The line graph illustrates the number of fixed-line and mobile telephone subscribers per 1,000 inhabitants in Africa between 1994 and 2004. Overall, the number of subscribers for both types of telephone increased over the period. However, while fixed-line subscriptions rose gradually, mobile phone usage grew dramatically, particularly towards the end of the period, and became considerably more popular by 2004.
In 1994, there were approximately 1.7 fixed-line subscribers per 1,000 inhabitants. This figure increased gradually throughout the period, reaching around 2 subscribers in the late 1990s and approximately 3.1 by 2004.
In contrast, mobile phone subscriptions experienced a much more dramatic increase. Starting from almost zero in 1994, the figure rose slowly during the second half of the 1990s before accelerating considerably after 2000. It reached around 4.5 subscribers per 1,000 inhabitants in 2002 and then climbed sharply to approximately 9 in 2004.
Consequently, mobile subscriptions overtook fixed-line subscriptions around 2001 and were almost three times as high by the end of the period.