In 2023, there were just over seven billion active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide.
Broadband transforms internet access
In the early days of the internet, the service was used exclusively by the military and American universities for scientific purposes. By the mid-1990s, improving technologies allowed individual consumers to also access the online medium through dial-up Internet services by means of telephone lines and modems. A decade later, the introduction of broadband internet access to the mass market changed the telecommunication industry once again, by improving speed and accessibility. In 2021, the number of wired broadband subscriptions was estimated to have grown to over 1.3 billion connections worldwide, from 220 million connections in 2005.
Worldwide subscriptions approach 7 billion
The increasing popularity of mobile technologies and their worldwide availability however has led to an increased use of portable devices, such as mobile phone and tablet computers for mobile broadband services. The number of registered mobile broadband subscriptions around the world has increased from 268 million connections in 2007 to an estimated 7.03 billion connections in 2023. Regional breakdowns show that the Asia Pacific region leads the market in terms of number of mobile broadband subscriptions. As of 2022, this region alone had over 3.9 billion subscriptions, while the Americas reported over 1.1 billion subscriptions. The Americas region has the highest mobile broadband penetration rate, with 116.2 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants.
Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023
(in millions)
Adjust the presentation of the statistic and data points.
Share the statistic on social media channels or embed the statistic in your
website using "Embed Code", where available.
Cite this statistic and select one of the following formats: APA, Chicago, Harvard, MLA & Bluebook.
Print the statistic including description and metadata.
Chart type
Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023
Share this statistic
You have no right to use this feature.
Make sure to contact us if you are interested in scientific citation.
You can upgrade your account to enable this functionality for all statistics.
This feature is not available with your current account.Request access
Learn more about how Statista can support your business.
ITU. (January 30, 2024). Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in millions) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved January 14, 2025, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/
ITU. "Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in millions)." Chart. January 30, 2024. Statista. Accessed January 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/
ITU. (2024). Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in millions). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: January 14, 2025. https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/
ITU. "Number of Active Mobile Broadband Subscriptions Worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in Millions)." Statista, Statista Inc., 30 Jan 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/
ITU, Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in millions) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/ (last visited January 14, 2025)
Number of active mobile broadband subscriptions worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in millions) [Graph], ITU, January 30, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/273016/number-of-mobile-broadband-subscriptions-worldwide-since-2007/
Profit from additional features with an Employee Account
Please create an employee account to be able to mark statistics as favorites.
Then you can access your favorite statistics via the star in the header.
Profit from the additional features of your individual account
Currently, you are using a shared account. To use individual functions (e.g., mark statistics as favourites, set
statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account.
If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again.