International Telecommunications Union (ITU)

International Telecommunications Union (ITU): World Telecommunication Indicators Database (12^th edition 2008)

The World Telecommunication Indicators Database is one of the various data sources that have been used in IFs system for analyzing the size of the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector in economies. The World Telecommunication Indicators Database, launched by ITU, contains time series data for the years 1960, 1965, 1970 and annually from 1975-2007 for around 80 sets of telecommunication statistics and is categorized into telephone network size and dimension, mobile services, quality of service, traffic, staff, tariffs, revenue and investment. Selected demographic, macroeconomic, broadcasting and information technology statistics are also included. The database encompasses data for over 200 economies.  It can be purchased either in CD-ROM or in printed version. The ITU database is updated and revised approximately every three months. Detailed information about World Telecommunication Indicators is available at http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/publications/world/world.html

There are a total of 105 series with that begin with ICT; the majority of the series come from ITU (104), and World Bank (1). The series were updated in the first quarter of 2015 or earlier and need updating. I have attached an ITU.xlsx file.

Update Notes for Sept. 2024

The World Telecommunication/ICT Indicators Database was discontinued in 2024. All the data is now available free of charge on ITU DataHub. We only updated 6 out of 8 preprocessors.

As of right now, SeriesHouseholds and SeriesICTCYBICTDevelopmentIndexITU are not available on this new platform.

For ICTCYBICTDevelopmentIndexITU, the ICT Development Index (IDI) was discontinued in 2018, owing to issues of data availability and quality. However, there is a new ICT Development Index with the data for 2023 and 2024 available at https://www.itu.int/itu-d/reports/statistics/idi2024/ You can download it where it says "Download the IDI 2024 dataset (Excel)"

