Number of mobile internet connections

In 2025, the number of mobile internet connections is estimated to reach 403.5 million, representing a marginal annual increase of 0.7% from the previous year. The rate of growth in mobile internet connections has notably decelerated as the market approaches saturation; nearly all potential consumers have already adopted smartphones or other connected devices. The transition to fifth-generation (5G) high-speed internet access has bolstered connectivity rates, but overall expansion is constrained by the mature state of the market. Increasing affordability of data plans and devices is helping maintain growth in the number of mobile internet connections, yet the scale of potential new users remains relatively low in the current year.

Between 2020 and 2025, the number of mobile internet connections expanded at an annualized rate of 1.8%. This period experienced progressively slowing year-on-year growth, with increases diminishing from 5.0% in 2020 to just 0.7% in 2025. Growth in this market had been driven by mobile device internet usage, which overtook personal computer (PC) usage several years prior, a macro trend that shifted internet consumption patterns and drove initial rapid adoption. However, the effect of this transition has largely played out by the start of the period, resulting in a plateauing growth path. The entry of lower-cost smartphones and competitive pricing in data services has continued to support linkages among late adopters, though the rate of adoption is restrained compared with previous years. Nonetheless, technological advancements, particularly the wider rollout of 5G networks, have added to growth in this market as web-enabled smart devices other than smartphones have slightly expanded the market for new mobile internet connections.

Macroeconomic factors, including steady increases in population and employment, contributed modestly to growth in mobile internet connections over the past five years. The proliferation of remote work and digital services, particularly in response to fluctuating labor market conditions, encouraged continued reliance on personal mobile devices. However, with the majority of the addressable market already connected, incremental gains have become more closely tied to changes in population and the replacement cycle for devices rather than first-time adoption. The impact of device substitution—individuals maintaining multiple mobile connections—remained limited in magnitude. Overall, during 2020 to 2025, the market transitioned from a high-growth environment to one marked by gradual increases in line with demographic and employment trends