Connecting Colombia: Bridging the Digital Divide from Cities to the Amazon

Colombia has seen rapid growth in internet access, reaching roughly three-quarters of the population online as of 2024 datareportal.com. Mobile phones and home broadband have become common in urban areas, transforming how Colombians communicate, work, and learn. However, these gains also mask stark disparities – a deep digital divide separates well-connected cities from rural and remote regions. This report provides a comprehensive overview of internet access in Colombia, including penetration rates, urban vs. rural gaps, key service providers, typical speeds and pricing, the emergence of satellite internet, government initiatives, infrastructure challenges, and future trends. The tone is informative yet accessible, aiming to shed light on both progress and ongoing challenges in connecting all corners of Colombia to the digital world.

Internet Penetration Overview

Internet usage in Colombia has grown dramatically, but there is still room to improve. As of early 2025, an estimated 41.1 million Colombians were internet users, equivalent to about 77% of the population datareportal.com. (By comparison, this figure was around 63% in 2014, highlighting the rapid growth over the past decade trade.gov.) The majority of users access the internet via mobile devices, but fixed broadband subscriptions have also increased. Colombia had about 17 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people in 2023, reflecting steady growth in home internet connectivity theglobaleconomy.com. In early 2024 there were 39.5 million internet users (75.7% penetration), indicating that internet adoption continued to rise into 2025 datareportal.com datareportal.com. This expansion of connectivity has been fueled by both mobile network proliferation and the rollout of broadband infrastructure across the country.

Mobile connectivity is especially pervasive. Colombia had 78.3 million cellular mobile connections in service by 2025 – equivalent to 147% of the population (many people have multiple SIM cards or devices) datareportal.com. Virtually all adults in urban areas have access to a mobile phone, and 4G LTE networks cover the majority of the population. Mobile internet penetration (people who use mobile data services) stands above 90% bnamericas.com, meaning mobile phones are the primary gateway to the internet for most Colombians. Broadband access in homes has grown as well, though not as universally as mobile. An estimated 63.9% of Colombian households had internet access in 2023, according to surveys trade.gov. This indicates that about 4 in 10 households still lack a home internet connection – a gap that disproportionately affects rural and low-income families. Overall, Colombia’s internet ecosystem has made great strides, with tens of millions online, but ensuring universal access remains an important goal.

Urban vs. Rural Access and Regional Disparities

Connectivity in Colombia is highly uneven between urban centers and rural areas. The country’s population is about 82% urban and 18% rural datareportal.com datareportal.com, and internet infrastructure has concentrated in cities. In major urban areas like Bogotá, Medellín, and Cali, internet penetration is very high – most residents enjoy mobile data coverage and many have home broadband. By contrast, rural Colombians have far less access. Only about 28.8% of the rural population was connected to the internet as of 2023 blogs.worldbank.org. In terms of household connectivity, less than 13% of rural households had a fixed internet subscription blogs.worldbank.org. Many remote villages, particularly in mountainous Andean regions or the Amazon rainforest, still lack reliable network coverage. This urban–rural digital divide means that while a city dweller can stream videos or attend online classes with ease, a person in a remote village may struggle to even get a basic email or webpage to load, if they can get online at all.

Regional disparities also exist across different departments (provinces). Generally, departments that host major cities or are in the more developed central and northern zones have higher internet access rates. For example, Bogotá (capital district) and departments like Antioquia or Cundinamarca have above-average connectivity, whereas poorer or geographically isolated areas – such as parts of Chocó, Vaupés, or Amazonas – lag behind. A 2023 survey found 63.9% of households nationally had internet, but this ranged from much higher rates in urban districts to very low rates in parts of the Amazon and Orinoquía regions trade.gov. In fact, one source noted that only 16% of people in rural regions had internet access, compared to 63% in urban regions borgenproject.org, highlighting how stark the gap can be. Limited infrastructure, difficult terrain, and economic factors all contribute to this imbalance.

