The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) published research highlighting the latest trends in Australia’s media and communications landscape, showing near-universal internet access and increasing reliance on mobile devices.
In 2025, 99.7 per cent of Australian adults had access to the internet. Mobile phones became the most common way to go online, with 97 per cent of adults using mobile devices for internet access, up from 95 per cent in 2024. Daily mobile internet use also rose to 92 per cent, compared with 90 per cent the previous year.
The research also highlighted continued growth in the use of smart TVs, which were used by 64 per cent of adults in 2025, up from 61 per cent in 2024.
By contrast, household landline use continued its long-term decline. Only 12 per cent of adults used a landline phone in 2025, down from 15 per cent in 2024 and 54 per cent in 2017.
While overall internet activity remained steady, certain online activities showed a notable rebound after a post-pandemic dip. Accessing government services via apps and video conferencing or calling both increased in 2025, returning to levels seen in 2022 and 2023.
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The findings come from three reports published on the ACMA website:
The Trends and developments report provides overarching insights into telecommunications, while the How we publications are interactive online reports exploring ongoing changes in the Australian media and communications landscape.
The reports form part of ACMA’s Communications and media in Australia series, which includes time series data on topics such as internet usage, broadcast and streaming consumption, mobile phone use, and digital platforms. The series draws on industry data and ACMA’s annual consumer survey to provide an overview of the telecommunications, radiocommunications, and broadcasting sectors each financial year.
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