million | 8.34 million | 46.44 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 78.72 million | 50.37 million | 96.97 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 103.95 million | 95.96 million | 114.79 million | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More infrastructure data for South Africa
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 179.34 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.01 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 1.58 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0158 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -25.13 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 1.01 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa was 114.79 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 114.79 million in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- South Africa ranks 16th out of 214 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 44.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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.