How Many Phone Numbers Are There? (2023 Statistics)

Last updated June 5, 2023

Read our data rich article to find out how many phone numbers there are in the world, which countries have the most phone numbers, and some insights relating to phone numbers and how they work.

• This article will give you information on how many phone numbers there are in existence, by country, and in a general global sense.

• You can find out how many landline numbers there are versus mobile numbers.

• The article will also inform you about how many phone numbers a person can have, and whether you can keep the same phone number forever.

Note: The data for phone number quantities has been taken from the number of phone line subscriptions (fixed line and mobile) in any given year, assuming that the number of subscriptions is equal to active phone numbers. For maximum phone number quantities, SellCell has calculated the quantity of maximum phone numbers based on the North American NANP formatting. This comprises the numbering plan area code, the central office code, and the line number.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in the World?

Obviously there is going to be a massive quantity of numbers across the entire world. SellCell has looked at these numbers based on mobile phone subscriptions. It has also analysed fixed line (landline) subscriptions, and a combination of both. If you want to know how many phone calls we make each day, then check SellCell’s phone call quantity report.

Fixed Line Subscriptions Worldwide

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS WORLDWIDE (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	975
2001	1035
2002	1084
2003	1136
2004	1204
2005	1243
2006	1261
2007	1254
2008	1249
2009	1254
2010	1229
2011	1202
2012	1179
2013	1142
2014	1095
2015	1032
2016	995
2017	971
2018	959
2019	930
2020	908
2021	884

• The above data illustrates that in 2000, there were 975 million fixed telephone line subscriptions worldwide. As each one has its own assigned number, this means that there were also 975 million fixed line numbers that year.
• Fixed line numbers peaked in 2006, when there were 1.26 billion numbers recorded in existence. By 2010, this figure reduces to 1.22 billion.
• By 2021, the number of fixed lines has reduced to 884 million, lower than it was in 2000. This reduction in the quantity of fixed line numbers is likely correlated with the increase in mobile phone numbers, as people replace the former with the latter.

Mobile Cellular Subscriptions Worldwide

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS WORLDWIDE (1993-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
1993	34
1994	56
1995	91
1996	145
1997	215
1998	318
1999	492
2000	740
2001	962
2002	1159
2003	1418
2004	1765
2005	2205
2006	2745
2007	3368
2008	4030
2009	4640
2010	5290
2011	5890
2012	6261
2013	6661
2014	6996
2015	7152
2016	7481
2017	7724
2018	7997
2019	8296
2020	8335
2021	8648

• In 2000, compared to fixed line numbers, there were 740 million mobile phone subscriptions. This meaning that there would have been the equivalent number of phone numbers; 740 million.
• This figure has increased year-on-year. By 2016, the number of mobile phone numbers has increased to 7.48 billion, over ten times its 2000 figure.
• By 2021, we have 8.65 billion mobile phone numbers; almost ten times the number of fixed line numbers in existence that same year. This shows that people have almost certainly swapped their fixed landline for mobile phones.
• This is likely due to the multiple modes of communication mobile phones offer, including text messaging and instant message app services. SellCell’s text message quantity report will tell you how many messages we send every day (it is A LOT).

TOTAL TELEPHONE SUBSCRIPTIONS WORLDWIDE (2000-2021)
	Total subscriptions
2000	1715
2001	1997
2002	2243
2003	2554
2004	2969
2005	3448
2006	4006
2007	4622
2008	5279
2009	5894
2010	6519
2011	7092
2012	7440
2013	7803
2014	8091
2015	8184
2016	8476
2017	8695
2018	8956
2019	9226
2020	9243
2021	9532
*Fixed telephone line and mobile cellular subscriptions

• On to the total number of phone numbers in the world. In 2000, there were 1.72 billion phone numbers in existence, combining fixed line and mobile phone numbers.
• This has steadily increased year-on-year, despite the number of fixed line numbers steadily reducing since 2010.
• As of 2021, the total number of telephone subscriptions worldwide stands at 9.53 billion (a figure mainly comprising the 8.65 billion mobile phone numbers in existence).

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in Each Region?

