With information and communications technology (ICT) a core pillar of the goal, we look at the rising stature of the mobile phone in Uganda, focusing on coverage, mobile money, and mobile internet.

The State of Mobile Penetration in Uganda

In official government reports by the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), for the first quarter of 2021, mobile subscriptions stood at almost seven SIM cards for every ten Ugandans (67%). According to AfterAccess, less than half (49%) of Ugandans have access to a mobile phone, with 71% of those connected using a basic phone. In 2021, the GSMA estimated that Uganda had a smartphone adoption of 16%, markedly lower than the 30% average for Sub-Saharan Africa.

Datareportal’s January 2021 report showed 60.3% mobile connections in relation to the country’s population, a 4% improvement from their similar report the previous year. GSMA’s latest Mobile Connectivity Index (2019) placed the figure at 61%.

Coverage is also growing. In Uganda, 2G networks now reach nearly the entire population, with mobile broadband networks (3G/4G) covering more than 80% of the country. For the majority of the population, mobile is their first and only platform to access digital services. The extensive area coverage of mobile networks provides a cost-effective option for connecting remote and sparsely populated communities and access to private and government services.

Mobile Money

Another positive contribution of the mobile phone in Uganda has been the adoption of mobile money, which is fast becoming a significant contributor to financial inclusion in the country. By March 2021, mobile money accounts had risen to 30.5 million with at least 66% active in the first quarter of the year – which is twice the continental average of 30%. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, most Ugandans turned to mobile money for their transactions spurred by fee waivers and movement limitations.

The role of mobile money is so profound that a Finscope survey in 2018 estimated that 56% of Ugandans were accessing mobile money services, which is way above commercial bank accounts (11%).

Mobile Internet

At a foundational level, mobile technology provides connectivity to essential communications services and the internet. The growth of mobile internet means that people can use feature-rich digital services on their mobile devices, reducing the impact of much lower penetration of personal computers and other data-enabled devices.

As in most countries in Africa, the mobile phone is, by far, the most used method of accessing the internet. GSMA estimates that, overall, 46% of the population (unique) accesses the internet on mobile. Stat Counter estimates that over 70% of internet connections in Uganda were made on mobile in 2020. For perspective, 90.8% of Facebook users access Facebook through mobile phones only.

This growing reliance on the internet is not without challenges in Uganda. The country introduced daily social media and internet taxes targeting online services, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and WhatsApp. Given that social media sites are the main drivers of Internet uptake across Africa as they are an effective substitute for costly voice and text services, experts say that the social media tax may have negatively impacted mobile penetration and social networking use. Uganda is also one of the most censored countries in Africa online, with internet shutdowns effected during elections.

Conducting Research Surveys via Mobile in Uganda

The mobile penetration in Uganda presents the most plausible way to reach many Ugandans to collect any data. Using modes such as SMS, Mobile Web, Mobile Apps, and voice calls, researchers can reach varied audiences in Uganda to collect vital data for consumer insights and international development. GeoPoll has run close to 7 million mobile surveys in Uganda alone and can help you with your next research project. Please contact us to learn more about our coverage, available modes and experience in Uganda and across Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

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Supported by a population of about 103 million, Egypt has one of the largest economies in Africa. The country serves as a bridge between Africa and other parts of the world, particularly the Middle East, making it a key player in the MENA markets. It is this unique position and ongoing reforms that have helped Egypt grow consistently economically. One of Egypt’s growth drivers is an ongoing digital transformation, which we will touch on in this article.

Mobile Penetration Rate in Egypt

Mobile phone services were first introduced in Egypt in 1996. By 2000, about 1.98% of the population were subscribed to mobile phone services. Since then, mobile penetration has grown in leaps and bounds. For the year 2020, the Egypt Ministry of Communications and Information Technology announced that 98.8% of Egyptian households and 95% of individuals owned mobile phones.

According to Datareportal, there were 95.75 million mobile connections in Egypt in January 2021, equivalent to 92.7% of the total population and a 2.9% increase compared to the previous year.

However, we must note that mobile penetration is essentially a grey area in most countries due to a lack of data on unique mobile subscribers. A recent GeoPoll survey on mobile phone usage in multiple countries in Africa and Asia showed that 92% of the recipients owned multiple-SIM phones.

Mobile Internet

Access to the internet is fast becoming an indispensable basic need for most people in the world. With fixed internet connections very low, especially in developing nations, mobile internet has risen to bridge the gap. Over half the world’s population now use mobile internet, with three-quarters of all mobile internet users living in low- and middle-income countries, according to the GSMA.

