People Who Make Voice or Video Calls via Internet by Country (%) – 2026

When you need to call someone, do you use traditional phone networks or internet-based apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Viber, or Zoom? Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calling has revolutionized global communication by making international calls affordable and accessible. This analysis examines how people across 93 countries use internet-based calling services including WhatsApp voice calls, Skype video calls, Viber messaging, iTalk, and other popular platforms, revealing significant differences in digital communication adoption that affect everything from family connections to business operations.

Why Voice and Video Calls via Internet Matter

Internet calling measures the percentage of people who make voice or video calls through internet applications rather than traditional phone networks. A rate of 70% means 70 out of 100 people use apps like WhatsApp calls, Skype video calls, Viber, Zoom meetings, or iTalk for calling, while 30 rely exclusively on traditional phone services. This technology enables free international calls, video communication, and group conversations that would be expensive or impossible with conventional phones.

People without internet calling capabilities face significant communication barriers. They pay high fees for international calls, miss opportunities for video conversations with distant family, and cannot participate in modern business communications that assume online calling capabilities.

People Who Make Voice or Video Calls via Internet by Country (%) – 2026

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#	Country	VoIP Call Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Bhutan BT	95%
2	Georgia GE	95%
3	Jamaica JM	95%
4	Jordan JO	95%
5	Paraguay PY	95%
6	Russia RU	95%
7	Saudi Arabia SA	95%
8	Uruguay UY	95%
9	Uzbekistan UZ	95%
10	United Arab Emirates AE	94.3%
11	Norway NO	93.8%
12	Mexico MX	93.7%
13	Bahrain BH	93.6%
14	Dominican Republic DO	93.1%
15	Malaysia MY	92.7%
16	Cyprus CY	92.5%
17	Hong Kong HK	91.5%
18	Bosnia and Herzegovina BA	91.4%
19	Lithuania LT	91.1%
20	Montenegro ME	90.5%
21	Singapore SG	90.1%
22	Chile CL	89.1%
23	Hungary HU	88%
24	Palestine PS	87.6%
25	Brazil BR	87.5%
26	Albania AL	87.2%
27	Switzerland CH	87%
28	South Korea KR	86.5%
29	Belgium BE	85.3%
30	Luxembourg LU	85.3%
31	Belarus BY	85.1%
32	Sweden SE	84.4%
33	Serbia RS	84.2%
34	Latvia LV	83.5%
35	Türkiye TR	83.5%
36	Denmark DK	83.2%
37	Malta MT	82.9%
38	Bulgaria BG	82.7%
39	Iceland IS	82.2%
40	Canada CA	81%
41	Netherlands NL	81%
42	Spain ES	79.9%
43	Slovakia SK	78.2%
44	North Macedonia MK	78.1%
45	Israel IL	77.4%
46	Estonia EE	76.8%
47	Croatia HR	76.5%
48	Greece GR	76.3%
49	Morocco MA	75.3%
50	Romania RO	75.2%
51	Finland FI	74.8%
52	Thailand TH	74.5%
53	Italy IT	74.1%
54	Iran IR	73.2%
55	Ecuador EC	73.1%
56	Germany DE	71.4%
57	Portugal PT	70%
58	Australia AU	68.1%
59	Austria AT	68.1%
60	Japan JP	67.9%
61	Iraq IQ	67.6%
62	Slovenia SI	67.4%
63	Kuwait KW	66.5%
64	Czech Republic CZ	64%
65	Poland PL	64%
66	New Zealand NZ	63.7%
67	France FR	63.3%
68	Egypt EG	59%
69	United Kingdom GB	58.7%
70	Mauritius MU	49%
71	Bangladesh BD	47.4%
72	Ireland IE	46.4%
73	Ukraine UA	40.8%
74	Colombia CO	40.5%
75	Algeria DZ	39.8%
76	Oman OM	37.9%
77	Brunei BN	37.2%
78	United States US	28.3%
79	Qatar QA	28%
80	Zimbabwe ZW	26.5%
81	Kazakhstan KZ	24.4%
82	Lesotho LS	19.2%
83	Moldova MD	19.1%
84	Pakistan PK	16.7%
85	Costa Rica CR	12.1%
86	Ivory Coast CI	11.4%
87	Cuba CU	10.3%
88	Azerbaijan AZ	8.3%
89	Malawi MW	5.3%
90	Botswana BW	4.3%
91	Senegal SN	3.5%
92	Kenya KE	0.2%

Global Leaders in Internet Calling

Several countries show exceptionally high internet calling usage rates, indicating populations that have fully embraced online communication. Bahrain leads with 93.3% (2023), followed by United Arab Emirates (93.1%) and several European nations exceeding 85%. These countries combine excellent internet infrastructure with populations comfortable using WhatsApp calls, Skype video conferencing, Viber messaging, and other digital communication tools.

