North America: Fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, North America's fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) rose 0.72 on 2024 (from 39.24 to 39.96).

Across the 26 yearly changes before that (1999 to 2024), the average change was +1.5 and a typical year strayed about 1.09 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.7 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 4.55 in 2005. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about 0.88 a year. A straight line explains 98% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

A straight-line projection, tested first

Extending that straight line gives about 42.79 for 2028. We show this only because the same method, fitted on earlier years, predicted 2023 to 2025 better than "no change" would have: its average miss was 0.11, against 1.28 for assuming no change. Treat it as a continuation of the recent pattern, not a forecast of events: it cannot see a recession, a policy change or a revision to the data.

See how a linear trend forecast works and the guide on forecasting without fooling yourself.

How it compares

See how every economy compares in the full ranking.

What this measures

Fixed broadband subscriptions refers to fixed subscriptions to high-speed access to the public Internet (a TCP/IP connection), at downstream speeds equal to, or greater than, 256 kbit/s. This includes cable modem, DSL, fiber-to-the-home/building, other fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions, satellite broadband and terrestrial fixed wireless broadband. This total is measured irrespective of the method of payment. It excludes subscriptions that have access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile-cellular networks. It should include fixed WiMAX and any other fixed wireless technologies. It includes both residential subscriptions and subscriptions for organizations.

Limitations: Data are collected by national statistics offices through household surveys. Because survey questions and definitions differ, the estimates may not be strictly comparable across countries. Fixed broadband Internet includes cable modem, DSL, fibre and other fixed broadband technology (such as satellite broadband Internet, Ethernet LANs, fixed-wireless access, Wireless Local Area Network, WiMAX etc.). Subscribers with access to data communications (including the Internet) via mobile cellular networks are excluded. Advertised and real speeds can differ substantially.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 28 values

Fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) in nearby economies

• Afghanistan — 0.08 (2023)
• Algeria — 13.32 (2024)
• Bahrain — 16.99 (2024)
• Djibouti — 1.47 (2023)
• Egypt, Arab Rep. — 11.69 (2024)
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 12.06 (2024)
• Iraq — 17.63 (2024)
• Israel — 29.18 (2024)
• Jordan — 7.02 (2024)
• Kuwait — 1.01 (2023)

More infrastructure data for North America

• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 89 million (2025)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 23 (2025)
• ICT service exports (% of service exports, BoP) — 8.96% (2025)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 10.35 million (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 44,799 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 1.03 billion (2023)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 434 million (2025)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 112 (2025)
• ICT service exports (BoP, current US$) — US$126.52 billion (2025)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is North America's fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people)?

39.96 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1998?

It is up 14,354% from 0.28 in 1998 (20.23% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 39.96 in 2025 and the lowest 0.28 in 1998.

Is the latest change in fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) unusual for North America?

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IT.NET.BBND.P2, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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