Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa
South Africa: Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2024)
179.34 per 100 people
Change on year
up 4.6%
World rank
10th
of 212 countries
All-time high
179.34 per 100 people
in 2024
All-time low
0 per 100 people
in 1960
Years of data
53
1960–2024
Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, 1960–2024
Source: International Telecommunication Union (ITU), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 179.34 per 100 people for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in 2024. That is the highest value across all 53 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.6% on the previous year and up 25.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa peaked at 179.34 per 100 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
That places South Africa 10th out of 212 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 100 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1965 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1970 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1975 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1976 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1977 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1978 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1979 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1980 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1981 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1982 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1983 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1984 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1985 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1986 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1987 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1988 | 0 per 100 people | — |
| 1989 | 0.0103 per 100 people | — |
| 1990 | 0.0142 per 100 people | +38.4% |
| 1991 | 0.0174 per 100 people | +21.8% |
| 1992 | 0.03 per 100 people | +72.6% |
| 1993 | 0.0941 per 100 people | +214.0% |
| 1994 | 0.7858 per 100 people | +735.4% |
| 1995 | 1.22 per 100 people | +54.8% |
| 1996 | 2.13 per 100 people | +75.4% |
| 1997 | 4.05 per 100 people | +90.0% |
| 1998 | 7.28 per 100 people | +79.5% |
| 1999 | 11.19 per 100 people | +53.8% |
| 2000 | 17.68 per 100 people | +58.0% |
| 2001 | 22.68 per 100 people | +28.2% |
| 2002 | 28.53 per 100 people | +25.8% |
| 2003 | 34.76 per 100 people | +21.8% |
| 2004 | 42.54 per 100 people | +22.4% |
| 2005 | 68.62 per 100 people | +61.3% |
| 2006 | 79.33 per 100 people | +15.6% |
| 2007 | 83.72 per 100 people | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 88.04 per 100 people | +5.2% |
| 2009 | 89.77 per 100 people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 96.23 per 100 people | +7.2% |
| 2011 | 120.77 per 100 people | +25.5% |
| 2012 | 127.17 per 100 people | +5.3% |
| 2013 | 140.58 per 100 people | +10.5% |
| 2014 | 142.6 per 100 people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 155.14 per 100 people | +8.8% |
| 2016 | 143.93 per 100 people | -7.2% |
| 2017 | 153.55 per 100 people | +6.7% |
| 2018 | 157.69 per 100 people | +2.7% |
| 2019 | 162.74 per 100 people | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 158.45 per 100 people | -2.6% |
| 2021 | 163.13 per 100 people | +3.0% |
| 2022 | 160.73 per 100 people | -1.5% |
| 2023 | 171.51 per 100 people | +6.7% |
| 2024 | 179.34 per 100 people | +4.6% |
South Africa compared with similar countries
- South Africa's 179.34 per 100 people is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 120.66 per 100 people, 1.5× the median. (58 countries reporting)
- South Africa's 179.34 per 100 people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 93.72 per 100 people, 1.9× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people 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 | +735.4% | 0.0941 per 100 people | 0.7858 per 100 people |
| 1993 | +214.0% | 0.03 per 100 people | 0.0941 per 100 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 0.001 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0.0103 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.68 per 100 people | 0.0142 per 100 people | 11.19 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 55.57 per 100 people | 17.68 per 100 people | 89.77 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 140.04 per 100 people | 96.23 per 100 people | 162.74 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 166.63 per 100 people | 158.45 per 100 people | 179.34 per 100 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More science & technology data for South Africa
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 179.34 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.79 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0.0003 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 114.79 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 89.37 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 4.56 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 5.88 % change on previous year (2024)
- Scientific and technical journal articles 14,949 (2023)
- Scientific and technical journal articles, per capita 0.0002 units per person (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa?
- Mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people in South Africa was 179.34 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 179.34 per 100 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people?
- South Africa ranks 10th out of 212 countries with data for 2024.
- Is mobile and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Africa 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 and landline phone subscriptions per 100 people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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