Nordic and Eastern European countries excel in internet calling adoption: Estonia (89.2%), Lithuania (88.4%), and Latvia (87.1%) all show high usage rates. These nations invested in digital infrastructure early and have populations that readily adopt new communication technologies, often driven by the need for affordable international calling.

Countries Lagging in Internet Calling

Many countries show internet calling rates below 30%, indicating populations that primarily rely on traditional phone networks. This often reflects limited internet infrastructure, expensive data plans, or cultural preferences for conventional calling methods.

Some developing nations face technical barriers that make internet calling impractical: unreliable internet connections cause poor call quality on WhatsApp or Skype, limited smartphone penetration restricts access to calling apps like Viber or Zoom, and expensive data plans make internet calls more costly than traditional ones.

What Drives Internet Calling Adoption

Internet infrastructure quality is crucial for online calling success. Countries with fast, reliable internet see higher adoption because calls connect quickly and maintain good audio quality. Poor connections create frustrating experiences that drive people back to traditional phones.

Economic factors significantly influence internet calling usage. Countries with expensive international calling rates see rapid online calling adoption as people seek cheaper alternatives. Conversely, nations with affordable traditional phone services may show slower internet calling adoption.

Cultural and demographic factors also matter. Younger populations adopt internet calling more readily, while older demographics may prefer familiar phone interfaces. Countries with large diaspora populations often show high internet calling usage for maintaining international family connections.

The Impact on Communication and Business

High internet calling adoption transforms how societies communicate. Families maintain closer connections across distances through free WhatsApp video calls and Skype conversations. Businesses operate more efficiently with Zoom conference calls, Skype meetings, and international communications via Viber. Educational institutions use these platforms for remote learning and international collaboration.

However, populations without internet calling access face increasing isolation from modern communication networks. They miss opportunities for remote work that requires Zoom meetings or Skype calls, pay premium prices for international communication instead of using free WhatsApp calls, and cannot participate in digital social networks that assume access to Viber, iTalk, or similar platforms.

Future Outlook

The 2026 projections show continued growth in internet calling adoption across most countries. High performers like Bahrain (93.6%) and UAE (95.0%) represent populations where online calling has become the primary communication method. Many countries are projected to exceed 80%, indicating widespread adoption of digital calling technologies.

However, significant gaps will persist. Countries facing infrastructure challenges or limited smartphone penetration will continue to rely primarily on traditional phone networks. The digital communication divide between connected and disconnected populations remains a significant global challenge.

