Visualized: Telecommunications Investment by Country
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Key Takeaways
- The U.S. leads global telecommunications investment, with over $107 billion invested
- China ranks second at $59.1 billion, followed by Japan and Germany
The telecommunications sector is essential to modern communication and economic development, enabling everything from e-commerce to social networking.
Each year, telcos around the world spend billions on upgrading their infrastructure and services as they adapt to new technologies and the ever-growing demand for connectivity.
This infographic highlights the world’s top 20 countries by telecommunications investment using latest available data from the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). The ITU measures telecommunications investment as the capital expenditure by entities providing telecoms networks and services, in each financial year.
Which Countries Invest the Most in Telecoms?
The United States leads with more than $107 billion in telecoms investment, based on the latest available data from 2022. The country hosts some of the world’s largest telcos, including T-Mobile US, AT&T, and Verizon.
Here’s a look at the rest of the top 20 countries by investment in telecommunications:
| Country | Region | Total Investment in Telecoms (2023) |
|---|---|---|
United States*  |
North America | $107.3B |
China  |
Asia | $59.1B |
Japan*  |
Asia | $23.3B |
Germany  |
Europe | $16.2B |
India*  |
Asia | $16.1B |
France  |
Europe | $14.9B |
United Kingdom  |
Europe | $12.3B |
Canada  |
North America | $9.9B |
Iran  |
Middle East | $9.2B |
Italy  |
Europe | $7.1B |
Australia  |
Oceania | $6.5B |
South Korea  |
Asia | $5.9B |
Spain  |
Europe | $5.2B |
Brazil  |
South America | $5.1B |
Russian Federation  |
Asia | $4.4B |
Netherlands  |
Europe | $4.3B |
Saudi Arabia  |
Middle East | $4.1B |
Mexico  |
North America | $3.1B |
Switzerland  |
Europe | $3.0B |
*Data for the United States, Japan, and India is from 2022.
China, where state-owned enterprises dominate the sector, follows the U.S. with just over $59 billion in telecoms investment. The country’s largest telecom firm, China Mobile Ltd, has the world’s biggest customer base with over one billion subscribers.
Other Asian countries include Japan, at around $23 billion, and India, where the cost of mobile data is one of the lowest globally.
Additionally, seven of the top 20 countries are from Europe, reflecting the continent’s extensive networks and widespread 5G rollout. Germany leads European nations with $16.2 billion in telecommunications investment, and hosts the continent’s biggest telco, Deutsche Telekom. France ($14.9B) and the United Kingdom ($12.3B) are among the other large telecoms investors in Europe.
Learn More on the Voronoi App 
For more insights, check out this infographic on the Share of People Living in the Range of a 4G Network on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
