MOBILE-BROADBAND UPTAKE CONTINUES TO GROW AT

DOUBLE-DIGIT RATES
The number of mobile-broadband subscriptions reaches 2.3 billion,
with 55% of them in developing countries
Active mobile-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2007-2014*
Globally, mobile-broadband penetration will reach 32% by end 2014 almost double the penetration rate just
three years earlier (2011) and four times as high as fve years earlier (2009).
In developed countries, mobile-broadband penetration will reach 84%, a level four times as high as in developing
countries (21%).
Mobile broadband remains the fastest growing market segment, with continuous double-digit growth rates in
2014. Mobile broadband is growing fastest in developing countries, where 2013/2014 growth rates are expected
to be twice as high as in developed countries (26% compared with 11.5%).
By end 2014, the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 2.3 billion globally, almost 5 times as
many as just six years earlier (in 2008).
I am pleased to present the latest ICT statistics. The new fgures show that, by the end
of 2014, there will be almost 3 billion Internet users, two-thirds of them coming from the
developing world, and that the number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach
2.3 billion globally. Fifty-fve per cent of these subscriptions are expected to be in the
developing world.
Behind these numbers and statistics are real human stories. The stories of people whose
lives have improved thanks to ICTs. Our mission is to bring ICTs into the hands of ordinary
people, wherever they live. By measuring the information society, we can track progress,
or identify gaps, towards achieving socio-economic development for all.
Brahima Sanou, Director of the ITU Telecommunication Development Bureau
The World in
2014
ICT
FACTS AND FIGURES
84

P
e
r

1
0
0

i
n
h
a
b
i
t
a
n
t
s
Developed
World
Developing
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
32
21
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
AFRICA LEADS IN MOBILE-BROADBAND GROWTH
Mobile-broadband penetration in Africa reaches close to 20% in 2014,
up from 2% in 2010
Share of active mobile-broadband subscriptions, by level of development (2008, 2011, 2014*)
By end 2014, 55% of all mobile-broadband subscriptions are expected to be in the developing world, compared
with only 20% in 2008.
Active mobile-broadband subscriptions by region, 2014* and growth rates, 2011-2014*
Mobile-broadband penetration levels are highest in Europe (64%) and the Americas (59%), followed by the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) (49%), the Arab States (25%), Asia-Pacifc (23%) and Africa (19%).
The Americas region, with the second highest penetration levels, will be home to more than half a billion mobile-
broadband subscriptions by end 2014, and the growth rate will remain above 15%.
Although by the end of 2014 Asia-Pacifc will be home to close to 1 billion mobile-broadband subscriptions, the
regions penetration rate lags behind other regions, including the Arab States and CIS.
All regions continue to show double-digit growth rates but Africa stands out with a growth rate of over 40%
twice as high as the global average. By end 2014, mobile-broadband penetration in Africa will have reached
almost 20%, up from less than 2% four years earlier.
2014*
2.3 billion
2011
1.2 billion
2008
422 million
Developing
Developed
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
45% 55%
40% 60%
20%
80%
D
e
v
e
l
o
p
e
d
E
u
r
o
p
e
T
h
e

A
m
e
r
i
c
a
s
C
I
S
W
o
r
l
d
A
r
a
b

S
t
a
t
e
s
A
s
i
a

&


P
a
c
i
f
i
c

D
e
v
e
l
o
p
i
n
g
A
f
r
i
c
a
64
84
59
49
32
25
23
21
19
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
42,9%
20,9%
19,4%
15,7%
14,9%
11,8%
0,00%
10,00%
20,00%
30,00%
40,00%
50,00%
60,00%
70,00%
80,00%
90,00%
100,00%
20 11-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014
Note: * Es mate
Source: ITU Worl d Telecommunication /ICT Indicators database
Africa
Asia & Pacic
Arab States
The Americas
CIS
Europe
43
21
19
16
15
12
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Africa
Asia & Pacifc
Arab States
The Americas
CIS
Europe
2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014*
P
e
r