The digital divide has real consequences: rural communities without internet miss out on educational resources, telemedicine, e-commerce and other online opportunities. The Colombian government recognizes this and has made bridging the urban–rural gap a priority (as discussed in a later section on initiatives). Programs to bring connectivity to remote schools and public Wi-Fi zones are underway. Additionally, technologies like satellite broadband (discussed below) are being leveraged to reach isolated areas. While progress is being made, significant regional disparities in internet access persist – effectively a tale of two Colombias, one connected and one still waiting to be connected.

Key Internet Service Providers and Market Share

Colombia’s internet service market is served by a mix of major telecommunications companies. A few large providers dominate both the fixed broadband and mobile sectors:

• Claro (América Móvil) – The largest telecom operator in Colombia. Claro leads in both mobile and fixed broadband. It accounts for roughly 37% of fixed broadband subscriptions (over 3 million lines) opensignal.com and is the mobile market leader with about 45% share of mobile subscribers accesspartnership.com. Claro inherited a nationwide telecom infrastructure (it was formerly Telmex and Comcel) and has an extensive cable modem (HFC) network for home internet. In recent years, Claro has been aggressively rolling out fiber-to-the-home in urban areas and even launched the country’s first 5G fixed wireless access service in 2024 opensignal.com.
• Movistar (Telefónica) – The second-largest operator overall. Movistar has roughly 1.5 million fixed broadband subscribers (~17% market share) opensignal.com and about 25% of mobile subscribers accesspartnership.com. It offers DSL and fiber broadband (with a strong focus on fiber: about 87% of its broadband customers are on FTTH) opensignal.com. Movistar’s mobile network is nationwide and it has been modernizing to introduce 5G services. Movistar is known for having some of the fastest broadband speeds in the country, leading in recent speed benchmarks opensignal.com.
• Tigo (Millicom / UNE-EPM) – Tigo (formerly known as UNE EPM in the fixed market) is another major player, especially in urban broadband. Tigo has roughly 1.5 million fixed broadband lines (~17% share) opensignal.com, making it neck-and-neck with Movistar for second place in fixed internet. It has historically been strong in Medellín and surrounding areas (through its part-owner EPM, a Medellín public utilities company). On the mobile side, Tigo has about 18% of mobile subscribers accesspartnership.com. Tigo’s focus has been on expanding coverage and it participated in recent spectrum auctions. There have even been talks of a potential merger between Movistar and Tigo, which together would hold a market share comparable to Claro accesspartnership.com. Such a consolidation, if it occurs, could reshape the competitive landscape.
• WOM (Novator) – A newer entrant in the mobile market, WOM launched in Colombia in 2021. In just a few years, WOM has captured about 7% of mobile subscribers accesspartnership.com by aggressively marketing affordable plans and targeting younger consumers. WOM does not offer fixed broadband; it focuses on mobile service (including 4G and some 5G coverage in cities). Its emergence has introduced more competition, putting pressure on the established trio of Claro, Movistar, and Tigo in the mobile space.
• ETB (Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Bogotá) – A state-owned operator focused on Bogotá. ETB provides fixed broadband (primarily fiber in the capital) and has a smaller share nationwide (on the order of 5–10% of fixed lines, roughly 0.6 million subscribers). While ETB’s broadband presence is mostly in Bogotá (where it has invested in citywide fiber optic rollout), it does not have a mobile service footprint beyond some MVNO arrangements. ETB’s impact is significant in the capital (it serves about 27% of Bogotá’s broadband users) but modest at the national level bnamericas.com.
• DirecTV – Known mainly as a satellite TV provider, DirecTV also offers fixed wireless broadband and satellite internet in some areas. Its broadband subscriber numbers are small relative to the big players, but it has a niche in providing internet bundled with TV, especially in areas where cable/fiber is not available. DirecTV was included among the five largest fixed internet providers in at least one analysis, though its market share is in the single digits opensignal.com.

