It’s been a couple of years since we reviewed the state of the 2G and 3G mobile markets to see how network closures were coming along.
There has been plenty of activity since then, and 2025 is shaping up to be a busy year for shutdowns.
At the end of 2024, the global mobile subscription total stood at 8.8 billion, according to figures from our GlobalComms Database. This is up from 8.7 billion a year earlier and 8.5 billion at end-2022.
Ten years ago, the total was closer to 7.0 billion; at the end of 2004, it was just 1.7 billion.
Fiber broadband is now by far the most common means of fixed broadband connectivity worldwide, although the picture varies from region to region.
Vietnamese military-run telecom operator Viettel reports impressive uptake figures since launching its 5G mobile network in mid-October 2024. Within two weeks, the firm attracted 3 million 5G users, reaching 4 million in late December.
While 5G has been available in many Asian markets for some time, users in Vietnam were forced to wait for their first taste of the new technology.
Earlier this year, China Mobile hit one billion mobile subscriptions.
In a country of more than 1.4 billion people, this may not seem like a remarkable milestone. However, the next largest national cellco, Reliance Jio in India, has less than half of this number—around 476 million subscriptions as of mid-2024.
Let’s take a closer look at China Mobile and the other giant operators.
The first commercial 5G mobile networks were launched in Europe in mid-2019. Roughly one year later, most countries’ main mass-market rollouts were already underway.
The technology continues to grow in popularity as network deployments progress. At the end of June 2024, there were an estimated 190 million 5G subscriptions across Europe, up from around 130 million a year earlier.
In European markets where 5G is available, the technology accounts for an average of 27% of all mobile subscriptions.
In May 2021, TeleGeography reviewed the early stages of development of 6G mobile technology. Three years on, we turn the spotlight back onto the nascent 6G market to see how things are shaping up.
Starlink, the satellite broadband provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is growing its presence in Africa.
As of May 2024, Starlink’s services are live in eight African countries, with more launches planned for the coming months.
According to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database, the global mobile subscription total stood at 8.74 billion at the end of 2023, up 2.0% from 8.57 billion a year earlier.
Population penetration rose from 108% to 109% over the same period, boosted by the popularity of multiple SIM ownership in many markets.
Nigeria is home to Africa’s biggest mobile market by some distance, with 217.5 million subscriptions at the end of 2023, up from 209.5 million a year earlier.
The next largest African markets at end-2023 were South Africa with 118.9 million subscriptions, and Egypt with 111.1 million, according to TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database.
