Comes as 75 per cent of all people now own a mobile phone.
In 2000, there were fewer than one billion pre and post-paid mobile subscriptions in use, which has swollen to more than six billion, according to the World Bank and its tech innovation programme infoDev.
Almost five billion subs are in developing countries, as firms increasingly move to the digital market to improve business, while consumers look to improve their lifestyle.
The figures are undeniably impressive, but they may come as little surprise what with emerging market China now the world's largest smartphone market, ahead of former leader the US.
This translates into three-quarters of the world's population now possessing a mobile phone, as the report suggests that the subs will soon outpace humans.
Rachel Kyte, VP for sustainable development, World Bank, said: "Mobile communications offer major opportunities to advance human and economic development - from providing basic access to health information to making cash payments, spurring job creation, and stimulating citizen involvement in democratic processes
"The challenge now is to enable people, businesses, and governments in developing countries to develop their own locally-relevant mobile applications so they can take full advantage of these opportunities."
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