In addition to these, several smaller ISPs and mobile virtual operators operate in Colombia. For instance, there are regional cable internet companies in some cities, and MVNOs like Virgin Mobile and others serve niche prepaid markets. However, the bulk of internet access is delivered by the major operators above. The table below summarizes the leading providers and their market positions:

Market share dynamics: Claro’s dominance is evident, especially in mobile, but regulators and competition have kept the market from becoming a monopoly. The presence of three infrastructure-based mobile operators (and now a fourth, WOM) ensures some competition on price and coverage. On the fixed side, the competition is mainly among Claro, Movistar, and Tigo in most cities, with ETB in Bogotá. This competitive environment has driven investments in network upgrades (like fiber deployments and upcoming 5G networks). Notably, a December 2023 spectrum auction for 5G saw operators cooperate (Movistar and Tigo jointly bid) to acquire new frequencies accesspartnership.com accesspartnership.com, indicating evolving strategies to expand coverage and capacity. Overall, Colombia’s ISP market is fairly concentrated but competitive, with ongoing shifts such as potential mergers and new entrants (like WOM) shaping its future.

Internet Speeds and Pricing

Internet speeds in Colombia have improved markedly in recent years, though they vary by technology and location. As of early 2024, typical connection speeds were as follows:

• Fixed broadband: The median download speed on fixed internet connections was about 111.8 Mbps datareportal.com, with median upload around 58 Mbps. This is a substantial increase (+25% year-over-year) as fiber optic service becomes more common datareportal.com. Many urban households now subscribe to fiber plans of 50–300 Mbps. For instance, one report noted Movistar’s average download speed was 85 Mbps, the fastest among major ISPs opensignal.com. In global terms, Colombia’s fixed broadband speeds rank in the middle tier (worldwide average fixed speeds were around 100–150 Mbps in 2023, so Colombia is on par) en.wikipedia.org. There is, however, a gap between urban and rural speeds – cities with fiber enjoy high speeds, whereas rural users (often on older DSL, wireless, or satellite links) might have only a few Mbps.
• Mobile internet: The median mobile data download speed was about 12.3 Mbps as of late 2023 statista.com (and similarly 12.26 Mbps in early 2024 datareportal.com). Upload median was a few Mbps. While 4G LTE in ideal conditions can provide 30–40 Mbps or more, the real-world median is lower due to network congestion and areas with weaker signals. Mobile speeds did improve ~13% year-over-year datareportal.com. The fastest mobile networks (in cities or on 4G+) can deliver tens of Mbps, and early 5G deployments are starting to push mobile speeds higher. Still, Colombia’s mobile speeds are below the global median (which was around 25–30 Mbps). Latency on 4G networks is typically 30–50 ms, suitable for most applications but perhaps a bit high for fast-paced online gaming.
• Satellite internet: Speeds vary by provider. Starlink, using low-earth orbit satellites, offers 100+ Mbps downloads and latency around 20–50 ms, comparable to a terrestrial broadband experience blog.telegeography.com. Traditional geostationary satellites (like HughesNet or Viasat) offer much lower speeds (typically up to ~25 Mbps download) and high latency (~600 ms), which is enough for basic web use or video streaming at moderate quality, but not ideal for real-time interactive tasks. Newer satellite technologies and medium-earth orbit systems (like SES’s O3b) can deliver improved performance in remote areas. Overall, satellite is a fallback option: it provides coverage where ground networks don’t reach, but generally at the cost of either higher latency (GEO satellites) or high expense (LEO systems like Starlink).

Pricing for internet access in Colombia is relatively affordable compared to many countries, though it remains a significant expense for low-income households. For fixed broadband, the average monthly price of an internet package in Colombia is around $20 USD (approx 80,000 Colombian pesos) bestbroadbanddeals.co.uk. This average is among the cheapest in Latin America – Colombia ranked as the 2nd most affordable in South America in one 2024 study bestbroadbanddeals.co.uk. For example, a 50 Mbps home fiber plan might cost on the order of COP 60,000–100,000 ($15–25) per month, depending on the provider and region. Promotional bundles with TV or mobile service can also offer discounts. It’s worth noting that while $20 is the average, the lowest-cost plans (e.g. a basic 5–10 Mbps DSL in a small town) can be under $15, and the premium plans (300+ Mbps fiber) could be $30–$40+. Overall, broadband is relatively affordable for middle-class urban residents, but for poorer families even $15/month can be prohibitive – hence the government’s interest in subsidies and free community Wi-Fi in some areas.

