The line graphs illustrate the trends in subscriptions to mobile and fixed telephone lines per 100 individuals across four nations—Eritrea, India, the United Kingdom, and Uruguay—over a decade from 2005 to 2015.
Overall, mobile phone subscriptions exhibited a significant growth trajectory, particularly in Uruguay and the UK, while fixed telephone subscriptions largely remained static, with notable disparities among the nations.
In terms of mobile phone subscriptions, the United Kingdom consistently led with a substantial increase from approximately 100 subscriptions per 100 people in 2005 to nearly 130 by 2015. Similarly, Uruguay demonstrated remarkable growth, escalating from about 50 to exceeding 150 subscriptions. In stark contrast, India’s mobile phone subscriptions rose modestly from nearly 10 to over 80, while Eritrea remained at the lower end of the spectrum, with subscriptions starting at almost zero and only reaching close to 10 by the end of the period.
Regarding fixed telephone subscriptions, the trends were markedly different. The United Kingdom maintained a stable subscription rate of around 60 per 100 people throughout the decade. Uruguay experienced a slight decline, from approximately 40 to 30 subscriptions, while India saw a dramatic decrease from near 10 to merely 2. Eritrea’s figures were the lowest, consistently at zero. This highlights a significant decline in the relevance of fixed telephony, particularly in the case of India and Eritrea, compared to the robust growth in mobile telephone subscriptions.