Mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Mobile cellular subscriptions was 84.10 million in 2024. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2024)
84.10 million
Change on year
down 0.3%
World rank
24th
of 213 countries
All-time high
84.33 million
in 2023
All-time low
0
in 1960
Years of data
53
1960–2024

Mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom, 1960–2024

020.0M40.0M60.0M80.0M196019922024

Source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Analysis

The most recent figure for mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom is 84.10 million, measured in 2024.

The figure is down 0.3% on the previous year and up 7.2% over ten years.

Over the whole period, mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom peaked at 84.33 million in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1960.

That places United Kingdom 24th out of 213 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 0 0 0 2
1970s 0 0 0 6
1980s 200,500 0 975,000 10
1990s 7.40 million 1.11 million 27.18 million 10
2000s 61.37 million 43.45 million 76.48 million 10
2010s 78.62 million 76.73 million 80.70 million 10
2020s 81.78 million 79.01 million 84.33 million 5

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 21 South Korea 89.22 million compare
  2. 22 Tanzania 86.77 million compare
  3. 23 Ethiopia 85.95 million compare
  4. 25 Italy 78.67 million compare
  5. 26 France 77.53 million compare
  6. 27 Kenya 71.38 million compare

See the full ranking of 260 places →

More infrastructure data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom?
Mobile cellular subscriptions in United Kingdom was 84.10 million in 2024, according to World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
What is the highest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 84.33 million in 2023.
What is the lowest mobile cellular subscriptions recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1960.
How does United Kingdom rank for mobile cellular subscriptions?
United Kingdom ranks 24th out of 213 countries with data for 2024.
Is mobile cellular subscriptions rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 7.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), published as part of Mobile cellular subscriptions. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 53 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).

About this data

Indicator
Mobile cellular subscriptions
Source
World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
260 places, 13,039 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed

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.