For mobile data, Colombia has some of the cheapest rates in the world. The average cost of 1 GB of mobile data is about $0.20 USD timesofindia.indiatimes.com, ranking Colombia among the top 10 cheapest countries. In practice, users often buy unlimited or large data bundles; for example, ~2 GB daily packages for a month for COP 40,000 ($10) are common. Fierce competition among operators and a large prepaid user base have driven prices down. A typical prepaid plan might offer WhatsApp and social media usage for free (zero-rated) plus a few GB of general data for a low cost. This affordability has helped mobile internet adoption immensely – even lower-income Colombians can usually afford some mobile data each month. However, the cost of smartphones and computers remains a barrier for some; the government has reduced import taxes on devices and implemented programs to provide subsidized devices to students.

Satellite internet costs are substantially higher. Starlink’s service in Colombia is roughly $99 per month plus a one-time equipment cost of around $500 for the satellite dish kit. This is far above the cost of a comparable fixed broadband connection, making Starlink viable mostly for businesses or communities pooling funds, or well-off users in remote areas. HughesNet and similar GEO satellite services offer plans that might start around $50/month for a limited data package (with higher prices for more data). These satellite plans often have data caps (e.g. 20–50 GB per month), after which speed is throttled. Because of these high costs, satellite is generally a last-resort solution for those who have no other connectivity options.

In summary, internet in Colombia is getting faster and cheaper overall. Urban fiber users enjoy high speeds at moderate prices by global standards, and mobile data is extremely inexpensive per GB. But there is a divergence: rural users often contend with much slower connections (if any) and might face higher costs to get connected (for example, paying for a satellite link). Bridging these gaps in speed and affordability between different user groups remains an ongoing challenge.

The Role of Satellite Internet (Starlink, HughesNet, etc.)

Given Colombia’s challenging geography and remote communities, satellite internet plays a crucial role in reaching areas where traditional networks fail to penetrate. There are two main types of satellite internet in use: geostationary (GEO) satellites like HughesNet and ViaSat, and low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites like SpaceX’s Starlink.

HughesNet (GEO satellite) – HughesNet, via the EchoStar XIX high-throughput geostationary satellite, launched service in Colombia in 2017 samenacouncil.org. It covers roughly 75% of the country’s territory from its orbital position, focusing on rural and underserved locales samenacouncil.org. HughesNet plans in Colombia historically offered up to 10–30 Mbps download speeds, with strict data caps. For example, a typical HughesNet plan might provide 20 GB of “full-speed” data; once used, the speed is reduced until the next month. Latency on these GEO satellites is high (~600 ms round-trip), which affects real-time applications but is manageable for browsing, email, and buffering video. HughesNet has been marketed toward remote households, farms, and small towns where no DSL, cable, or fiber is available. While HughesNet’s performance is modest compared to urban broadband, it has been a lifeline for connectivity in many isolated Colombian communities – enabling basic internet access for education, communication, and business where otherwise there would be none. Hughes has periodically updated its offerings (for instance, announcing new high-speed plans in 2021 with up to 50 Mbps in some areas intelligentcio.com), but GEO satellites have inherent speed/latency limits.

Starlink (LEO satellite) – Starlink is a newer entrant that has generated much excitement. Elon Musk’s SpaceX began rolling out Starlink service in Latin America in 2021–2022, and Colombia’s Ministry of ICT granted Starlink permission to operate in 2022 blog.telegeography.com. By late 2023, Starlink went live in Colombia, making it one of over 28 countries in the region with Starlink availability blog.telegeography.com blog.telegeography.com. Starlink’s constellation of thousands of low-earth satellites orbits much closer to Earth (~550 km) than GEO satellites, allowing it to deliver broadband speeds (50–150 Mbps) with low latency (~20–40 ms) blog.telegeography.com – a game-changer for rural connectivity. For a remote village in the Amazon or a mountain hamlet in the Andes, a Starlink dish can provide internet performance comparable to an urban fiber connection, something previously unthinkable. Early adopters in Colombia have included remote hotels, farms, and research stations, as well as tech-savvy individuals in rural homes. Starlink has also been floated as a solution for connecting schools and health centers in hard-to-reach areas. The downsides remain cost and supply – the equipment and monthly fees are expensive, and as of 2024 Starlink kits require importation and a waiting list in some cases. But prices may drop over time, and community-sharing models (where a village shares the cost of a single Starlink link distributed via Wi-Fi) are being tried. By mid-2024, Starlink was reportedly serving many Latin American countries, with thousands of users region-wide (for example, ~160,000 subscribers in Mexico alone) blog.telegeography.com. Colombia’s user numbers haven’t been published, but uptake is growing among those who can afford it or who receive donor funding.