In Egypt, too, mobile internet usage has been increasing in relevance. Data reports from the government show a steady rise in mobile internet usage in Egypt between 2019 and 2020, increasing from 39 million in the last quarter of 2019 to 52.4 million in the same period in 2020. As COVID-19 affected Egyptians’ day-to-day lives in 2020, the government subsidized mobile internet costs and offered free access to students.

This reliance on mobile internet has, naturally, pushed up the penetration of smartphones in Egypt. International Data Corporation’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reports that the smartphone market grew 10.6% year-on-year in 2020.

GeoPoll’s Mobile Research in Egypt

GeoPoll has the capabilities to conduct research projects via mobile phones in Egypt. Our platform and partnerships with mobile network operators in Egypt allow us to run surveys via SMS, voice calls (CATI or IVR), in-person (CAPI), mobile web, mobile application, and mobile-based focus groups.

To learn more about our research capabilities in Egypt and beyond, contact us today.

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SIM Card Penetration Rate

SIM card penetration is the total number of SIM card connections in a country as a percentage of the total population. Looking at the statistics from DataReportal, there are 187.9 million mobile or SIM connections in Nigeria in January 2021. These mobile connections are spread across the four major mobile service providers in the country.

Comparing these figures with the number of mobile connections in January 2020, we find there has been a 10% increase in mobile connections in the past year, with a 17 million additional mobile connections being added from January 2020 to January 2021.  Another statistic from The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) shows that there are over 198 million mobile (GSM) active lines in Nigeria in July 2020.

However, gauging mobile phone ownership in Nigeria by using mobile or SIM connections is often not very accurate. This is because many mobile phone users in Nigeria use dual SIM phones which allow them to use multiple SIM cards or mobile connections within one mobile device. A report by OpenSignal shows that 66% of phones in Nigeria’s mobile market are dual SIM phones. The same report ranks Nigeria as the country with the highest numbers of dual SIM phone users—closely followed by Bangladesh and Tanzania.

Dual SIM phones are high in demand in Nigeria’s mobile market because they allow users to juggle between two network providers on the same mobile phone. Users can easily switch their connection to get the best rates for voice calls, text, and data without having to carry two mobile phones. Because one person may own multiple SIM cards, using mobile connections or SIM connections as a metric can artificially inflate the actual penetration rate of mobile phones within a population.

Unique Subscriber Penetration Rate

Unique subscribers refer to the number of individuals who own a phone in a country. While Nigeria’s mobile penetration rate is lower than developed markets, it is higher than the average across sub-Saharan Africa, standing at around 50% as of 2018, and estimated to rise to 130 million or about 60%-65% of the total population by 2025. Additionally, a 2017 study by Pew Research found that 80% of adults in Nigeria owned some type of mobile phone, though the most common phone type was a basic mobile phone.

Mobile Internet Penetration in Nigeria

Aside from the basic mobile features like SMS and voice calls, it’s important to take a close look at mobile internet penetration and smartphone usage in Nigeria as well. According to Pew Research Center, only 32% in Nigeria use smartphones, below some sub-Saharan countries like South African (51%), Ghana (35%), and Senegal (34%) when it comes to smartphone usage. However, it is estimated that smartphone and mobile internet usage in Nigeria will continue to grow over the coming years, and GSMA found that mobile internet penetration had doubled in Nigeria from 2014, growing to 32% by 2019.

It is also important to note that when Nigerians connect to the internet, the vast majority do so from a mobile phone. A study Data Reportal shows that 92.4% of the total internet users in Nigeria are from smartphones, demonstrating the importance of the continued growth of mobile internet connectivity in the country.

These figures are partly driven by an increasingly low price point for Android phones in Nigeria’s mobile market. Thanks to Asian brands like Techno and Infinix making smartphones targeted to Nigeria’s mobile market, the average price of smartphones, which was $216 in 2014, dipped to $95 in 2018, and some basic internet-enabled phones can be bought for as low as $20.

Barriers of Mobile Internet Penetration in Nigeria

Although mobile internet penetration is growing, there are several barriers to access in Nigeria. Affordability is one major barrier for many internet mobile users in Nigeria. Internet cost is still at the high end even after The Nigerian Communications Commission(NCC) lifted data floor price limits in 2015 and gave service providers the liberty to drop their data tariffs as it suits them. The lifted data floor resulted in a drop in data prices, but data costs are still high, especially for those living in poverty.