Series pulled from ITU

Copy Of DataDict

Table	Source	Last IFs Update	UsedInPreprocessorFileName
SeriesICTIntlBandwidthPerCap	ITU	2015/04/14
SeriesICTIntlBandwidth	ITU	2015/04/14
SeriesICTInternetHousehold%	ITU	2015/04/14	INFRA
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesInOperationITU	ITU - World Telecommunication Development Report	2010/08/25
SeriesICTPersonalComputers	ITU 2003	2005/01
SeriesICTPersonalComputersinEducation	ITU 2003	2005/01
SeriesICTInternetHostsITU	ITU 2003	2005/01
SeriesICTInternetUsersITU	ITU 2008	2008/12/17
SeriesICTTelecomEquipImports	ITU 2008	2008/12/31
SeriesICTTelevisionEquippedHouseholds	ITU 2008	2008/12/31
SeriesICTTelevisionSets	ITU 2008	2008/12/31
SeriesICTTelephoneCellSubscribersDigital	ITU 2008	2009/01/03
SeriesICTTelephoneCellSubscribersPre&PostPaid	ITU 2008	2009/01/03
SeriesICTTelephoneNatTrafficCalls	ITU 2008	2009/01/07
SeriesICTTelevisionCable	ITU 2008	2009/01/02
SeriesICTRadioEquippedHouseholds	ITU 2008	2008/12/24
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesInOperation	ITU 2008	2009/04/10
SeriesICTTelephoneNatTrafficMin	ITU 2008	2009/01/07
SeriesICTRadios	ITU 2008	2008/12/24
SeriesICTTelephoneSubscribersPer100	ITU 2008	2009/01/02
SeriesPopulationLargestCity	ITU 2008	2008/12/24
SeriesICTComputers	ITU 2008	2008/12/24
SeriesICTTelephoneCallsNatLongDistance	ITU 2008	2008/12/22
SeriesICTTelephoneCallsLocal	ITU 2008	2008/12/22
SeriesICTTelephoneIntCallsOut	ITU 2008	2008/12/16
SeriesICTTelephoneIntCallsIn	ITU 2008	2009/01/07
SeriesHouseholdsOld	ITU 2008	2009/01/07
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesUrban%	ITU 2008	2008/12/04
SeriesICTTelephoneAutomaticMainLines%	ITU 2008	2008/12/02
SeriesICTTelephoneMainlinesper1000	ITU 2008	2009/01/25
SeriesICTTelevisionSetsper1000	ITU 2008	2009/01/06
SeriesICTTelecomEquipExports	ITU 2008	2008/12/31
SeriesICTComputersper100	ITU 2010	2010/11/23
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesMajorCityTotal	ITU 2010	2009/01/06
SeriesICTInternetUsersITUper100	ITU 2010 Database	2010/10/13
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesPer100old	ITU 2010 Database	2010/10/13
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesPer1000	ITU 2010; 2010 is growth rate estimate	2011/08/08
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesPer100New	ITU 2011	2012/02/01
SeriesHouseholds	ITU 2011	2011/08/19	INFRA
SeriesICTTelephoneMobileCov%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneInvest	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneLocalPeakCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesEnElecAccess%Households	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneIntMinOut	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCallsMinutesNatLongDistance	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTPublicSwitchingExchCapacity	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellOffPeakCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTHomeSatelliteAntennas	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneIntMinIn	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneHousehold%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneFaultsClearedNextDay%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesWaitingList	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelevisionHousehold%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelecomInvest	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneFaults	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellConnectFee	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellMonthlyCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephonePercentDigital	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCircuits	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneResMonthlyCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneResLines%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetISDNChannels	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTRadioHousehold%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneBusMonthlyCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellPeakCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetCableModemSubscribers	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneMobileInvest	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneResConnectFee	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneTrafficMinutesIntlIncoming	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/02/03
SeriesICTTelecomFTStaff	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellSubscribers	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCallsMinutesLocal	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTMobileCommStaff	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTPublicPayphonesper1000	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetISDNSubscribersTotal	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTPublicPayphones	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelecomRevTotal	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellSubscribersPrePaid	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneTrafficMinutesIntlOutgoing	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/02/03
SeriesICTInternetFixedSubscribersPer100	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetFixedSubscribers	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneRevFixed	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetDSLSubscribers	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTInternetDialUpSubscribers	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTBroadbandSubscribersITU	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelecomFemaleStaff	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneLocalOffPeakCost	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTComputerHousehold%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28	INFRA
SeriesICTTelephoneRevMobile	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneBusConnectFee	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesHouseholdsITU2014	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTTelephoneCellHousehold%	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/01/28
SeriesICTBroadbandMobileSubsPer100	ITU 2014 BATCH PULL	2015/02/03	INFRA
SeriesICTTelephoneCellSubscribersPer100	ITU 2015	2016/05/18	INFRA
SeriesICTTelephoneLinesPer100	ITU 2015	2016/05/18	INFRA
SeriesICTBroadbandSubscribersPer100ITU	ITU 2015	2016/05/18	INFRA
SeriesICTDigitalAccessIndex	ITU available at http://www.itu.int/newsroom/press_releases/2003/30.html	2005/01
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecSubIndexOrganizationalITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecIndexITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecSubIndexCapacityBuildingITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecSubIndexLegalITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecSubIndexCooperationITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTCYBGlobalCybSecSubIndexTechnicalITU	ITU Global Cyber Security Index	2015/02/06
SeriesICTInternetISDNSubscribers	ITU World Telecommunications Indicators 2001	2005/01
SeriesICTCYBICTDevelopmentSubIndexAccessITU	ITU: Measuring the Information Society 2008, 2010-2014	2015/02/12
SeriesICTCYBICTDevelopmentIndexITU	ITU: Measuring the Information Society 2008, 2010-2014	2015/05/10	INFRA
SeriesICTCYBICTDevelopmentSubIndexUseITU	ITU: Measuring the Information Society 2008, 2010-2014	2015/02/12
SeriesICTCYBICTDevelopmentSubIndexSkillsITU	ITU: Measuring the Information Society 2008, 2010-2014	2015/02/12

Instructions on pulling ITU data

Step 1: Go to https://datahub.itu.int/query/

A. Choose the indicators that you need based on the "Name in Source" for each series below.

B. Select all countries.

C. Select years from 1990 to most recent year.

Step 2: Download the data by clicking download all indicators (csv).

Step 3: Sort the data into a format that can be imported into IFs by adding the ITU country concordance. Also sort data by seriesID and seriesCode to ensure the right data. In the DataDict the Source in Code goes like seriesID_seriesCode.

Issues to note

Kosovo and Korea, Democratic Republic are not covered in the ICTBroadbandSubscribersPer100ITU series. 

Kosovo is not covered in the three series.

Inconsistency: There have been variations in the appearance of zeros and nulls for SeriesICTBroadbandSubscribersPer100ITU. The current dataset has nulls, leading to the removal of zeros in the current update for SeriesICTBroadbandSubscribersPer100ITU.