Other satellite initiatives: Aside from Starlink and HughesNet, Viasat (another GEO provider) has provided connectivity for some government programs, such as free Wi-Fi hotspots in rural schools viasat.com. SES (MEO satellites) has partnered with local telecom integrator INRED on innovative projects: in 2024, SES’s medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellites (O3b) were used to connect the Amazon rainforest department (Amazonas) as part of the government’s “Amazonas Digital” initiative developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. This project will link over 500 sites (homes, schools, government offices) in Amazonas via MEO satellite, delivering broadband to one of the most isolated regions developingtelecoms.com. SES and INRED have a history of working with the Colombian government – a recent project “Zonas Comunitarias para la Paz” is using satellites to connect 300 remote community sites (often in post-conflict rural zones) with free Wi-Fi developingtelecoms.com. According to SES, their partnership has brought free Wi-Fi to nearly 1,300 remote sites, reaching almost one million people over the past several years developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. This underscores how satellite tech, while not mainstream for the average consumer, is an essential piece of Colombia’s connectivity puzzle, especially for social projects targeting the last remaining unconnected areas.

In summary, satellite internet in Colombia is transitioning from a last-resort, slow option (like HughesNet) to a more integrated part of the network landscape with the advent of high-speed LEO services (Starlink). The government and private sector are leveraging these technologies to bridge the connectivity gap in remote areas – be it through community Wi-Fi zones fed by satellites, or direct-to-consumer dishes on rural rooftops. As satellite constellations expand and costs hopefully decline, we can expect an increasing role for satellite broadband in Colombia’s drive for universal internet access, especially in areas where laying fiber or building cell towers is not feasible.

Government Initiatives, Subsidies, and Regulations

The Colombian government has been proactive in promoting internet expansion as a means of social and economic development. Multiple administrations have launched national programs to increase connectivity, especially for marginalized communities. Key initiatives and policies include:

• Vive Digital (2010–2018): One of the earliest comprehensive digital programs, Vive Digital sought to expand broadband infrastructure and digital literacy. It established thousands of “Digital Kiosks” (Kioscos Vive Digital) – over 7,000 community internet access points across the country borgenproject.org. These kiosks (often in schools or community centers) provided computers, Wi-Fi, and digital training in rural and low-income urban areas. Vive Digital also helped fund fiber-optic backbones to connect more municipalities to the internet. The program’s impact was significant in introducing internet to small towns for the first time.
• Computadores para Educar (CPE): An ongoing program focused on education, CPE not only donates computers and tablets to public schools but also has created free public Wi-Fi hotspots at community centers borgenproject.org. By improving connectivity in and around schools, the government aims to benefit students and the broader community. This initiative recognizes that providing devices without internet connectivity has limited use, so it pairs hardware distribution with network access.
• Current Connectivity Targets (Conecta TIC 360 / National Development Plan): The present administration (as of 2023–2025) set ambitious goals under its “Conecta TIC 360” strategy, part of the National Development Plan. The aim is to connect 85% of the population with internet access focusing on digital inclusion, affordability, and usage blogs.worldbank.org blogs.worldbank.org. This implies heavy investment in rural networks, subsidies, and cross-sector collaboration. While the exact roadmap is evolving, the commitment underscores that internet access is seen as essential infrastructure, not a luxury, and should not deepen inequality blogs.worldbank.org.
• National Digital Strategy 2023–2026: In early 2024, MinTIC (Ministry of Information and Communications Technologies) and the National Planning Department released a strategy focusing on multiple pillars – notably Enhancing Connectivity. This includes expanding broadband infrastructure to underserved rural regions and ensuring affordable internet access nationwide trade.gov. Funds are being allocated to build out rural fiber and wireless networks, and to possibly subsidize service for low-income users. Other pillars of the strategy (like improving data infrastructure, digital skills training, and e-government) complement the connectivity push trade.gov trade.gov. For example, improving digital literacy is crucial so that once access is available, people can effectively use it – the government runs digital skills programs and awareness campaigns, some specifically targeting rural citizens and older adults.
• Rural School Connectivity (Centros Digitales / “Escuelas Potencia Digital”): A major ongoing effort is connecting rural schools to the internet. A program to install internet (often via satellite or microwave links) in thousands of rural public schools hit some hurdles in 2022 (a tender was canceled amid contractual issues) developingtelecoms.com. However, it was rebooted in 2024 as “Escuelas Potencia Digital 2.0”, aiming to install 2,110 Wi-Fi zones in 353 municipalities across 28 departments developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. This project, with a budget around 260 billion pesos (~US$64 million), will provide free internet access points in isolated communities (primarily at or near schools) developingtelecoms.com. It’s slightly reduced in scope from the original plan of 3,000 schools, but it’s a critical step forward. By connecting schools, the government also effectively provides a community internet hub where locals can come online, thus killing two birds with one stone (education and general access).
• Subsidies and Universal Service: Colombia has a Fund for Universal Service (FONTIC), which has been used to subsidize telecom in high-cost areas. There have been subsidy programs for low-income households to get discounted internet packages. For example, in some cities, stratified pricing allows poorer neighborhoods to pay less for the same service. The government also worked with operators during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer low-cost “solidarity” mobile data plans. Additionally, there are ongoing discussions about subsidizing devices (smartphones, laptops) for students and entrepreneurs who can’t afford them, since access is not just a network issue but also an equipment issue.
• Regulatory measures: The communications regulator (CRC) and MinTIC have introduced policies to encourage expansion. Notably, spectrum auctions for mobile service have included coverage obligations – winners must bring service to specified rural areas. In the 2019 auction of the 700 MHz band (valuable for long-range rural coverage), operators committed to connecting thousands of rural villages as part of their license requirements. The government also allows infrastructure sharing and has streamlined permits for building cell towers and fiber in rural zones to reduce deployment hurdles. Furthermore, Colombia eliminated import duties on telecom network equipment and consumer IT devices, making it cheaper to deploy infrastructure and for consumers to buy phones/computers.

In summary, the government’s role in Colombia’s internet expansion is significant and multifaceted. From direct investment in infrastructure (like rural fiber and school internet) to creating an enabling regulatory environment and providing subsidies, public policy is geared toward closing the digital divide. There is recognition at the highest levels that without government intervention, the private sector alone might not serve sparsely populated or low-income areas due to limited profit incentives. The current goal of 85% connectivity will require continued funding and innovative approaches, but if achieved, it would mark a huge leap forward. Colombia’s efforts are often cited as a model in the region for how to combine policy, public-private partnership, and technology (like satellites) to tackle the challenge of universal internet access.

Technological Challenges and Infrastructure Development

Colombia’s journey toward nationwide internet access faces significant technological and infrastructural challenges. The country’s diverse geography, economic inequalities, and historical infrastructure gaps all impact the rollout of connectivity. Here we outline some key challenges and the progress being made in infrastructure development:

