Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia
South Asia: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 81.7 per 100 people in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia, 1960–2025
Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Measured in per 100 people.
Analysis
In 2025, mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia stood at 81.7 per 100 people.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.0% on the previous year and up 9.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia peaked at 86.3 per 100 people in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0 per 100 people, in 1960.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
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 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 0 per 100 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0454 per 100 people | 0.0003 per 100 people | 0.1858 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 12.72 per 100 people | 0.3277 per 100 people | 43.02 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 74.29 per 100 people | 57.63 per 100 people | 85.5 per 100 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.65 per 100 people | 81.7 per 100 people | 86.3 per 100 people | 6 |
More infrastructure data for South Asia
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 3.1 per 100 people (2025)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 52.00 million (2025)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 1.38 billion (2025)
- Air transport, passengers carried 196.80 million (2023)
- Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide 1.44 million (2023)
- Air transport, freight 2,231 million ton-km (2023)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources, total 1,880 billion cubic meters (2022)
- Renewable internal freshwater resources per capita 1,141 cubic meters (2022)
- Individuals using the Internet 67.8% (2025)
- Annual freshwater withdrawals, domestic 7.4% (2022)
Frequently asked questions
- What is mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia?
- Mobile cellular subscriptions in South Asia was 81.7 per 100 people 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 86.3 per 100 people in 2020.
- What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in South Asia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 per 100 people in 1960.
- Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in South Asia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.8%. 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 (per 100 people). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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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.