The number of mobile cellular subscriptions in South Africa has seen fluctuations over the years. Starting at 76.865 million in 2013, it peaked at 96.972 million in 2019 before slightly declining in 2020. The data indicates consistent growth as the subscription number reached 102.96 million by 2023. The year-on-year growth for the past two years showed a 2.69% increase in 2023 and a slight decline of 0.068% in 2022. The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the last five years is 2.18%, indicating a steady increase overall.
Looking ahead, the forecasted data predict a continuous rise, reaching up to 114.0 million subscriptions by 2028. This suggests a continued but slowing growth with a forecasted 5-year CAGR of 1.62% and an expected growth rate of 8.35% over the forecast period.
Future trends to watch for:
- Adoption of 5G technology and its impact on subscription rates.
- Mobile penetration and its correlation with internet services.
- Shifts in consumer behavior towards integrated mobile services.
- Impact of regulatory changes on mobile network operators.
