Public payphones in South Africa

South Africa: Public payphones was 3.27 per 1,000 people in 2007. ▲ Rising

Latest (2007)
3.27 per 1,000 people
Change on year
down 2.3%
World rank
6th
of 51 countries
All-time high
4.35 per 1,000 people
in 2001
All-time low
1.13 per 1,000 people
in 1985
Years of data
23
1985–2007

Public payphones in South Africa, 1985–2007

12341985199620071985: 1.1 per 1,000 people1986: 1.2 per 1,000 people1987: 1.2 per 1,000 people1988: 1.2 per 1,000 people1989: 1.2 per 1,000 people1990: 1.2 per 1,000 people1991: 1.2 per 1,000 people1992: 1.2 per 1,000 people1993: 1.3 per 1,000 people1994: 1.6 per 1,000 people1995: 1.8 per 1,000 people1996: 2.4 per 1,000 people1997: 3.1 per 1,000 people1998: 3.7 per 1,000 people1999: 4 per 1,000 people2000: 4 per 1,000 people2001: 4.4 per 1,000 people2002: 3.9 per 1,000 people2003: 3.8 per 1,000 people2004: 3.6 per 1,000 people2005: 3.5 per 1,000 people2006: 3.4 per 1,000 people2007: 3.3 per 1,000 people

Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Measured in per 1,000 people.

Analysis

In 2007, public payphones in South Africa stood at 3.27 per 1,000 people.

The figure is down 2.3% on the previous year and up 5.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, public payphones in South Africa peaked at 4.35 per 1,000 people in 2001 and was at its lowest, 1.13 per 1,000 people, in 1985.

South Africa ranks 6th of 51 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 23 years of available data.

Public payphones in South Africa, year by year

Annual values for Public payphones (per 1,000 people) in South Africa, 1985 to 2007.
Year per 1,000 people Change
1985 1.13 per 1,000 people
1986 1.17 per 1,000 people +3.2%
1987 1.16 per 1,000 people -0.4%
1988 1.21 per 1,000 people +4.4%
1989 1.18 per 1,000 people -2.7%
1990 1.2 per 1,000 people +1.2%
1991 1.21 per 1,000 people +1.1%
1992 1.24 per 1,000 people +2.6%
1993 1.32 per 1,000 people +6.8%
1994 1.56 per 1,000 people +17.6%
1995 1.79 per 1,000 people +15.1%
1996 2.37 per 1,000 people +32.3%
1997 3.11 per 1,000 people +31.0%
1998 3.66 per 1,000 people +17.8%
1999 4.03 per 1,000 people +10.1%
2000 4.05 per 1,000 people +0.4%
2001 4.35 per 1,000 people +7.5%
2002 3.93 per 1,000 people -9.6%
2003 3.79 per 1,000 people -3.5%
2004 3.62 per 1,000 people -4.6%
2005 3.5 per 1,000 people -3.5%
2006 3.35 per 1,000 people -4.1%
2007 3.27 per 1,000 people -2.3%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 1.17 per 1,000 people 1.13 per 1,000 people 1.21 per 1,000 people 5
1990s 2.15 per 1,000 people 1.2 per 1,000 people 4.03 per 1,000 people 10
2000s 3.73 per 1,000 people 3.27 per 1,000 people 4.35 per 1,000 people 8

Countries ranked near South Africa

  1. 3 Morocco 5.44 per 1,000 people compare
  2. 4 Togo 5.21 per 1,000 people compare
  3. 5 Tunisia 3.64 per 1,000 people compare
  4. 7 Uganda 3.19 per 1,000 people compare
  5. 8 Djibouti 2.95 per 1,000 people compare
  6. 9 Seychelles 2.7 per 1,000 people compare

See the full ranking of 57 places →

More science & technology data for South Africa

All data for South Africa →

Frequently asked questions

What is public payphones in South Africa?
Public payphones in South Africa was 3.27 per 1,000 people in 2007, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.
What is the highest public payphones recorded in South Africa?
The highest recorded value was 4.35 per 1,000 people in 2001.
What is the lowest public payphones recorded in South Africa?
The lowest recorded value was 1.13 per 1,000 people in 1985.
How does South Africa rank for public payphones?
South Africa ranks 6th out of 51 countries with data for 2007.
Is public payphones rising or falling in South Africa?
Over the last ten years it is up 5.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
Where does this South Africa data come from?
The figures come from International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates, published as part of Public payphones (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Public payphones in South Africa. Statizoid, drawing on International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Retrieved 29 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/public-payphones-per-1-000-people/south-africa/

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About this data

Indicator
Public payphones (per 1,000 people)
Unit
per 1,000 people
Source
International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
57 places, 943 data points, 1960–2011
Last refreshed

Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. Total number of all types of public telephones, including coin- and card-operated and public telephones in call offices. Publicly available phones installed in private places should also be included, as should mobile public telephones. All public telephones regardless of capability (e.g., local calls or national only) should be counted. If the national definition of "payphone" differs from that above (e.g., by excluding pay phones in private places), then respondents should indicate their own definition.