Breaking the quantity of telephone numbers down by region, we begin to get an idea of how many numbers we have in each geographical territory.

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS BY REGION (2005-2021)
	Africa	The Americas	Arab States	Asia & Pacific	CIS	Europe
2005	10	291	30	559	52	285
2006	11	284	31	577	56	286
2007	11	278	33	579	58	278
2008	12	287	35	567	59	275
2009	13	277	34	571	60	282
2010	12	274	35	553	60	278
2011	12	269	35	537	59	272
2012	11	266	35	528	58	265
2013	10	259	33	504	56	262
2014	10	252	30	476	55	256
2015	10	249	30	439	51	251
2016	11	245	32	412	48	246
2017	11	235	33	403	47	241
2018	9	226	35	392	45	236
2019	8	215	37	384	42	229
2020	8	210	41	372	41	223
2021	7	202	43	362	38	214

• As we can see, the figures for 2005 above show that Europe has 285 million fixed line subscriptions, the Americas has 291 million, Asia and Pacific has 559 million, Arab States have 30 million, and CIS holds 52 million.
• By 2021, those figures have mostly fallen across the board. Europe has 214 million, the Americas has 202 million, Asia and Pacific has 362 million, and CIS has 38 million. Only the Arab States have an increase, to 43 million.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS BY REGION (2005-2022)
	Africa	The Americas	Arab States	Asia & Pacific	CIS	Europe
2005	87	459	84	833	135	581
2006	129	553	125	1074	177	661
2007	174	649	174	1398	209	735
2008	246	741	213	1773	254	771
2009	299	809	264	2164	297	771
2010	366	881	312	2625	318	761
2011	441	952	352	3029	300	783
2012	510	995	382	3234	306	800
2013	581	1043	408	3463	319	814
2014	644	1093	415	3681	323	809
2015	714	1103	419	3778	325	809
2016	714	1114	417	4094	329	808
2017	725	1104	417	4331	331	812
2018	783	1124	416	4497	333	810
2019	835	1049	420	4705	354	814
2020	894	1045	423	4704	351	811
2021	912	1093	422	4772	362	824
2022	985	1120	444	4838	362	832

• Mobile cellular subscriptions are totally different, in all cases the quantity of mobile cellphone numbers has increased irrespective of region.
• Europe starts with 581 million in 2005, raising to 832 million by 2022.
• CIS starts with 135 million in 2005, which raises to 362 million as of 2022.
• Asia and Pacific has an astronomical increase, from 2005’s 833 million to 2022’s 4.8 billion.
• The Arab States increase from 84 million in 2005 to 444 million in 2022.
• The Americas has 459 million in 2005, and by 2022 has 1.1 billion mobile telephone numbers.
• Africa starts with 87 million in 2005, and by 2022 it has 985 million. So Africa is likely to tip the billion mark in 2023.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in the US?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	192.51
2001	191.57
2002	189.25
2003	182.93
2004	177.69
2005	175.16
2006	167.46
2007	158.42
2008	162.76
2009	152.87
2010	149.65
2011	143.32
2012	138.6
2013	133.23
2014	128.5
2015	124.85
2016	121.34
2017	116.3
2018	110.33
2019	106.63
2020	103.05
2021	97.11

• As of 2021, there are 97.1 million fixed telephone line numbers in the United States, which is equal to the number of fixed telephone lines.
• This is a dramatic decrease since 2000, when there were 192.5 million telephone numbers in the United States.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	109.48
2001	128.5
2002	141.8
2003	160.64
2004	184.82
2005	203.7
2006	229.6
2007	249.3
2008	261.3
2009	274.28
2010	285.12
2011	297.4
2012	304.84
2013	310.7
2014	322.6
2015	332.1
2016	338.24
2017	340.11
2018	348.24
2019	355.76
2020	352.52
2021	361.66