A report by Research ICT Africa shows that the price of 1GB of data in Nigeria fell from $11.18 in Q3 of 2014 to $2.78 by the end last quarter of 2019. However, looking at the high volatility of Naira, Nigeria’s official currency, the cost of data for 1GB in the third quarter 2014 was $11.18 and six years later, it was $2.78. Although Nigeria has the largest economy on the continent, 40.1% of its population lives in poverty, earning 137.4 thousand Naira (roughly $361) per year, so mobile and internet access is still out of reach for large portions of the population.

Another major barrier to mobile internet access is poor quality service from mobile operators. Oftentimes, there are frequent interruptions of services. Inadequate power supply, heavy taxation of network providers, and infrastructure deficit are some of the major reasons for epileptic network services in Nigeria.

Conclusion

While Nigeria still has a ways to go until all of its population has access to mobile phones, the benefits of the growth in mobile penetration in the country are clear. The availability of mobile services has encouraged digital inclusion in Nigeria and has made the exchange of information very easy for business and social advancement. Mobile usage has also helped in the reduction of transportation especially in the agricultural sector, since communication can be done on mobile phones.

Businesses in Nigeria are also leveraging SMS, mobile apps, and websites to reach new business prospects, and the mobile advertising market in Nigeria is also booming. As mobile and mobile internet penetration rates continue to grow in the country, even more services will be tailored for mobile.

GeoPoll leverages the power and reach of mobile to conduct research in Nigeria via voice calls, SMS, mobile-optimized web links, and other modes. To learn more about our research services or get a quote for an upcoming project, please contact us.

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Unique Subscriber Penetration Rate

Based on statistics drawn from Worldometer and Statista, in 2019 South Africa had a population of 58.56 million and 101.9 million mobile subscribers spread across five main mobile network operators. Using these two numbers, the unique subscriber penetration rate comes out to 170%, meaning that there were more mobile subscriptions than people living in South Africa in 2019; however, this rate can be deceiving. In actuality, people may have a few mobile subscriptions across the various networks and this can artificially inflate the penetration rate. The reason why people have multiple subscriptions varies on a case-by-case basis but can be due to attempts to save money and connectivity issues. A recent GeoPoll Application study confirmed this, finding that over 40% of South African respondents reported using multiple SIM cards.

Mobile Access Penetration in South Africa

Mobile access penetration is defined as the number of unique individuals who have regular access to a mobile phone, even if they do not personally own one, as a percent of the population. A study conducted by Pew Research Center identified that 8% of South African adults do not own a phone themselves but share a phone with someone else, while only 5% of South African adults do not own a phone or share a phone. These statistics show that mobile access penetration in South Africa as of 2018 was 95%.

The group of respondents in the study that do not own or use a mobile phone were also asked about if they would want a mobile phone in the future and 65% indicated that they would. This leads us to investigate some barriers to mobile phone ownership and access in South Africa.

Barriers to Mobile Phone Access and Usage in South Africa

Out of the 5% of South Africans that do not own a phone and do not share a phone, 65% indicated that they would like to get a phone in the future. Some of the key reasons that this population indicated as deterrents for phone use were: “worries about theft” (52%), “device cost” (49%), “devices too complicated” (46%), and lack of sufficient literacy for mobile phone use (29%).

Eight percent of Africans who do not own phones of their own but use phones by sharing with a friend or family member reported financial limitations, fear of device theft, and a lack of reliable connectivity as the top reasons for sharing phones rather than owning their own devices.

Phone owners in South Africa reported similar financial and connectivity issues as phone sharers during the same study. Specifically, phone owners indicated that they avoid using their mobile phones due to high data costs: 28% indicated that this happens frequently while 22% indicated it happens occasionally. Data costs in South Africa are notoriously high when compared to other emerging markets, with one report finding that South African data costs are about six times as high as in other emerging economies. Additionally, 19% of the same respondents indicated that they have trouble getting a reliable mobile connection frequently and 25% reported connectivity issues occasionally.

GeoPoll’s Mobile Research in South Africa

GeoPoll’s robust database of survey respondents in South Africa is used to conduct research projects via mobile phones. Our direct connection with mobile network operators in South Africa not only allows us to send mobile-based surveys that are free for respondents to participate, but also immediately provide respondents with the earned incentive the moment a questionnaire is completed. We run surveys in South Africa via SMS, voice calls (CATI or IVR), in-person (CAPI), mobile web, mobile application, and mobile-based focus groups. To learn more about our research capabilities in South Africa and beyond, contact us today.

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This article will evaluate the state of mobile penetration and uptake in Kenya, drawing from several data sources that examine mobile penetration, mobile internet usage, and mobile money. 

