60 per cent of world has mobile phone

"I'm on the train" doesn't just affect us here in the UK

2 March 2009 17:40 GMT / By Stuart Miles

If you've got a mobile phone on your desk or in your pocket you are not alone, new research out on Monday suggests.

According to a new report by the International Telecommunication Union on behalf of the UN, six out of ten people around the globe now own a mobile phone.

The research shows cheap handsets in developing countries are pushing the numbers of mobile phone owners to a new high, as companies like Sony Ericsson and Nokia try and appeal to the entry-level market.

The number of subscriptions has also grown drastically from 1 billion in 2002 to an estimated 4.1 billion today, the International Telecommunication Union said.

But it's not just mobiles that are getting a massive growth spurt, according to the report, the Internet is experiencing success as more and more people turn online to find answers in their lives. It claims 23% of people on the planet used the Internet last year, up from 11% in 2002.

The 106-page report also ranked countries according to how advanced their use of information and communications technology (ICT) is.

Sweden came first with the UK just creeping into the top ten in tenth place.

Full tags

Phones, Mobile phones, Statistics