From social media to online shopping, modern life runs on connectivity. Behind that seamless experience sits a massive, often invisible network of infrastructure, fiber optic cables, data centers, cellular towers, built and maintained by the world’s telecommunications providers.
To keep pace with growing demand and quick shifts in technology, telecom companies pour billions into upgrading their networks each year. These investments form the backbone of the digital economy, enabling everything from mobile banking to video calls.
A recent dataset from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) breaks down which countries are spending the most on telecommunications. The numbers reflect capital expenditures by providers of mobile and broadband services, including everything from infrastructure builds to network maintenance.
U.S. and China Dominate the Field
The United States tops the global rankings with over $107 billion in telecom investment, based on the latest figures from 2022. That level of spending reflects the scale of the American telecom market, home to giants like Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T, all of which operate across vast geographies and serve millions of customers.
China follows with an estimated $59.1 billion in spending in 2023. Its telecom sector remains largely state-controlled, with China Mobile, serving more than a billion subscribers, leading the charge. Massive government-backed infrastructure projects and aggressive 5G rollout plans have kept investment high.
Asia’s Other Big Spenders
Japan and India round out the top four. Japan reported $23.3 billion in telecom investment, while India, despite offering some of the world’s cheapest mobile data rates, saw expenditures of $16.1 billion. Both countries have seen surging demand for mobile connectivity and digital services in recent years.
Europe’s Share of the Pie
Seven of the top 20 investing countries are in Europe, where widespread adoption of 5G and dense urban infrastructure continue to drive capital spending. Germany leads the continent with $16.2 billion invested, followed closely by France at $14.9 billion and the UK at $12.3 billion. Major European players like Deutsche Telekom and Orange have expanded aggressively within and beyond the continent.
Other notable entries in the top 20 include Canada ($9.88B), Iran ($9.16B), and Australia ($6.47B), highlighting a wide global distribution of telecom spending.
Why It Matters
Telecom investment goes far beyond faster downloads and smoother video calls, serving as the foundation for critical services in healthcare, education, logistics, and finance. Countries that invest heavily in this sector position themselves to compete globally in areas such as cloud computing, AI integration, and digital commerce.
While spending amounts vary widely, ranging from over $100 billion in the U.S. to just a few thousand dollars in smaller or low-income nations, the global telecom landscape continues to evolve. As more of the world moves online, the countries leading these investments will likely set the pace for future innovations in connectivity and digital infrastructure.
| Economy | Value | Year |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $107B | 2022 |
| China | $59.1B | 2023 |
| Japan | $23.3B | 2022 |
| Germany | $16.2B | 2023 |
| India | $16.1B | 2022 |
| France | $14.9B | 2023 |
| United Kingdom | $12.3B | 2023 |
| Canada | $9.88B | 2023 |
| Iran (Islamic Republic of) | $9.16B | 2023 |
| Italy | $7.05B | 2023 |
| Australia | $6.47B | 2023 |
| Korea (Rep. of) | $5.87B | 2023 |
| Spain | $5.22B | 2023 |
| Brazil | $5.11B | 2023 |
| Indonesia | $5.04B | 2018 |
| Russian Federation | $4.44B | 2023 |
| Netherlands | $4.33B | 2023 |
| Saudi Arabia | $4.09B | 2023 |
| Mexico | $3.07B | 2023 |
| Switzerland | $3.04B | 2023 |
| Belgium | $2.72B | 2023 |
| Poland | $2.64B | 2023 |
| Türkiye | $2.21B | 2023 |
| Thailand | $2.06B | 2014 |
| Argentina | $1.89B | 2018 |
| Taiwan, Province of China | $1.88B | 2023 |
| Nigeria | $1.84B | 2022 |
| South Africa | $1.84B | 2023 |
| Colombia | $1.74B | 2009 |
| Norway | $1.69B | 2022 |
| Philippines | $1.68B | 2014 |
| Egypt | $1.55B | 2023 |
| Denmark | $1.53B | 2023 |
| United Arab Emirates | $1.43B | 2023 |
| Chile | $1.38B | 2023 |
| Sweden | $1.27B | 2023 |
| Malaysia | $1.14B | 2023 |
| Israel | $1.11B | 2022 |
| Greece | $1.09B | 2023 |
| Ireland | $1.09B | 2023 |
| Peru | $1.04B | 2023 |
| New Zealand | $991M | 2023 |
| Portugal | $916M | 2023 |
| Czech Republic | $878M | 2023 |
| Viet Nam | $871M | 2023 |
| Austria | $854M | 2023 |
| Serbia | $844M | 2023 |