• In 2000, the number of mobile cellphone subscriptions in the US stood at 109.5 million. Since then, that number has increased annually.
• By 2006 the quantity of mobile phone number in the US has more than doubled the 2000 figure, reaching 229.6 million.
• As of 2021, the USA has 361.7 million mobile phone numbers. The figure for 2023 is likely to be even higher.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in the UK?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (2000-2020)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	35.23
2001	34.58
2002	34.74
2003	34.55
2004	34.58
2005	34.07
2006	33.85
2007	33.46
2008	34.19
2009	33.51
2010	33.41
2011	33.25
2012	33.2
2013	33.38
2014	33.24
2015	33.21
2016	33.63
2017	31.77
2018	31.51
2019	32.4
2020	32.08

• The UK, in 2000, had 35.2 million fixed telephone line subscriptions, which means it had an equal number of phone numbers for fixed lines.
• This number fell to 33.5 million by 2007, but saw a slight uptick to 34.19 million in 2008. By 2020 the quantity of fixed line numbers in the UK has dropped to 32.1 million.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	43.45
2001	46.28
2002	49.23
2003	54.26
2004	59.69
2005	65.47
2006	70.08
2007	73.84
2008	74.94
2009	76.48
2010	76.73
2011	77.16
2012	78.33
2013	78.67
2014	78.46
2015	79.25
2016	78.93
2017	79.1
2018	78.89
2019	80.7
2020	79.01
2021	79.77

• The UK ended 2000 with a total of 43.5 million mobile subscriptions. Therefore, it would have had the equivalent quantity of mobile cellphone numbers.
• Between 2009 and 2020 the quantity of cellphone numbers hovers between 76.5 and 79.0 million. It reached 79.8 million by the end of 2021.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in China?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN CHINA (2010-2022)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2010	294.38
2011	285.12
2012	278.15
2013	267
2014	249
2015	231
2016	207
2017	194
2018	182
2019	191
2020	182
2021	181
2022	179

• China’s quantity of fixed line numbers has dropped each year, starting at 294.4 million in 2010. By 2017, the quantity was even lower at 194 million.
• Since then, the quantity has dropped further, hitting 179 million by the end of 2022.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN CHINA (2000-2020)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	85.26
2001	144.82
2002	206.01
2003	269.95
2004	334.82
2005	393.41
2006	461.06
2007	547.31
2008	641.25
2009	747.21
2010	859
2011	986.25
2012	1112.16
2013	1229.11
2014	1286.09
2015	1291.98
2016	1364.93
2017	1469.88
2018	1649.3
2019	1746.24
2020	1696.36

• On the other hand, China’s quantity of cellphone numbers has grown astronomically since 2000, where it started with 85.26 million.
• By 2010, this number had increased tenfold to 859 million.
• In 2012, China broke the 1 billion mobile numbers mark, and at the end of 2020 had 1.7 billion cellphone numbers in use!

How Many Cellphone Numbers Are There in India?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN INDIA (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	32.44
2001	38.54
2002	41.42
2003	42
2004	46.2
2005	50.18
2006	40.77
2007	39.25
2008	37.9
2009	37.06
2010	35.09
2011	32.84
2012	30.94
2013	29.03
2014	27
2015	25.52
2016	24.4
2017	23.23
2018	21.87
2019	21
2020	20.05
2021	23.79

• India ended 2000 with 32.4 million fixed line subscriptions. This means there was the same quantity of fixed line numbers in use.
• This number peaked at 50.2 million in 2005, before declining year-on-year, reaching 23.8 million by the end of 2021.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN INDIA (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	3.58
2001	6.54
2002	13
2003	33.69
2004	52.22
2005	90.14
2006	166.05
2007	233.62
2008	346.89
2009	525.09
2010	752.19
2011	893.86
2012	864.72
2013	886.3
2014	944.01
2015	1001.06
2016	1127.81
2017	1168.9
2018	1176.02
2019	1151.44
2020	1153.77
2021	1154.62

• Obversely (and expectedly), the number of cellphone numbers has risen since 2000 in India, when it finished the year with 3.6 million mobile phone numbers.
• By 2021, India has amassed a huge quantity of mobile phone numbers, with the total reaching almost 1.2 billion by the end of the calendar year.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in Canada?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN CANADA (2000-2020)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	20.84
2001	21.13
2002	20.62
2003	20.61
2004	20.56
2005	18.15
2006	18.24
2007	18.28
2008	18.25
2009	18.71
2010	18.39
2011	18.27
2012	17.73
2013	16.92
2014	16.4
2015	15.61
2016	15.16
2017	14.47
2018	13.84
2019	13.42
2020	13.93

