100 percent mobile cellular penetration in nearly 100 countries

In 2002, there were just two countries in the world — Israel and Luxembourg — with mobile cellular penetration of over 100 per cent. Now, 97 countries have achieved this mark, while 17 countries have crossed the penetration levels of 150 per cent.

According to statistics released by International Telecom Union (ITU), the UN body that governs issues related to global telecommunications, there are countries which crossed the 150 per cent mark include:

1. Kuwait,
2. Oman,
3. Russia,
4. Libya,
5. Vietnam,
6. Saudi Arabia,
7. Hong Kong and
8. Maldives

Mobile cellular penetration in the developing world reached 70 at the end of 2010 - just six years after reaching 70 percent in the developed world, according to ITU, with Africa clocking 45.2 per cent and Asia-Pacific 69 per cent. Europe registered 118 per cent and the Americas 94.5 per cent.

Internet spread

The number of Internet users is growing very fast globally. Internet penetration reached 30 per cent in 2010. In 2000, the penetration was below one per cent in 72 countries. After 10 years, there were only six countries that have less than one per cent penetration.

In 2010, almost two thirds of people in LDCs had mobile cellular coverage, and mobile cellular penetration had reached 34 percent - up from just 5 percent only five years earlier, and close to the global figure for 2005. In just two of the 49 LDCs was mobile penetration still below 5 percent in 2010, according to ITU data.

Internet user penetration in LDCs grew from 0.1 percent in the year 2000 to 4.6 percent in 2010. This is still far below the target set by the LDC III conference in 2001, of having 10 percent of people in LDCs online by 2010, however.