The line chart illustrates the number of people who used mobile and fixed line phones from 1995 to 2004.
Overall, there was an increase in the number of individuals using both communication services, with a significantly more pronounced rise in mobile phone usage. Notably, the year 2001 marked the point when the number of fixed line service users was surpassed by that of mobile phone users.
Focusing on fixed line services, only about 1.7% of residents in Africa used them in the first year; however, this figure gradually grew to just under 3% by 2001. Meanwhile, the percentage of mobile service users showed similar trends in the initial two years, but then experienced a rapid increase, rising from precisely 0.06% to reach 3% in 2001. Toward the end of the period, mobile services overtook fixed line services.
The proportion of African individuals using fixed lines continued to rise steadily, ultimately reaching a peak of 3.1% over the period. Mobile phone usage followed a similar trajectory, with its figure sharply climbing to 8.8% by the end of the period – a threefold increase from 2001 to 2004.