• Canada had 20.8 million fixed line numbers by the end of 2000, which rose to 21.1 million in 2001. It declined to 18.3 million in 2008.
• By the end of 2020 the quantity of fixed line numbers in Canada had dropped below 2000’s figure, reaching 13.9 million numbers.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN CANADA (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	8.73
2001	10.65
2002	11.87
2003	13.29
2004	15.02
2005	17.02
2006	18.75
2007	20.28
2008	22.09
2009	23.81
2010	25.83
2011	26.84
2012	27.72
2013	28.36
2014	28.79
2015	29.77
2016	30.75
2017	31.69
2018	33.21
2019	34.37
2020	32.36
2021	33.61

• In terms of mobile phone numbers, Canada closed out 2020 with 8.7 million numbers in total. This number has risen to an all-time high by 2019, hitting 34.4 million.
• By the end of 2021, this figure had dropped slightly to 33.6 million.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in Russia?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN RUSSIA (2000-2020)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	32.07
2001	33.28
2002	35.5
2003	36.1
*2004	38.5
*2005	40.1
2006	43.9
2007	45.22
2008	45.54
2009	45.38
2010	44.92
2011	44.15
2012	42.17
2013	40.47
2014	38.21
2015	35.55
2016	32.28
2017	31.95
2018	30.11
2019	27.67
2020	25.89
*As of October

• 2000 saw Russia closing the year out with a total of 32.1 million fixed line numbers, which actually rose to 45.5 million by the end of 2008.
• By 2020, the quantity had declined; Russia had just over half 2008’s total, with 25.9 million fixed line numbers in existence.

MOBILE CELLULAR SUBSCRIPTIONS IN RUSSIA (2000-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2000	3.26
2001	7.75
2002	17.61
2003	36.14
2004	73.72
2005	120
2006	150.67
2007	171.2
2008	199.52
2009	230.05
2010	237.69
2011	203.75
2012	208.07
2013	218.3
2014	221.03
2015	227.29
2016	229.13
2017	227.3
2018	229.43
2019	239.8
2020	238.73
2021	246.57

• As with most other countries, Russia sees a significant rise in mobile cellphone numbers between 2000 and 2021. The end-of-2000 figure stands at 3.26 million mobile phone numbers.
• By 2021, this quantity had reached a huge 246.6 million mobile phone numbers in use.

How Many Phone Numbers Are There in Indonesia?

FIXED TELEPHONE LINE SUBSCRIPTIONS IN INDONESIA (2011-2021)
	Number of subscriptions in millions
2011	5.38
2014	3.89
2018	2.65
2019	2.36
2020	2.24
2021	1.85

• Indonesia has a relatively small number of landlines or fixed line numbers. In 2011, it had 5.38 million numbers for fixed line phones.
• This number has fallen on an annual basis, reaching only 1.85 million fixed line numbers by the time 2021 ends.

Will We Ever Run Out of Phone Numbers?

In theory, it is possible to run out of phone numbers because there are a finite number of combinations for phone numbers. Each phone number consists of a specific sequence of digits, and there is a limit to how many unique combinations can be created with a given number of digits. Therefore, if we exhaust all possible combinations, we would run out of phone numbers.

To address the issue of running out of phone numbers, there are several potential solutions that have been considered. Here are two commonly discussed methods:

1. Adding additional area codes: Area codes are used to distinguish different geographic regions within a country. By introducing new area codes, we can expand the pool of available phone numbers. This method allows for more unique combinations by allocating different combinations of digits for each area code. However, there is a limit to the number of area codes that can be introduced before it becomes impractical or confusing for users.
2. Adding more digits: Increasing the number of digits in a phone number expands the potential combinations significantly. For example, if a phone number currently consists of 10 digits, increasing it to 11 or more digits would provide a larger pool of available numbers. However, this method poses practicality challenges as it requires changes to existing infrastructure, including updating phone systems, databases, and equipment. Additionally, it could cause confusion for users who are accustomed to a specific number of digits.