c
e
n
t

P
e
r

1
0
0

i
n
h
a
b
i
t
a
n
t
s
ALMOST 7 BILLION MOBILE-CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS WORLDWIDE
The developing countries are home to more than three quarters of all
mobile-cellular subscriptions
Mobile-cellular subscriptions, total and per 100 inhabitants, 2005-2014*, and by region, 2014*
The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions worldwide is approaching the number of people on earth. Mobile-
cellular subscriptions will reach almost 7 billion by end 2014, corresponding to a penetration rate of 96%. More
than half of these (3.6 billion subscriptions) will be in the Asia-Pacifc region.
In developing countries, mobile-cellular penetration will reach 90% by end 2014, compared with 121% in
developed countries.
Mobile-cellular growth rates have reached their lowest-ever level (of 2.6% globally), indicating that the market is
approaching saturation levels. The continuous increase in mobile-cellular subscriptions is mostly due to growth
in the developing world: penetration in developing countries continues to grow twice as much as in developed
countries (3.1% compared with 1.5%, respectively, in 2014).
Africa and Asia and the Pacifc, where penetration will reach 69% and 89%, respectively, by end 2014, are the
regions with the strongest mobile-cellular growth (and the lowest penetration rates). Penetration rates in the CIS
countries, Arab States, the Americas and Europe have reached levels above 100% (since 2012) and are expected
to grow at less than 2% in 2014.
Share of mobile-cellular subscriptions, by level of development (2000, 2005, 2014*)
The developing countries share continues to increase and by end 2014, the number of mobile-cellular
subscriptions in the developing world will account for 78% (or more than three-quarters) of the worlds total.
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
Developing
Developed
M
i
l
l
i
o
n
s
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
7000
6000
5000
4000
3000
2000
1000
0
Developing (in millions)
Developed (in millions)
World (Per 100 inhabitants)
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
2014*
6.9 billion
2005
2.2 billion
2000
719 million
22%
78%
55% 45%
65% 35%
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
141
141
125
121
110
108
96
90 89
69
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
C
I
S
E
u
r
o
p
e
D
e
v
e
l
o
p
e
d
A
r
a
b

S
t
a
t
e
s
T
h
e

A
m
e
r
i
c
a
s
W
o
r
l
d
D
e
v
e
l
o
p
i
n
g
A
s
i
a

&

P
a
c
i
f
i
c
A
f
r
i
c
a
125
121
110
108
96
90
89
69
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

P
e
r

1
0
0

i
n
h
a
b
i
t
a
n
t
s
141

P
e
r

1
0
0

i
n
h
a
b
i
t
a
n
t
s
2011/2012 2012/2013 2013/2014*
FIXED-BROADBAND GROWTH SLOWING DOWN
IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
44% of all fxed-broadband subscriptions are in Asia-Pacifc,compared
with only 0.5% in Africa
Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, 2005-2014*
Fixed-broadband penetration continues to grow, albeit slowly (at 4.4% globally in 2014), mostly due to a
slowdown in developing countries, where fxed-broadband penetration growth rates are expected to drop from
18% in 2011 to 6% in 2014. In developed countries, fxed-broadband penetration will grow at around 3.5% in 2014
compared with 4.8% in 2011.
In 2013, the number of fxed-broadband subscriptions in developing countries overtook the number in developed
countries; a trend that is expected to continue, given the higher growth rates in developing countries compared
with developed countries.
Fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by region, 2014*
44% of all fxed-broadband subscriptions are in Asia-Pacifc, and 24% are in Europe. In contrast, Africa accounts
for less than 0.5% of the worlds fxed-broadband subscriptions and despite double-digit growth over the last
four years, penetration in Africa remains very low, at 0.4% by end 2014.
Africa, the Arab States, and CIS are the only regions with double-digit fxed-broadband penetration growth rates.
The Americas region stands out with the lowest growth in fxed broadband, estimated at 2.5% and reaching a
penetration rate of around 17% by the end of 2014.
Europes fxed-broadband penetration is much higher compared with other regions and almost three times as
high as the global average (28% compared with 10%).
2.7
1.0
0.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
s
t
n
a
t
i
b
a
h
n
i

0
0
1

r
e
P
Developed
World
Developing
Note: * Estmate
Source: ITU World Telecommunicaton /ICT Indicators database
Developed
World
Developing
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
%
27
28
17
%
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
14
10
8
6
3
0.4
E
u
r
o
p
e