• Geographical Terrain: Colombia’s landscape includes the Andes mountains, dense Amazon rainforests, plains (Llanos), and a long coastline – a beautiful but connectivity-challenging topography. Mountainous terrain makes laying fiber optic cables or building cell towers difficult and expensive in many areas. Small, scattered villages on jungle rivers or high Andean slopes may be far from any existing network backbone. This geography is a fundamental reason why rural coverage is tough – signals can be blocked by mountains and running cables over long distances through jungles is cost-prohibitive. To address this, Colombia has relied on a mix of technologies: microwave relays beaming data over mountain ranges, satellite links for the deepest jungles, and increasingly, fiber backbones following road networks where possible. One major infrastructure project earlier in the 2010s was the National Fiber Optic Project, which laid thousands of kilometers of fiber and connected around 1,078 municipalities to high-speed backbones for the first time. However, even with that, many last-mile connections from a town’s central node to outlying veredas (hamlets) are lacking, requiring wireless or satellite hops.
• Urban Infrastructure and Upgrades: In the big cities, the challenge is different – it’s about upgrading legacy networks to modern ones. Historically, many urban homes had DSL (over copper telephone lines) or cable modems. These are now being replaced by fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) for higher speeds. Operators like Movistar and ETB have invested heavily in urban fiber; ETB’s goal is to bring fiber to every home in Bogotá in the coming years rcrwireless.com. Claro, which has a large coaxial cable network, is transitioning to fiber in many neighborhoods opensignal.com. Laying fiber in dense urban areas can be disruptive but is progressing through techniques like micro-trenching and using existing ducts. Additionally, data center and IXPs (Internet Exchange Points) infrastructure in Colombia has grown, which improves domestic internet traffic routing and reduces latency (e.g., keeping Colombian traffic local rather than bouncing through Miami).
• Power and Backhaul in Remote Areas: One often overlooked challenge is the availability of electric power in remote areas. Many off-grid communities can’t power telecom equipment reliably. Projects to extend the electrical grid or use solar panels for cell sites are important complementary efforts. Even if a cell tower is built in a remote area, it needs a stable power source and a backhaul connection (connection from the tower back to the core network). Backhaul is often the bottleneck – fiber backhaul is ideal but expensive; otherwise, satellite or microwave backhaul is used, which may limit capacity. Colombia has worked on a program called “Last Mile Connectivity” which supports solutions like community cellular networks (low-power cell nodes in villages that link back via satellite) and TV White Space experiments, among others, to surmount these challenges.
• Cost and Economic Barriers: Infrastructure aside, poverty and inequality pose challenges to internet adoption. A significant segment of Colombians cannot afford regular internet service or devices. As noted, over 40% of households lack internet, many due to cost factors trade.gov. If a rural area does get coverage, the provider might charge higher due to low user density, further limiting uptake. The government’s subsidies and the low mobile data prices have helped, but the income gap means unequal internet usage – richer households are online and consuming lots of data, while poorer ones use the internet sparingly or only via public access points. This is as much a social challenge as a technological one, requiring solutions like affordable pricing tiers, community access programs, and digital literacy to show value.
• Security and Reliability: As networks expand, ensuring reliability (uptime) and security becomes key. Some rural infrastructure faces vandalism or even interference from illegal armed groups in conflict-prone areas (though the peace process has improved this). Weather can also be a foe – heavy rains, landslides, and flooding can damage cables or towers. Colombian operators have had to build redundancy – e.g., multiple microwave paths or backup satellite links for communities that get isolated in bad weather. Cybersecurity is also a growing focus, as more people come online and digital services proliferate; the government and ISPs are investing in safeguards to protect new users from cyber threats.

On the positive side, infrastructure development is making headway. Colombia now has multiple submarine fiber optic cables landing on its coasts, increasing international bandwidth (e.g., the ARCOS and AMX-1 cables in the Caribbean, and the South Pacific cable on the Pacific side). Domestically, fiber rings connect major cities, and there are projects to build fiber into previously unserved regions like parts of the Amazon (often with help from public-private partnerships and even the military engineering corps for remote construction). The country also boasts a robust 4G LTE network covering most populated areas, and plans are in motion for 5G in cities which will then extend outwards.

In short, Colombia’s physical terrain and economic terrain both pose challenges to 100% internet access, but innovative use of technology and steady infrastructure investments are chipping away at these barriers. The combination of fiber backbone expansion, wireless solutions for the last mile, satellite for the really hard-to-reach spots, and supportive policies is gradually extending the internet’s reach. It’s a complex, costly endeavor, but year by year the once-daunting gaps are closing.