Both methods have their limitations and practicality issues. Adding additional area codes can become problematic when there are too many codes to remember or dial correctly. It may also lead to confusion when calling across different areas with different area codes. Similarly, adding more digits to phone numbers can cause inconvenience for users who are accustomed to a specific number of digits, and it requires significant updates to existing systems and websites that use the current numbering system for verification.

While running out of phone numbers is theoretically possible due to the finite number of combinations, implementing solutions like adding additional area codes or increasing the number of digits poses practicality challenges. As technology evolves, it is likely that new methods or approaches will be devised to address this issue more effectively. ²⁰

How Many Fixed Line/Landline Numbers Are There?

• There are currently (as of 2021) a total of 884 million landline numbers across the globe. This figure does not include premium rate numbers ².

How Many Mobile Phone Numbers Are There?

• Unlike fixed line numbers, mobile numbers have been increasing year-on-year. As of the end of 2021, there are 8.6 BILLION mobile phone numbers in existence ³.

How Many Phone Numbers Can One Person Have?

The number of phone numbers a person can have is not technically limited, as long as they are willing to pay the subscription fees associated with each number. In most cases, individuals are allowed to have multiple phone numbers if they desire, either for personal or business reasons.

Phone service providers offer various plans that allow customers to add additional lines or numbers to their accounts. Each line or number typically comes with its own subscription fee, which may vary depending on the provider and the specific features included.

Having multiple phone numbers can be beneficial for individuals who want to keep their personal and professional lives separate, manage different businesses, or maintain privacy for specific purposes. Some people also choose to have multiple phone numbers for different geographic locations, making it easier for them to communicate locally when they are away from their primary residence.

However, it’s important to note that while there may not be a technical limit to the number of phone numbers a person can have, there may be practical limitations based on affordability, managing multiple devices, and the complexity of handling multiple phone numbers effectively.

Essentially, as long as a person can afford the subscription fees associated with each number, there is no inherent restriction on the number of phone numbers they can have.

Can You Keep the Same Phone Number Forever?

Yes, it is possible to keep the same phone number forever, provided you met certain conditions. The ability to keep your phone number when switching service providers is typically governed by local regulations and the policies of the telecommunications industry in your country.

To keep the same phone number, you would need to follow a process called number portability. Number portability allows you to transfer your existing phone number from one service provider to another. This process ensures that you can maintain the same contact information even if you switch to a different carrier.

The specific requirements and procedures for number portability can vary by country and service provider. Generally, you would need to contact your new desired service provider and request to port your existing number. They will guide you through the necessary steps, which may include providing certain codes or information related to your current service provider.

It’s important to note that while number portability is generally supported, there may be certain limitations or restrictions in certain situations. For example, you may not be able to port a number between different services, such as landline to mobile or vice versa.

Additionally, there may be contractual obligations or fees associated with porting your number. It’s advisable to check with both your current and prospective service providers to understand the terms and any potential costs involved.

As long as you can fulfill the requirements for number portability, including having the relevant codes and following the necessary procedures, it is possible to keep the same phone number even when migrating to a new service provider ²¹.

How Many Phone Numbers Are Possible?

The American NANP (North American Numbering Plan) numbering format, which the United States, Canada, and various Caribbean countries use, provides a vast number of possible combinations. In this numbering format, phone numbers consist of a three-digit area code followed by a three-digit central office code, which is subsequently followed by a four-digit line number.

Using these cues, SellCell calculates that in the NANP system, there are almost 2.7 billion possible phone numbers. There are currently 335 area codes. There are also 7,919,900 combinations of central office code and local number. Therefore, if we multiply the two, we get a huge 2,653,166,500 potential phone numbers ²².

Give Me Your Number (But Not Your Landline)

As we can see, the rise of the mobile phone has contributed directly to the demise of the fixed line or landline number. With the quantity of mobile phone numbers growing each year, while the number of fixed lines declines, we may well reach a point where landlines are used only by businesses, before eventually phasing out entirely once new communication technology takes hold.

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