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Data

Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people

What you should know about this indicator

Fixed broadband subscriptions refers to fixed subscriptions to high-speed access to the public Internet (a TCP/IP connection), at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s. This includes cable modem, DSL, fiber-to-the-home/building, other fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions, satellite broadband and terrestrial fixed wireless broadband. This total is measured irrespective of the method of payment. It excludes subscriptions that have access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile-cellular networks. It should include fixed WiMAX and any other fixed wireless technologies. It includes both residential subscriptions and subscriptions for organizations.

Limitations and exceptions: Data are collected by national statistics offices through household surveys. Because survey questions and definitions differ, the estimates may not be strictly comparable across countries.

Fixed broadband Internet includes cable modem, DSL, fibre and other fixed broadband technology (such as satellite broadband Internet, Ethernet LANs, fixed-wireless access, Wireless Local Area Network, WiMAX etc.). Subscribers with access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile cellular networks are excluded.

Advertised and real speeds can differ substantially. In some countries, regulatory authorities monitor the speed and quality of broadband services and oblige operators to provide accurate quality-of-service information to end users. Regional and global totals are calculated as unweighted sums of the country values. Regional and global penetration rates (per 100 inhabitants) are weighted averages of the country values weighted by the population of the countries/regions.

Discrepancies between global and national figures may arise when countries use a different definition than the one used by ITU. Discrepancies may also arise in cases where the end of a fiscal year differs from that used by ITU, which is end of December of every year. A number of countries have fiscal years that end in March or June of every year.

Statistical concept and methodology: Data refer to subscriptions to high-speed access to the public Internet (a TCP/IP connection), at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s. This includes cable modem, DSL, fibre-to-the-home/building and other fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions. This total is measured irrespective of the method of payment. It excludes subscriptions that have access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile-cellular networks. It excludes technologies listed under the wireless-broadband category.

Fixed broadband Internet subscribers per 100 people is obtained by dividing the number of fixed broadband Internet subscribers by the population and then multiplying by 100. For additional/latest information on sources and country notes, please also refer to: https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/stat/default.aspx

Source
International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data
Last updated
January 24, 2025
Next expected update
January 2026
Date range
1998–2023
Unit
per 100 people

Explore charts that include this data

Adoption of communication technologies per 100 people

Sources and processing

This data is based on the following sources

The World Development Indicators (WDI) is the primary World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially-recognized international sources. It presents the most current and accurate global development data available, and includes national, regional and global estimates.

Retrieved on
January 24, 2025
Retrieved from
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.BBND.P2
Citation
This is the citation of the original data obtained from the source, prior to any processing or adaptation by Our World in Data. To cite data downloaded from this page, please use the suggested citation given in Reuse This Work below.
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database. Indicator IT.NET.BBND.P2 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.BBND.P2). World Development Indicators - World Bank (2025). Accessed on 2025-01-24.

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Citations

How to cite this page

To cite this page overall, including any descriptions, FAQs or explanations of the data authored by Our World in Data, please use the following citation:

“Data Page: Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people”. Our World in Data (2025). Data adapted from International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank). Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/broadband-penetration-by-country [online resource]
How to cite this data

In-line citationIf you have limited space (e.g. in data visualizations), you can use this abbreviated in-line citation:

International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data

Full citation

International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank) (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. “Landline Internet subscriptions per 100 people” [dataset]. International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank), “World Development Indicators” [original data]. Retrieved June 17, 2025 from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/broadband-penetration-by-country