By 2014, we would have 7 billion Fones for Earths 7 billion people

The number of mobile phones worldwide is set to catch up to the planet's population next year, the United Nations' telecommunications agency has said.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said mobile subscriber numbers looked set to top seven billion.

"More than half of all mobile subscriptions are now in Asia, which remains the powerhouse of market growth," the ITU said.By the end of this year, overall mobile penetration rates will have reached 96 per cent globally, 128 per cent in the developed world, and 89 per cent in developing countries, it said.

"Near-ubiquitous mobile penetration makes mobile cellular the ideal platform for service delivery in developing countries," said Brahima Sanou, director of the ITU's telecommunication development bureau.

The ITU also forecast that 2.7 billion people, or 39 per cent of the world's population, would be using the internet by the end of this year.

Europe will remain the world's most connected region, with 75 per cent internet penetration, far outpacing the Asia-Pacific region, with 32 per cent, and Africa, with 16 per cent, it said. http://www.scmp.com/business/article/1167525/7-billion-humans-7-billion-phones