Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa
South Africa: Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers was 1,347 per 1,000 people in 2011. ◆ Volatile
Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa, 1960–2011
Source: International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates. Measured in per 1,000 people.
Analysis
South Africa recorded 1,347 per 1,000 people for telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in 2011. That is the highest value across all 40 years on record.
The figure is up 23.3% on the previous year and up 285.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa peaked at 1,347 per 1,000 people in 2011 and was at its lowest, 37.37 per 1,000 people, in 1960.
That places South Africa 4th out of 53 countries with data for 2011, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa, year by year
| Year | per 1,000 people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 37.37 per 1,000 people | — |
| 1965 | 38.07 per 1,000 people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 41.47 per 1,000 people | +8.9% |
| 1975 | 46.75 per 1,000 people | +12.7% |
| 1976 | 48.64 per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1977 | 50.76 per 1,000 people | +4.4% |
| 1978 | 53.04 per 1,000 people | +4.5% |
| 1979 | 55.97 per 1,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1980 | 59.18 per 1,000 people | +5.7% |
| 1981 | 63.3 per 1,000 people | +7.0% |
| 1982 | 66.84 per 1,000 people | +5.6% |
| 1983 | 69.7 per 1,000 people | +4.3% |
| 1984 | 70.58 per 1,000 people | +1.3% |
| 1985 | 73.39 per 1,000 people | +4.0% |
| 1986 | 78.85 per 1,000 people | +7.4% |
| 1987 | 81.03 per 1,000 people | +2.8% |
| 1988 | 84.97 per 1,000 people | +4.9% |
| 1989 | 89.42 per 1,000 people | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 94.34 per 1,000 people | +5.5% |
| 1991 | 95.79 per 1,000 people | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 94.59 per 1,000 people | -1.2% |
| 1993 | 96.97 per 1,000 people | +2.5% |
| 1994 | 107.5 per 1,000 people | +10.9% |
| 1995 | 115.98 per 1,000 people | +7.9% |
| 1996 | 130.29 per 1,000 people | +12.3% |
| 1997 | 158.36 per 1,000 people | +21.5% |
| 1998 | 200.78 per 1,000 people | +26.8% |
| 1999 | 248.83 per 1,000 people | +23.9% |
| 2000 | 302.29 per 1,000 people | +21.5% |
| 2001 | 349.85 per 1,000 people | +15.7% |
| 2002 | 407.31 per 1,000 people | +16.4% |
| 2003 | 470.13 per 1,000 people | +15.4% |
| 2004 | 550.5 per 1,000 people | +17.1% |
| 2005 | 819.71 per 1,000 people | +48.9% |
| 2006 | 928.2 per 1,000 people | +13.2% |
| 2007 | 970.47 per 1,000 people | +4.6% |
| 2008 | 1,013 per 1,000 people | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 1,029 per 1,000 people | +1.6% |
| 2010 | 1,092 per 1,000 people | +6.1% |
| 2011 | 1,347 per 1,000 people | +23.3% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.72 per 1,000 people | 37.37 per 1,000 people | 38.07 per 1,000 people | 2 |
| 1970s | 49.44 per 1,000 people | 41.47 per 1,000 people | 55.97 per 1,000 people | 6 |
| 1980s | 73.73 per 1,000 people | 59.18 per 1,000 people | 89.42 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 134.34 per 1,000 people | 94.34 per 1,000 people | 248.83 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 684.05 per 1,000 people | 302.29 per 1,000 people | 1,029 per 1,000 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1,219 per 1,000 people | 1,092 per 1,000 people | 1,347 per 1,000 people | 2 |
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 telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa?
- Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers in South Africa was 1,347 per 1,000 people in 2011, according to International Telecommunication Union, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates.
- What is the highest telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers recorded in South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 1,347 per 1,000 people in 2011.
- What is the lowest telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 37.37 per 1,000 people in 1960.
- How does South Africa rank for telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers?
- South Africa ranks 4th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is up 285.0%. 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, World Telecommunication Development Report and database, and World Bank estimates, published as part of Telephone (mainlines and mobile phone) subscribers (per 1,000 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Please cite the International Telecommunication Union for third-party use of these data. Fixed lines are telephone mainlines connecting a customer's equipment to the public switched telephone network. Mobile phone subscribers refer to users of portable telephones subscribing to an automatic public mobile telephone service using cellular technology that provides access to the public switched telephone network.