The Mobile Penetration Rate in Kenya

Gathering concrete data on Kenya’s mobile penetration rate is difficult, as independent studies define mobile penetration differently. However, using a combination of sources, we can approximate how prevalent mobile phones are in the market and how much mobile penetration is expected to grow over the coming years.

The World Bank’s pointer is mobile cellular subscriptions, which as per the latest data in 2019, places the figure at 104%. The Kenya Government’s Communications Authority defines mobile users by SIM penetration, and as of June 2020, reported a 119.9% mobile penetration, a 10% growth from the previous period. We must note that the extra penetration rate is driven, to no small extent, by the ownership of multiple SIM cards, as price-sensitive consumers take advantage of the different offers of the various mobile network providers.

GSMA defines mobile penetration by unique mobile subscribers to counter the drawback of counting total subscriptions, which stood at 59% in 2017. A study conducted by Pew Research in 2017 found that 80% of adults in Kenya reported owning a mobile phone, with 30% owning a smartphone and 50% owning a basic phone.

No matter how you look at it, Kenya’s mobile penetration is higher than the average of the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa and continues to snowball as more and more previously unconnected people, and regions in the country get access to mobile services. 5G technology is now being trialed in Kenya, and GSMA estimates that Kenya will have 7 million new mobile subscribers by 2025.  

Mobile Internet Usage in Kenya

In addition to the penetration of basic mobile services such as voice calls and SMS, it is essential to look at internet and smartphone penetration. Digital connectivity plays a vital role in transforming and improving lives, as it opens the door to employment, financial opportunities, and inclusion for people across the world. There has been a rapid growth in internet penetration in emerging regions over the last decade, with the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) forecasting that more than 90% of all new internet users will come from emerging markets.

For a country that relies so heavily on the mobile phone, it is not surprising that internet access skews towards mobile internet in Kenya. The Kenya Digital Report found that 97% of all internet users in Kenya access the internet on mobile phones, with Kenyans spending over four and a half hours every day using the internet on their phones. As a segment of the overall population, GSMA places the mobile internet penetration rate in Kenya at 27% of the people, representing one of the highest five-year growth rates in Africa.

The growth in mobile internet use in Kenya correlates with a rise in smartphone usage, driven by the emergence of cheaper smartphones and a relatively young population actively looking for information and connection online. This prevalence of smartphones has gradually made Kenya a favorite launchpad for several mobile-based services, including mobile money, targeting the region. 

M-Pesa and Mobile Money Usage in Kenya

It is difficult to talk about mobile in Kenya without discussing mobile money. Kenya leads the world in the adoption of mobile money services, which enable sending and receiving of money through mobile-based accounts, with 96% of households owning a mobile money account.

Mobile money in Kenya is almost synonymous with M-Pesa (which means mobile money in Swahili), which refers to the global market leader in mobile money, Safaricom’s M-Pesa. M-Pesa holds a nearly universal market share of 98.9% of the Kenya mobile money market. Since its launch in 2007, M-Pesa, and by extension other mobile money providers, have contributed positively to Kenyans’ financial inclusion. Transactions performed on mobile money providers include paying for commodities and services, taking out loans, opening savings accounts, making payments for government services, and betting, among others. In an otherwise severely unbanked population, 73% of adults were financially included in 2017; and of these financial account holders, 98% held mobile money accounts.

Mobile money is so crucial to Kenya’s economy, with at least 50% of Kenya’s GDP flowing through mobile money, that most mobile money transactions were zero-rated to shield citizens from the effects of COVID-19. In GeoPoll’s 2020 Year-End survey, we found that customers were using mobile money more frequently in 2020 than in the previous year, likely driven by COVID-19 and a desire to use contactless payment methods.

Conclusion

The mobile phone has become essential for day-to-day life around the globe. As more and more people worldwide get connected to phone services, regions experience growth as it becomes easier for information to flow and citizens to access banking and other essential services. Casting a glance at mobile penetration levels in different areas globally, it becomes clear that countries with better mobile access rates are typically economically stronger than countries with less connectivity. This may probably be one of the keys to inclusive growth globally, as is apparent in Kenya. The growth of mobile penetration in Kenya has led to increased employment and income generation, which manifests as more people get access to phones.

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GeoPoll, whose largest office is based in Nairobi, leverages the growing power of mobile to conduct surveys throughout Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. We reach people on their own mobile devices through SMS surveys, voice calls, and web-based methodologies and conduct in-person surveys recorded on mobile devices to reach those who do not have access to their own mobile phones. For more information on our mobile methodology, please contact us today.

