Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia
South Asia: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 1.38 billion in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
Analysis
The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia is 1.38 billion, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.2% on the previous year and up 4.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia peaked at 1.58 billion in 2018 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.
That places South Asia 17th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, 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 South Asia, 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 | 3,010 | — |
| 1991 | 10,300 | +242.2% |
| 1992 | 16,394 | +59.2% |
| 1993 | 31,187 | +90.2% |
| 1994 | 54,948 | +76.2% |
| 1995 | 171,460 | +212.0% |
| 1996 | 471,054 | +174.7% |
| 1997 | 1.16 million | +146.1% |
| 1998 | 1.64 million | +41.7% |
| 1999 | 2.56 million | +56.1% |
| 2000 | 4.61 million | +79.8% |
| 2001 | 8.51 million | +84.5% |
| 2002 | 16.79 million | +97.4% |
| 2003 | 39.20 million | +133.4% |
| 2004 | 63.08 million | +60.9% |
| 2005 | 116.94 million | +85.4% |
| 2006 | 229.13 million | +95.9% |
| 2007 | 347.23 million | +51.5% |
| 2008 | 503.42 million | +45.0% |
| 2009 | 703.99 million | +39.8% |
| 2010 | 956.96 million | +35.9% |
| 2011 | 1.13 billion | +18.5% |
| 2012 | 1.13 billion | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 1.19 billion | +4.9% |
| 2014 | 1.27 billion | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 1.33 billion | +4.7% |
| 2016 | 1.48 billion | +11.3% |
| 2017 | 1.55 billion | +4.9% |
| 2018 | 1.58 billion | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 1.57 billion | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 1.40 billion | -11.1% |
| 2021 | 1.41 billion | +0.7% |
| 2022 | 1.40 billion | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 1.42 billion | +1.3% |
| 2024 | 1.40 billion | -1.3% |
| 2025 | 1.38 billion | -1.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 1980s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1990s | 612,370 | 3,010 | 2.56 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 203.29 million | 4.61 million | 703.99 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.32 billion | 956.96 million | 1.58 billion | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.40 billion | 1.38 billion | 1.42 billion | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Asia
More infrastructure data for South Asia
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 81.7 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 52.00 million (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 3.1 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.0307 units per person (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate 23.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 52.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 0.8178 units per person (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, gaps filled 1.38 billion (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia was 1.38 billion in 2025, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
- What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Asia?
- The highest recorded value was 1.58 billion in 2018.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
- How does South Asia rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
- South Asia ranks 17th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Asia 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
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.