El Salvador Mobile Subscriptions
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 people IT.CEL.SETS.P2
El Salvador's mobile subscriptions was 192.88 in 2025, ranked 5th globally. This represents a 7.3% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1960–2025.
Overview
El Salvador's mobile subscriptions stood at 192.88 in 2025, a rise of +13.18 from 2023. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 192.88 by 2025. El Salvador ranked 5th globally.
El Salvador’s mobile‑subscription density has risen from zero in 1992, when the market was effectively nonexistent, to a record 192.88 per 100 inhabitants in 2025, placing the country fifth worldwide. This rapid expansion, achieved over 53 years of coverage, reflects a combination of liberalised telecom policy, aggressive infrastructure rollout and the early adoption of low‑cost smartphones, mirroring the steep growth experienced by Japan, which recorded 192.28 subscriptions per 100 people in the same year. While Montenegro’s 220.26 and Botswana’s 191.83 illustrate the upper bounds of saturation, El Salvador’s figure suggests near‑complete market penetration, with marginal room for additional growth in subscription counts. The trajectory is likely to continue upward modestly as 5G networks mature and underserved rural segments gain access, but any substantial increase will depend on the rollout of new services and the replacement of existing lines rather than a surge in the number of subscriptions per capita.
Data & projection
| Year | Mobile Subscriptions | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* trend | 197.77 | - | - |
| 2025* trend | 192.88 | - | - |
| 2025 | 192.88 | +13.18 | #5 |
| 2023 | 179.71 | −3.54 | #7 |
| 2022 | 183.25 | +6.28 | #7 |
| 2021 | 176.97 | +17.40 | #7 |
| 2020 | 159.58 | −7.51 | #10 |
| 2019 | 167.09 | +15.42 | #8 |
| 2018 | 151.67 | −0.87 | #14 |
| 2017 | 152.54 | −2.88 | #16 |
| 2016 | 155.42 | +4.47 | #14 |
| 2015 | 150.95 | +1.78 | #21 |
| 2014 | 149.17 | +2.69 | #19 |
| 2013 | 146.48 | +5.01 | #29 |
| 2012 | 141.46 | +4.91 | #33 |
| 2011 | 136.55 | +9.65 | #31 |
| 2010 | 126.90 | +1.80 | #36 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
El Salvador matched the Stagflation Risk pattern in 1989. Historically, 38% of countries showing this pattern (117 out of 307) saw mobile subscriptions improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
El Salvador's mobile subscriptions was 192.88 in 2025. Ranked 5th globally. This represents a 7.3% increase from the previous year.
El Salvador's mobile subscriptions peaked at 192.88 in 2025.
The lowest mobile subscriptions in El Salvador was 0.00 in 1960.
El Salvador ranks 5th globally in mobile subscriptions as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is IT.CEL.SETS.P2. Data sourced from World Bank.
El Salvador's mobile subscriptions is projected to reach 192.88 by 2025 based on trend extrapolation.
The mobile subscriptions of El Salvador in 2025 was 192.88. This ranks 5th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_el-salvador_mobile-subscriptions,
title = {El Salvador Mobile Subscriptions},
url = {https://historysaid.com/el-salvador/mobile-subscriptions/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}