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Nicolette Lok Interview

Roxana Elliott: Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today! Let’s get right into it – can you tell me a bit about your background before you came to GeoPoll?

Nicolette Lok: Of course, prior to joining GeoPoll I came from the telecom industry, and spent my whole telecom career in IT– first with Celtel in the Netherlands, then with Zain Group in Bahrain which sold its Africa operations to Airtel. In 2010 I moved to Nairobi with Airtel and was with them until I joined GeoPoll. At Celtel I started in IT support and then moved to program management, eventually leading the program management office for IT and becoming the IT Delivery Controller and Business Analyst to the CIO. My role included working with vendors such as IBM amongst others, on transformation programs, other IT strategic programs, and operational issues for 17 countries across Africa. Some of the projects I worked on were the post-paid billing system and airtime distribution platforms.

Roxana Elliott: How did you come to join GeoPoll after working in the telecom sector?

Nicolette Lok: I knew of GeoPoll and Mobile Accord (GeoPoll’s parent company) because GeoPoll had been working with Airtel integrating into their messaging and prepaid systems. I didn’t know much about market research but was very interested in GeoPoll’s goals around social impact and development, and was doing my MBA at the time and was interested in going to work for a startup.

Working in telecommunications in Africa, I had seen that one of the biggest drivers of actual change in terms of improving standards of living was the telecommunication companies and what they were doing by enabling communications and providing mobile money services and other tools that people didn’t have before. Knowing that GeoPoll was trying to use data to help people around the world was a big reason I joined.

RE: When you first came to GeoPoll what were you working on, and how has your role evolved?

NL: I came to GeoPoll in 2015 to help with GeoPoll’s integrations with the SMS messaging and prepaid billing systems for the mobile network operators we worked with. I helped reduce our turnaround time for adding new countries to our system, and soon Nick (Becker, GeoPoll’s current CEO and CTO at the time) approached me about taking on our TechOps and growing that team. Eventually I took over our survey operations as the teams all worked closely together, and worked to put processes and policies into place to drive further efficiencies within and between the teams. Now we have brought all of GeoPoll’s operational aspects under one umbrella, so I manage all of our survey and technology operations, including our product and QA teams.

RE: You definitely keep busy! Is there anything that has surprised you about working here?

NL: The eagerness and willingness everyone at GeoPoll has to make something work – coming from a large, bureaucratic company, there was a lot of red tape to getting things done. At GeoPoll I can give anything to our teams, both on the technology and operations side, and they will make it work. There’s very much a ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’ attitude, and it’s wonderful working with a team like that.

RE: Are there any favorite projects you’ve worked on at GeoPoll?

NL: Recently we did a complete redevelopment of our end user application. I knew we were capable of doing it but being able to start with a clean slate and collaborate with teams from product to tech and marketing on the overhaul was a great experience. It was a long journey but the learnings we got out of it were so valuable and we have improved the experience for our end users as a result.

RE: Where do you think the mobile technology industry is going, particularly in emerging regions?

NL: If you look in emerging regions, the lack of infrastructure means that mobile is even more important than in Europe and the Americas – people don’t have access to laptops as much, so your lifeline is your mobile phone. That reliance on mobile is true no matter where you are if you compare now to 10 years ago, but in Africa and Asia the mobile phone has opened up so many opportunities to connect with people and get access to services. Telecommunications companies have had to add so many value-added services to compete with each other, so now people have access to mobile money services, internet bundles, mobile farming services, and more – and all of this is happening in countries where access has typically been so difficult because of the lack of infrastructure. Who knows what mobile phones will look like in the future, but everything is moving to mobile in terms of personal development, access, and business services.

RE: Ok last questions: What are some things about yourself not everyone might know and what do you do outside of work?

NL: People always think I’m American but I’m actually half-Dutch and half-Chilean. I’m based in the Netherlands now but have always moved around a lot and didn’t really have one ‘home’ – I was born in Germany, and lived in Chile, Zimbabwe, Switzerland, Bahrain, and most recently Kenya. I love being outdoors, travelling and meeting new people, and going on hikes and walks with my dog Pablo.

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The Challenge of Gathering Mobile Penetration Data 

Although the mobile penetration rate in Asia has been increasing dramatically, it can be difficult to get accurate mobile subscriber and user numbers for the region. There are multiple factors that contribute to this difficulty including individuals having access to a phone they do not own, or people owning multiple SIM cards. An accurate count of subscribers in rural areas can be particularly challenging because counting non-users face-to-face may be impossible due to time and money. To get accurate data, some mobile penetration statistics rely in some part on numbers provided from mobile operators, as well as independent research projects. All of these factors can help account for the variation between different research sources. 