| Hong Kong, China | $835M | 2022 |
| Morocco | $825M | 2023 |
| Finland | $770M | 2023 |
| Algeria | $755M | 2023 |
| Pakistan | $724M | 2023 |
| Singapore | $660M | 2022 |
| Oman | $624M | 2023 |
| Uzbekistan | $567M | 2023 |
| Romania | $562M | 2023 |
| Kenya | $551M | 2023 |
| Hungary | $523M | 2022 |
| Croatia | $521M | 2023 |
| Ukraine | $517M | 2023 |
| Ethiopia | $497M | 2022 |
| Sudan | $480M | 2014 |
| Dem. Rep. of the Congo | $458M | 2023 |
| Jordan | $431M | 2023 |
| Angola | $414M | 2023 |
| Côte d'Ivoire | $403M | 2023 |
| Lebanon | $390M | 2015 |
| Slovakia | $378M | 2023 |
| Bulgaria | $372M | 2023 |
| Qatar | $337M | 2023 |
| Slovenia | $334M | 2023 |
| Ecuador | $312M | 2013 |
| Panama | $312M | 2023 |
| Bangladesh | $295M | 2021 |
| Dominican Rep. | $295M | 2023 |
| Myanmar | $290M | 2021 |
| Iraq | $278M | 2017 |
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | $271M | 2021 |
| Ghana | $270M | 2021 |
| Cuba | $266M | 2018 |
| Sri Lanka | $254M | 2023 |
| Costa Rica | $249M | 2023 |
| Yemen | $243M | 2009 |
| Belarus | $243M | 2023 |
| Honduras | $241M | 2023 |
| Senegal | $235M | 2023 |
| Benin | $231M | 2023 |
| Azerbaijan | $230M | 2023 |
| Cambodia | $225M | 2023 |
| Cameroon | $224M | 2023 |
| El Salvador | $216M | 2016 |
| Uruguay | $216M | 2016 |
| Bahrain | $213M | 2023 |
| Uganda | $205M | 2011 |
| Tunisia | $198M | 2023 |
| Kuwait | $195M | 2023 |
| Zambia | $185M | 2023 |
| Cyprus | $182M | 2022 |
| Mauritius | $179M | 2012 |
| Mali | $170M | 2021 |
| Kazakhstan | $165M | 2022 |
| Zimbabwe | $160M | 2018 |
| Tanzania | $160M | 2021 |
| Paraguay | $148M | 2023 |
| Madagascar | $145M | 2023 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | $131M | 2023 |
| Estonia | $128M | 2023 |
| Luxembourg | $126M | 2022 |
| French Polynesia | $122M | 2018 |
| Lithuania | $121M | 2023 |
| Jamaica | $118M | 2013 |
| Latvia | $109M | 2023 |
| Congo (Rep. of the) | $108M | 2011 |
| Mauritania | $107M | 2023 |
| Mongolia | $97.5M | 2023 |
| Togo | $96.1M | 2023 |
| Georgia | $94.4M | 2023 |
| Mozambique | $94.2M | 2022 |
| Armenia | $93.9M | 2023 |
| Burkina Faso | $91.1M | 2020 |
| Iceland | $89.7M | 2023 |
| Montenegro | $82.5M | 2023 |
| Moldova | $80.6M | 2023 |
| Kyrgyzstan | $78.4M | 2023 |
| Trinidad and Tobago | $76.4M | 2023 |
| Chad | $75.7M | 2022 |
| Niger | $74.4M | 2022 |
| Bahamas | $74.2M | 2023 |
| Botswana | $71M | 2022 |
| Brunei Darussalam | $69.1M | 2023 |
| Papua New Guinea | $65.4M | 2000 |
| North Macedonia | $63.5M | 2023 |
| Malta | $57.6M | 2012 |
| Rwanda | $56.4M | 2023 |
| Syrian Arab Republic | $55.2M | 2013 |
| Namibia | $54.3M | 2023 |
| Guinea | $53.7M | 2018 |
| Albania | $45.6M | 2023 |
| Eritrea | $43.1M | 2013 |
| Afghanistan | $40.3M | 2022 |
| Macao, China | $39.7M | 2023 |
| New Caledonia | $37.6M | 2000 |
| Bhutan | $37.3M | 2023 |
| Fiji | $35.6M | 2020 |
| Malawi | $33.9M | 2022 |
| South Sudan | $31.1M | 2019 |
| Barbados | $30.9M | 2018 |
| Seychelles | $29.3M | 2023 |
| Djibouti | $28.8M | 2023 |
| Nepal (Republic of) | $25.2M | 2003 |
| Aruba | $24.6M | 2008 |
| Liechtenstein | $21.4M | 2023 |
| Cayman Islands | $21.2M | 2017 |
| Jersey | $18.5M | 2000 |
| Gabon | $18.2M | 2005 |
| Saint Lucia | $18.2M | 2018 |
| State of Palestine | $17.8M | 2018 |
| Cabo Verde | $16.6M | 2023 |
| Maldives | $14.8M | 2004 |
| Guyana | $14.6M | 2017 |
| Belize | $14M | 2012 |
| Timor-Leste | $13.9M | 2009 |
| Eswatini | $13.8M | 2022 |
| Monaco | $13.1M | 2019 |
| British Virgin Islands | $12.1M | 2018 |
| Central African Rep. | $11M | 2019 |
| Bermuda | $10.7M | 2004 |
| Lesotho | $7.59M | 2023 |
| Guernsey | $7.37M | 2000 |
| Grenada | $7.28M | 2014 |
| Turkmenistan | $7.27M | 2002 |
| Tajikistan | $6.53M | 2003 |
| Dominica | $5.83M | 2017 |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | $5.52M | 2020 |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | $5.24M | 2017 |
| Samoa | $4.96M | 2017 |
| Tonga | $4.47M | 2018 |
| Suriname | $4.09M | 2023 |
| Nicaragua | $3.45M | 2023 |
| Sao Tome and Principe | $3.05M | 2023 |
| San Marino | $2.74M | 2007 |
| Gambia | $2.64M | 2018 |
| Burundi | $2.53M | 2023 |
| Comoros | $1.85M | 2023 |
| Micronesia | $1.74M | 2006 |
| Kiribati | $1.21M | 2023 |
| Palau | $1.12M | 2015 |
| Falkland (Malvinas) Is. | $909K | 2002 |
| Liberia | $384K | 2013 |
| St. Helena | $162K | 2014 |
| Venezuela | $62.5K | 2018 |
| Guinea-Bissau | $29.6K | 2023 |
| Lao P.D.R. | $15.7K | 2017 |
| Solomon Islands | $9.50 | 2016 |
| Vanuatu | $0.00 | 2018 |
Note: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools.
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