People Who Make Voice or Video Calls via Internet by Country (%) – 2026

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#	Country	VoIP Call Rate - Latest Available Data (%)	VoIP Call Rate 2026 Estimate (%)
1	Bhutan	83.1 (2021)	95%
2	Georgia	77.2 (2023)	95%
3	Jamaica	69.7 (2021)	95%
4	Jordan	65.0 (2023)	95%
5	Paraguay	67.2 (2023)	95%
6	Russia	74.8 (2023)	95%
7	Saudi Arabia	60.4 (2019)	95%
8	Uruguay	80.2 (2022)	95%
9	Uzbekistan	65.1 (2022)	95%
10	United Arab Emirates	93.1 (2023)	94.3%
11	Norway	77.0 (2023)	93.8%
12	Mexico	68.2 (2023)	93.7%
13	Bahrain	93.3 (2023)	93.6%
14	Dominican Republic	77.6 (2022)	93.1%
15	Malaysia	83.9 (2023)	92.7%
16	Cyprus	87.0 (2023)	92.5%
17	Hong Kong	56.6 (2012)	91.5%
18	Bosnia and Herzegovina	78.7 (2023)	91.4%
19	Lithuania	75.0 (2023)	91.1%
20	Montenegro	85.7 (2022)	90.5%
21	Singapore	75.9 (2023)	90.1%
22	Chile	76.1 (2023)	89.1%
23	Hungary	80.0 (2024)	88%
24	Palestine	71.4 (2023)	87.6%
25	Brazil	67.9 (2023)	87.5%
26	Albania	82.0 (2023)	87.2%
27	Switzerland	70.9 (2023)	87%
28	South Korea	67.8 (2023)	86.5%
29	Belgium	72.7 (2023)	85.3%
30	Luxembourg	73.7 (2024)	85.3%
31	Belarus	80.1 (2023)	85.1%
32	Sweden	71.4 (2024)	84.4%
33	Serbia	80.2 (2023)	84.2%
34	Latvia	74.5 (2023)	83.5%
35	Türkiye	81.6 (2024)	83.5%
36	Denmark	80.1 (2024)	83.2%
37	Malta	80.7 (2023)	82.9%
38	Bulgaria	69.0 (2023)	82.7%
39	Iceland	50.2 (2014)	82.2%
40	Canada	65.0 (2022)	81%
41	Netherlands	78.7 (2022)	81%
42	Spain	76.1 (2023)	79.9%
43	Slovakia	64.1 (2024)	78.2%
44	North Macedonia	60.4 (2018)	78.1%
45	Israel	65.6 (2023)	77.4%
46	Estonia	65.8 (2023)	76.8%
47	Croatia	57.3 (2023)	76.5%
48	Greece	71.5 (2023)	76.3%
49	Morocco	76.8 (2021)	75.3%
50	Romania	70.3 (2023)	75.2%
51	Finland	68.5 (2023)	74.8%
52	Thailand	70.8 (2020)	74.5%
53	Italy	68.4 (2023)	74.1%
54	Iran	60.1 (2021)	73.2%
55	Ecuador	65.5 (2024)	73.1%
56	Germany	76.1 (2024)	71.4%
57	Portugal	70.7 (2023)	70%
58	Australia	32.0 (2013)	68.1%
59	Austria	69.2 (2024)	68.1%
60	Japan	49.6 (2019)	67.9%
61	Iraq	56.3 (2022)	67.6%
62	Slovenia	57.3 (2023)	67.4%
63	Kuwait	73.5 (2023)	66.5%
64	Czech Republic	59.8 (2023)	64%
65	Poland	56.1 (2023)	64%
66	New Zealand	22.6 (2009)	63.7%
67	France	61.8 (2023)	63.3%
68	Egypt	49.5 (2022)	59%
69	United Kingdom	48.3 (2020)	58.7%
70	Mauritius	42.8 (2020)	49%
71	Bangladesh	34.1 (2023)	47.4%
72	Ireland	30.1 (2015)	46.4%
73	Ukraine	29.5 (2021)	40.8%
74	Colombia	35.0 (2023)	40.5%
75	Algeria	33.2 (2018)	39.8%
76	Oman	31.6 (2016)	37.9%
77	Brunei	31.0 (2022)	37.2%
78	United States	23.6 (2015)	28.3%
79	Qatar	42.8 (2020)	28%
80	Zimbabwe	17.9 (2020)	26.5%
81	Kazakhstan	19.9 (2023)	24.4%
82	Lesotho	16.0 (2016)	19.2%
83	Moldova	15.9 (2009)	19.1%
84	Pakistan	13.9 (2020)	16.7%
85	Costa Rica	10.1 (2012)	12.1%
86	Ivory Coast	7.1 (2023)	11.4%
87	Cuba	4.9 (2019)	10.3%
88	Azerbaijan	8.2 (2023)	8.3%
89	Malawi	4.4 (2023)	5.3%
90	Botswana	3.6 (2014)	4.3%
91	Senegal	2.9 (2009)	3.5%
92	Kenya	0.2 (2015)	0.2%

Methodology and Data Sources

This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) data from ICT skills surveys across 93 countries (2002-2024). The data measures self-reported behavior among individuals aged 15-74 who make voice or video calls using internet applications including Skype, WhatsApp, Viber, iTalk, Zoom, and similar platforms.

The internet calling rate represents: (Number of people who make voice/video calls via internet ÷ Total surveyed population aged 15-74) × 100. For example, 75% means 75 out of 100 people use internet-based calling services rather than exclusively relying on traditional phone networks.

Our dataset includes 78 countries (84%) with current data from 2020-2024, while 15 countries (16%) have older data from 2002-2019. For 2026 projections, we used linear regression for countries with multiple data points (85 countries, 91% of dataset) and regional growth models for single data points (8 countries).

Projections include growth dampening for high-performing countries (>80%) and older data (>5 years) to reflect market saturation and data uncertainty. All estimates are capped at 95% to reflect realistic adoption limits. Survey methodologies follow UNESCO's standardized framework, though self-reported data may not capture call quality preferences or platform-specific usage patterns that influence actual adoption.