Current Mobile Penetration Rates in South Asia and Southeast Asia

To fully understand the data on mobile penetration rates in Asia, we must take a more granular view and consider statistics from specific parts of the region. Countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia provide a snapshot of this rapidly changing region.

Mobile Penetration in South Asia

Mobile penetration in South Asia varies between countries, with India having the highest reported access. The penetration rate in India was at 55% in 2018 and is projected to reach 63% by 2025. A 2018 Pew Research Center study looking at smartphone penetration found India to have a 40% rate of mobile phone ownership with a further 24% owning smartphones. Another source reported 26% smartphone penetration in 2018. While estimations may vary slightly, all show a strong growth trend.

A 2019 GSMA study on mobile internet specifically found the mobile internet penetration rate in India to be at around 35% the previous year. Bangladesh, the 5th largest mobile market in the region, had a mobile internet penetration rate of 22% in 2018 with Pakistan at 24%. Overall in South Asia, 33% of the population is connected to mobile internet, a number which has almost doubled since 2014. During these four years, an additional 50 million people have also gained access to mobile broadband coverage. 

Mobile penetration across South Asia will likely continue to grow in the coming years. South Asia has some of the most affordable access to coverage worldwide. Additionally,  significant infrastructure investments by 4G providers over the years can partially account for the growth in mobile penetration. 

Mobile Penetration in Southeast Asia

The countries in Southeast Asia have seen incredible growth in mobile penetration over the last few years. GSMA highlights Indonesia as an emerging digital economy giant and one of the top ten most improved countries since 2014. In 2017, there were 176 million unique mobile subscribers in Indonesia, which equated to a 64% penetration rate. This number is estimated to grow to a 69% penetration rate by 2025. Due to infrastructure growth, affordability of monthly data plans, increased higher education, and development of local content 25 million people started using mobile internet in one year. Two thirds of the country now own a mobile device. 

The  2018 Pew Research Center study on smartphone penetration reported 42% of the population had smartphones, with another 28% of people owning another type of mobile phone. A recent GSMA study calculates smartphone connection at 73% of total connections in Q3 of 2019. Young adults are particularly quick to adopt this technology. Only 17% of young adults (18-34yrs) owned a smartphone in 2013, but the Pew study cites a growth to 66% by 2018. 

The Philippines is another area in Southeast Asia that has seen significant growth in mobile penetration rates over the last several years. Startups are driving digital innovation in the country. A recent GSMA report on the mobile economy indicated 2018 mobile subscriber penetration at 64% of the population. Specifically for smartphones, the Pew Research Center cited 55% of adults are reported owning a smartphone, with another 22% owning another type of mobile phone. Of this 55% of adults who owned a smartphone, the largest percentage of these (74%) were young people ages 18-34. 

What is next for mobile penetration in Asia?

Mobile technology is increasingly essential for innovative businesses and international trade. Unsurprisingly, economic success is directly correlated to phone ownership. As a country’s mobile phone penetration increases, the economy becomes more successful. One commonality across Asia and other emerging regions is that younger people are more likely to have access to smartphones. 

We should continue to examine trends in mobile penetration, as well as smartphone and mobile internet adoption while simultaneously not discounting those who do not have access. GeoPoll leverages the growing power of mobile connectivity, while also utilizing face-to-face research modes in certain situations. We are able to reach all types of mobile devices and connectivity levels through SMS, voice calls, and web-based methodologies. 

For more information on our mobile methodologies, please contact us today.

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Despite high rates of smartphone adoption, South Africa is plagued by high data costs which have resulted in protests and fierce competition between the country’s leading mobile network operators including MTN and Vodacom. It has been found that data costs in South Africa are more expensive than those found in other sub-Saharan African nations including Kenya, Nigeria, and Ghana. In December 2019 a report by the Competition Commission highlighted the price disparities between countries, and stated that poorer customers are forced to buy smaller data packages due to cost, limiting their capabilities. Given that a majority of mobile users in South Africa are using mobile phones as their primary way to access the internet, the high costs of data remain a challenge for many.

In order to better understand how South Africans are using their phones, what features and applications they use most often, and how much they are paying for mobile services each month, GeoPoll conducted a study with 400 South Africans via mobile web link.