D
e
v
e
l
o
p
e
d
T
h
e

A
m
e
r
i
c
a
s

C
I
S

W
o
r
l
d
A
s
i
a

&


P
a
c
i
f
i
c

D
e
v
e
l
o
p
i
n
g

















A
r
a
b

S
t
a
t
e
s








A
f
r
i
c
a



Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
27
10
6
ALMOST 3 BILLION PEOPLE 40% OF THE WORLDS
POPULATION ARE USING THE INTERNET
Close to one out of three people in the developing countries are online
Individuals using the Internet, total and percentage, 2005-2014*
Percentage of individuals using the Internet, 2005-2014*
Percentage of individuals using the Internet, by region, 2014*
78
75
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
In Africa, almost 20% of the population will be
online by end 2014, up from 10% in 2010.
In the Americas, close to two out of three people
will be using the Internet by end 2014, the second
highest penetration rate after Europe.
Europes Internet penetration will be reaching
75% (or three out of four people) by end 2014,
the highest worldwide.
One third of the population in Asia-Pacifc will
be online by end 2014 and around 45% of the
worlds Internet users will be from the Asia-
Pacifc region.
65
56
41 40
32 32
19
%
D
e
v
e
l
o
p
e
d
E
u
r
o
p
e

T
h
e

A
m
e
r
i
c
a
s

C
I
S

A
r
a
b

S
t
a
a
t
e
s

W
o
r
l
d
D
e
v
e
l
o
p
i
n
g
A
s
i
a

&

P
a
c
i
f
i
c

A
f
r
i
c
a

90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
7.8
4.0
3.2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
s
t
n
a
t
i
b
a
h
n
i

0
0
1

r
e
P
Developed
World
Developing
Note: * Estmate
Source: ITU World Telecommunicaton /ICT Indicators database
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
%
Developed
World
Developing
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Internet user penetration has reached 40% glo-
bally, 78% in developed countries and 32% in
developing countries. 2014 growth rates in
developed countries remain at a relatively low,
at 3.3% compared with 8.7% in developing
countries.
Globally, there are 4 billion people not yet using
the Internet and more than 90% of them are
from the developing world.
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
78
40
32
By end 2014, the number of Internet users glo-
bally will have reached almost 3 billion. Two-
thirds of the worlds Internet users are from the
developing world.
In developing countries, the number of Internet
users will have doubled in 5 years, from
974 million in 2009 to 1.9 billion in 2014.
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
%
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
M
i
l
l
i
o
n
s
Developing (in millions)
Developed (in millions)
World (%)
44% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAVE INTERNET ACCESS AT HOME
In Africa, only one out of ten households is connected
Percentage of households with Internet access, by level of development, 2005-2014*
By end 2014, 44% of the worlds households will have Internet access at home. Close to one third (31%) of
households in developing countries will be connected to the Internet, compared with 78% in developed countries.
2013/14 growth rates in the developing world will be more than three times as high as those in the developed
world (12.5% growth compared with 4%). Household Internet access is approaching saturation levels in
developed countries.
The number of households with Internet access in developing countries surpassed those in developed countries
in 2013, and doubled between 2010 and 2014.
Percentage of households with Internet access, by region, 2014*
By end 2014, more than one out of two households in the CIS will be connected to the Internet. In Africa, only
about one out of ten households will be connected to the Internet. However, household Internet access in Africa
continues to grow at double-digit rates (at 18% in 2014, more than twice the growth of the world average).
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
A
f
r
i
c
a

