Smartphone penetration in SA surpasses 90%

According to the 2020 State of the ICT Sector report, the influx of mid- to low-cost smartphone brands in South Africa has resulted in smartphone penetration jumping to 91,2% in 2019.

• This figure represents a 9.5% increase from 2018 to 2019
• Just four years ago, that figure was 43.5%
• ICASA recorded 53.4-million smartphone subscriptions as at 30 September 2019, up by more than 6-million since 2018
• Total mobile cellular phone voice subscriptions increased by 5.7% from 91-million in 2018 to 96 million in 2019
• 82-million (85%) are on prepaid subscriptions, while 14-million (15%) are on contract
• Total prepaid mobile phone subscriptions in urban areas was at 77.5-million in 2019, with postpaid subscriptions at 13.7-million
• In rural areas, prepaid mobile phone subscriptions were at 4.7-million to just over 885 000 postpaid
• Mobile cellular data subscriptions increased by 18.8% from 65-million in 2018 to 78 million in 2019
• Fixed-line voice subscriptions decreased by 38% from 4.4-million in 2018 to 2.7-million in 2019
• Fibre-to-the-home/building Internet subscriptions increased by 28.8% for the same period
• Wireless broadband subscriptions increase by 25% from 185 327 in 2018 to 231 687 in 2019
• The national population coverage for 3G increased from 99.5% in 2018 to 99.7% in 2019
• 4G/LTE coverage increased from 85.7% in 2018 to 92.8% in 2019