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That is a massive number of people, but it is important to note that growth is not coming equally from all regions of the world. For this reason, we will examine and compare the landscapes of mobile phone penetration in regions across the globe in this post.

Considerations when discussing mobile penetration

Throughout this post, we will take a look at mobile penetration in regions across the world. Seeing as mobile penetration can be interpreted as a few different concepts, for the purpose of this post it is defined as unique mobile phone owners.

It is important to keep in mind that methodologies for measuring mobile penetration are not perfect. In an ideal world, mobile penetration studies would be conducted through face-to-face data collection. Data collection of this nature on a global scale is incredibly costly and time-consuming. For this reason, publicly available studies on the topic present data that was gathered primarily from the mobile network operators themselves, which means a margin of error may be present.

Additionally, when discussing mobile penetration by region on a global scale, the statistics will show averages of mobile phone ownership rather than more granular views of where mobile penetration is concentrated or diluted. Furthermore, in certain areas of the world, there are complexities regarding mobile penetration—like societies where it is common to share a single mobile device with friends and family—that are not outlined with each presentation of statistics.

Projected Growth in Global Mobile Penetration

The quickest growth in mobile penetration is coming from Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific. In these regions, basic mobile technology is becoming increasingly accessible to the masses. This growth is not only because of technological development that occurred or structural changes that took place but also because of a phenomenon that has been referred to as “leap-frogging”.

In essence, regions that were low-tech 15-20 years ago are adopting mobile telecommunications technology today by purchasing low cost mobile phones. These mobile phones are only affordable options today due to years of technological development in regions like North America and China. Years of product development and research took the technology from expensive, bulky desktop computers to advanced handheld mobile devices. During that time, simple mobile phone devices became exponentially cheaper to produce, distribute, and use in locations without structure for wired technology. Today, populations in regions like Africa and Latin America have been able to leap-frog over the process of developing wired telephone networks and instead move toward digital inclusion by purchasing rather affordable mobile phones.

Mobile Penetration Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is still in the midst of stabilizing after economic struggles that have inhibited strong GDP growth in the past few years. Despite the lull in GDP growth, the digital exodus to mobile phone ownership in SSA has surged. In fact, the growth in the digital space in the region is significantly exceeding GPD growth.

As for the hard numbers, it has been predicted that the number of unique mobile subscribers will rise from the 641 million seen at close of 2018 to 871 million by the close of 2025, which is a 6% increase.

Mobile Penetration in North America

At the end of 2018, North America had 321 million unique mobile subscribers. By 2025, the penetration rate is expected to increase by 2% to 345 million unique mobile subscribers.

Mobile Penetration in the Middle East and North Africa

The mobile penetration in the Middle East and North Africa is on the lower end compared to other regions in the world but growing rapidly. At the close of 2018, there were 382 million unique mobile subscribers and that number is expected to rise to 5% by the close of 2025 to 459 million unique mobile subscribers.

Mobile Penetration in Latin America

It has been predicted that Latin America’s unique mobile subscribers will increase 6% from 416 million in 2018 to 484 million in 2025, which indicates that Latin America’s mobile phone market is one of the fastest growing markets in the world.

The growth in Latin America’s mobile phone market may be affected in the coming years by inter-industry competition of telecom operators and government regulations. Currently, there are large, international telecom companies competing with smaller, local telecom companies, which has garnered attention from national governments. Governments in certain countries have implemented regulations that hold larger telecom operators back from taking over the markets. Without large telecom companies, mobile phones may be costlier for users and inhibit the mobile penetration growth rate. Due to these complexities, only time will tell how the industry develops in the years to come.

Mobile Penetration in Europe

The mobile sector in Europe is anticipated to contribute 720 billion euros to the global GDP by the end of 2022. Already high adoption rates are expected to continue growing and reach 481 million by the end of 2025, which would be up 3% from the close of 2017.

Mobile Penetration in Eastern Europe & Russia

Mobile penetration is high in Eastern Europe & Russia. As of the end of 2018, there were 235 million unique mobile subscribers in the area. By 2025 only 2% growth is anticipated, which would bring the count of unique mobile subscribers up to 244 million.

Mobile Penetration in APAC

In contrast to the current growth seen in other regions in the world, like Sub-Saharan Africa, the growth of mobile phone penetration in APAC has slowed after years of rapid uptake. In 2018 there were 2.8 billion mobile subscribers in the Asia Pacific. The penetration rate of the region is anticipated to increase by 5% by 2025, meaning a total of 3.1 billion projected mobile subscribers in the region.