D
e
v
e
l
o
p
i
n
g
A
s
i
a

&

P
a
c
i
f
i
c

A
r
a
b

S
t
a
t
e
s

W
o
r
l
d

C
I
S

T
h
e

A
m
e
r
i
c
a
s

E
u
r
o
p
e

D
e
v
e
l
o
p
e
d
11
31
36 36
44
53
57
78
78
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
31
78
44
Note: * Estimate
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
%
%
Developed
World
Developing
HIGH-SPEED ACCESS TO THE INTERNET
Differences in broadband speed persist
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed, early 2013
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Malawi
Benin
Lesotho
Uganda
Ghana
Bangladesh
Zimbabwe
Uzbekistan
Bolivia
Bhutan
Iran (I.R.)
Guyana
Swaziland
Senegal
Namibia
Antgua & Barbuda
Egypt
Mauritus
Belize
Qatar
Sri Lanka
Ecuador
Tunisia**
Venezuela
Oman
Colombia
Costa Rica
Jordan
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Morocco
Kyrgyzstan
Azerbaijan
Serbia**
Armenia
Georgia
Bahrain
Saudi Arabia*
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Trinidad & Tobago
Belarus
Chile
Cape Verde
Brazil
China*
Kazakhstan
Croata
Cyprus
Italy
Russian Federaton
Poland**
Estonia
Slovak Republic
Ireland
Macao, China
Slovenia
Czech Republic
Austria
Israel
Romania
Canada*
Lithuania
Hungary
Luxembourg
Greece
Singapore
United States*
Spain
Bulgaria
Germany
Finland
Norway*
Portugal
Sweden
Switzerland
Malta
Japan
Netherlands**
Belgium
United Kingdom*
Andorra
Hong Kong, China
Denmark
Iceland**
France
Korea (Rep.)
Fixed-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed, early 2013
[0.11]
[0.07]
[0.05]
[0.01]
Note: Refers to advertised speeds. * Data correspond to speed intervals slightly different from the ones defined by ITU.
** Breakdown by speed available only for a part of the total fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions.
Early 2012 data.
Source: ITU World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators database
Korea (Rep.)
France
Iceland**
Denmark
Hong Kong, China
Andorra
United Kingdom*
Belgium
Netherlands**
Japan
Malta
Switzerland
Sweden
Portugal
Norway*
Finland
Germany
Bulgaria
Spain
United States*
Singapore
Greece
Luxembourg
Hungary
Lithuania
Canada*
Romania
Israel
Austria
Czech Republic
Slovenia
Macao, China
Ireland
Slovak Republic
Estonia
Poland**
Russian Federation
Italy
Cyprus
Croatia
Kazakhstan
China*
Brazil
Cape Verde
Chile
Belarus
Trinidad & Tobago
United Arab Emirates
Turkey
Saudi Arabia*
Bahrain
Georgia
Armenia
Serbia**
Azerbaijan
Kyrgyzstan
Morocco
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Jordan
Costa Rica
Colombia
Oman
Venezuela
Tunisia**
Ecuador
Sri Lanka
Qatar
Belize
Mauritius
Egypt
Antigua and Barbuda
Namibia
Senegal
Swaziland
Guyana
Iran (I.R.)
Bhutan
Bolivia
Uzbekistan
Zimbabwe
Bangladesh
Ghana
Uganda
Lesotho
Benin
Malawi
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
10 Mbit/s 2 to <10 Mbit/s 256 kbit/s to <2 Mbit/s
Hosted by
Organized by
Telecommunication/
ICT Indicators
20032012
Y
EA
R
B
O
O
K
OF STATISTICS
I n t e r n a t i o n a l T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n U n i o n
Y
E
A
R
B
O
O
K

O
F

S
T
A
T
I
S
T
I
C
S


2
0
1
3
2013
Printed in Switzerland Geneva September 2013 ISBN 978-92-61-14411-1
*38544*
HANDBOOK
for the Collection of Administrative Data on
Telecommunications/ICT
2011
Printed in Switzerland
International Telecommunication Union
Telecommunication Development Bureau
Place des Nations
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
www.itu.int
I n t e r n a t i o n a l T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n U n i o n
H
a
n
d
b
o
o
k
fo
r
t
h
e
C
o
lle
c
t
io
n
o
f A
d
m
in
is
t
r
a
t
iv
e
D
a
t
a
o
n
T
e
le
c
o
m
m
u
n
ic
a
t
io
n
s
/
IC
T

2
0
1
1
I n t e r n a t i o n a l T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n U n i o n
2013

M
e
a
s
u
r
i n
g

t h
e

I n
f
o
r
m
a
t i o
n

S
o
c
i e
t y


2
0
1
3
Printed in Switzerland
Geneva, 2013
ISBN 978-92-61-14401-2
Photo credits: Shutterstock
*38501*
M
EASURING
INFORMATION
S
OCIETY
THE
E_couv ICT dev index2013__v2.indd 1
22.08.2013 16:54:47


Printed in Switzerland
Geneva, 2014
I n t e r n a t i o n a l T e l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n U n i o n
for Measuring ICT Access and Use
by Households and Individuals
M
A
N
U
A
L
2014 EDITION
M
a
n
u
a
l f o
r M
e
a
s
u
r i n
g
I C
T
A
c
c
e
s
s
a
n
d
U
s
e
b
y
H
o
u
s
e
h
o
l d
s
a
n
d
I n
d
i v
i d
u
a
l s

2
0
1
4
E
d
i t i o
n



E-Couv_Measuring_Access_2014.indd 1
22.11.2013 11:10:45
For more information:
ICT Data and Statistics Division
Telecommunication Development Bureau
International Telecommunication Union
Place des Nations
1211 Geneva 20 - Switzerland
indicators@itu.int
Printed in Switzerland
Geneva, April 2014
International Telecommunication Union
Printed in Switzerland
Geneva - April 2011
ISBN 00-00-00000-0
P A R T N E R S H I P O N M E A S U R I N G I C T F O R D E V E L O P M E N T