Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people was 121.64 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
121.64 per 100 people
Change on year
down 0.9%
World rank
83rd
of 212 countries
All-time high
122.78 per 100 people
in 2023
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1980
Years of data
45
1980–2024

Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom, 1980–2024

02550751001251980200220241980: 0 per 100 people1981: 0 per 100 people1982: 0 per 100 people1983: 0 per 100 people1984: 0 per 100 people1985: 0.088 per 100 people1986: 0.229 per 100 people1987: 0.51 per 100 people1988: 0.983 per 100 people1989: 1.7 per 100 people1990: 1.9 per 100 people1991: 2.2 per 100 people1992: 2.6 per 100 people1993: 3.9 per 100 people1994: 6.8 per 100 people1995: 9.9 per 100 people1996: 12.5 per 100 people1997: 15.2 per 100 people1998: 25.5 per 100 people1999: 46.4 per 100 people2000: 73.6 per 100 people2001: 78.1 per 100 people2002: 82.7 per 100 people2003: 90.7 per 100 people2004: 99.2 per 100 people2005: 108 per 100 people2006: 114.8 per 100 people2007: 120 per 100 people2008: 120.8 per 100 people2009: 122.4 per 100 people2010: 121.8 per 100 people2011: 121.5 per 100 people2012: 122.5 per 100 people2013: 122.2 per 100 people2014: 121 per 100 people2015: 121.2 per 100 people2016: 119.8 per 100 people2017: 119.2 per 100 people2018: 118.2 per 100 people2019: 120.2 per 100 people2020: 117.3 per 100 people2021: 117.9 per 100 people2022: 119.8 per 100 people2023: 122.8 per 100 people2024: 121.6 per 100 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.

Analysis

The most recent figure for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom is 121.64 per 100 people, measured in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.9% on the previous year and up 0.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom peaked at 122.78 per 100 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1980.

That places United Kingdom 83rd out of 212 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.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 0.3519 per 100 people 0 per 100 people 1.71 per 100 people 10
1990s 12.69 per 100 people 1.95 per 100 people 46.36 per 100 people 10
2000s 101.02 per 100 people 73.58 per 100 people 122.36 per 100 people 10
2010s 120.75 per 100 people 118.18 per 100 people 122.47 per 100 people 10
2020s 119.89 per 100 people 117.31 per 100 people 122.78 per 100 people 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 80 Serbia 123.82 per 100 people compare
  2. 81 Indonesia 122.52 per 100 people compare
  3. 82 Croatia 121.73 per 100 people compare
  4. 84 Latvia 121.26 per 100 people compare
  5. 85 Bosnia and Herzegovina 121.23 per 100 people compare
  6. 86 Iceland 120.93 per 100 people compare

See the full ranking of 212 places →

More science & technology data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom?
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people in United Kingdom was 121.64 per 100 people in 2024, according to International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 122.78 per 100 people in 2023.
What is the lowest mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1980.
How does United Kingdom rank for mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people?
United Kingdom ranks 83rd out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 0.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

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About this data

Indicator
Mobile phone subscriptions per 100 people
Unit
per 100 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
212 places, 8,985 data points, 1980–2024
Last refreshed

This number can get over 100 when the average person has more than one subscription to a mobile service.