Mobile Penetration in China

China is expected to reach 1.2 billion mobile subscribers by 2025. If these projected numbers actualize, a 3% increase in penetration rate would be seen during the 7-year span from 2018 to 2025, which is one of the lowest projected growth rates when compared to other regions globally.

Takeaways

People around the world are becoming more connected through mobile phone technology than ever before. At GeoPoll, we are experts in utilizing that technology to remotely engage mobile phone subscribers in research projects in African, Latin American, and Asian markets. To learn more about how the mobile phone can help your organization answer research questions, contact us today.

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Mobile Internet Spread in Sub-Saharan Africa

Mobile Internet connectivity is strong—yet sporadic—in Sub-Saharan Africa, meaning certain populations have more penetration than others. For example, in SSA overall, there is a 23% penetration rate of mobile Internet users while Kenya’s penetration rate of mobile Internet users is at 83%. Nigeria is another area in SSA where mobile Internet penetration is high, while South Sudan is an example of a country that has not yet made such significant moves toward mass adoption of mobile Internet. The highs and lows of penetration rates in SSA fight each other when averaged so it is important to look at the populations in SSA individually to identify growth potential and thriving markets.

The spread throughout SSA of mobile Internet accessibility varies due to a handful of factors. Investment by telecoms impacts the accessibility and affordability of mobile Internet services, for example. Reliance on mobile money rather than physical cash can also guide more people in specific populations into prioritizing the monthly payments for data plans. Similarly, there are populations of people in SSA that are still new to mobile phones that have less access to the latest in technology, like rural populations. While there certainly has been substantial growth in mobile Internet usage, it will still take time before Internet connectivity is in the palms of everyone in SSA.

Smartphone Usage in Sub-Saharan Africa

Access of mobile Internet via smartphones

More than 90% of the population in SSA was covered by 2G networks at the end of 2017 and six new 4G networks launched in the first half of 2018. As such, GSMA estimates that there are presently 120 such networks in the region and they state that these new networks combined with the market of cheaper smartphones help drive the transition to mobile broadband in this region. Future projections are that 3G will account for 60% of all mobile connections by 2025.

Notable demographics

“Future growth opportunities will increasingly be concentrated in rural and low-ARPU (average revenue per user) markets, as well as younger demographic groups,” GSMA noted in their most recent report. As we discussed above, accessibility and affordability are large aspects in the growth of both smartphone and mobile Internet adoption. Younger populations that are opportunities for growth for smartphone use are also important to remember because Africa’s population is so young. “World Bank data indicates that around 40 percent of the population in the region is under the age of 16, a demographic segment that has significantly lower levels of mobile ownership than the population as a whole.”

Global Mobile Internet and Smartphones Usage

Mobile Internet Penetration

GSMA predicts that the global penetration rate of mobile Internet will be 61% of the population in 2025, versus the 43% that it was in 2017. This means a jump from 3.3 billion users in 2017, to 5.5 billion in 2025.

Present Day Mobile Internet Statistics

The prediction for 2025 of mobile Internet users topping five billion begs the question, where are we are today. As it sits, China has the highest number of mobile Internet users in the world, followed by India. In both countries, there’s a prominent link between urban populations and the usage of mobile Internet. Coming in third is the US, followed by Brazil. Oddly enough, Japan ranks fifth despite being the birthplace of the world’s first mobile Internet service, iMode back in the 1990s. Overall, there are currently over 3.5 billion mobile Internet subscribers worldwide, which represents about 47% of the world’s population.

Global Usage Growth of Smartphones

Today, it is estimated that more than 5 billion people have mobile devices. To put into perspective the rate of growth of smartphone users among mobile phone users, a median of 80% owned a mobile phone and only 27% owned a smartphone as recently as 2015. Over the course of the last three years, mobile phone ownership has held a steady growth rate, yet smartphones have taken a substantially larger share of mobile owners. Now, over half of mobile phone ownership is held by smartphones. Those smartphones accounted for 57% of connections to the Internet in 2017 and are predicted to top 77% of connections to the Internet if 2025.

General Summary

Smartphone and mobile Internet usage have, and will continue to, grow all across the globe. With smartphones being the primary source of connection to the Internet globally, the necessity of the devices will only become more demanding in years to come. In Sub-Saharan Africa, there are populations that are farther along in their adoption process than others, yet the process is moving rapidly. SSA is definitely a region to watch as the race to increase global mobile Internet penetration continues, especially as the youth in Africa come-of-age.

For more details on how GeoPoll can connect your organization with smartphone users across the globe through custom research projects, contact us today.

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