Future Trends and Projections

Looking ahead, Colombia’s internet landscape is poised to continue evolving rapidly. Several future trends and developments are expected to shape internet access in the coming years:

• 5G Mobile Networks: Colombia is on the cusp of the 5G era. A 5G spectrum auction took place in late 2023, and operators have begun limited 5G deployments in 2024 accesspartnership.com developingtelecoms.com. Claro has already trialed 5G fixed wireless access, and all major telcos are preparing 5G rollouts in major cities. Over the next few years, we can expect 5G networks to light up in Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla, offering mobile broadband speeds potentially over 1 Gbps and ultra-low latency for new applications (like IoT, smart city services, advanced mobile gaming, etc.). While 5G will initially be an urban luxury, the government’s spectrum licenses include obligations to expand coverage. By 2025–2026, 5G could also be used as a solution for home internet in rural towns – using 5G fixed wireless to deliver high-speed home broadband without laying fiber. The expansion of 5G will gradually improve mobile internet speeds nationwide and could make wireless a competitor to wired broadband in some areas.
• Fiber Ubiquity: On the fixed side, fiber-optic broadband will likely become the standard in all major cities and many towns. The ongoing fiber expansion by providers (Movistar aiming for dozens more cities with FTTH, Claro swapping out cable for fiber, ETB covering Bogotá, and power utilities in some regions deploying fiber) means that by the end of this decade, a large majority of Colombia’s urban households may have fiber available. This will drive average broadband speeds even higher (possibly into the several hundred Mbps range for median speeds in a few years). Fiber rollout may also extend to semi-urban and larger rural municipalities, especially if the government provides incentives or open-access fiber backbone that local ISPs can tap. We might see new players, such as regional fiber ISPs or wholesale fiber providers, emerge if the environment encourages it.
• Convergence and Consolidation: The trend of telecom consolidation could continue. As hinted, if Movistar and Tigo were to merge networks or operations accesspartnership.com, it would create a stronger competitor to Claro and potentially accelerate investment (or, skeptics worry, reduce competition – regulators will weigh that). Additionally, one could foresee mobile and fixed services converging further – e.g., bundles where one company provides your mobile, home internet, and TV seamlessly (this is already happening, but 5G may blur the line between mobile and fixed). The success of WOM could also lead to it expanding into fixed broadband (perhaps via partnerships or acquisitions) or other MVNOs trying to grab niche markets. In any case, the competitive landscape in 5 years may look different, with possibly fewer but more integrated players.
• Satellite Broadband Expansion: Satellite internet is set to expand dramatically. Starlink by 2025 will have launched thousands more satellites (SpaceX’s goal is tens of thousands in orbit) and possibly lower its costs with economies of scale. Other LEO constellations are on the horizon: OneWeb (which has partnered with telecom operators in some countries) could extend service to Colombia through local telecom partners, and Amazon’s Project Kuiper might also enter the scene by 2025–2026. This means remote areas will have more options and possibly cheaper satellite choices as competition heats up. HughesNet and Viasat are not sitting idle either – Hughes launched the Jupiter 3 satellite in 2023 which can provide higher capacity and speeds, potentially allowing HughesNet to offer >50 Mbps plans and larger data caps in Latin America. We may also see hybrid models, like community Wi-Fi via satellite becoming common: instead of every home having a dish, one satellite link feeds a village Wi-Fi network (some initiatives in Colombia are already doing this to maximize reach and affordability). The government is likely to continue subsidizing such solutions for the hardest-to-reach communities. By the end of the decade, we might realistically see near-total geographic coverage: no location in Colombia should be completely off-grid internet-wise, thanks to satellite coverage, even if terrestrial networks haven’t arrived yet.
• Increased Internet Use and Digital Services: As access widens, the demand side will also evolve. More Colombians coming online means a bigger market for digital services – e-government, e-learning, telehealth, e-commerce, fintech, and streaming entertainment are all poised to grow. Colombia’s digital economy is expected to thrive with better connectivity; for instance, rural entrepreneurs could engage in online marketplaces, and students nationwide could partake in virtual classes. The government’s target of 85% connectivity likely goes hand-in-hand with improving the quality of use – not just basic access, but meaningful use (productive use of broadband). We can anticipate new public-private partnerships to drive content and services for newly connected populations, ensuring they have reasons and skills to use the internet.
• Challenges that remain: Despite optimistic projections, challenges will persist. Affordability will still be an issue for some, meaning subsidy programs might need to be permanent for the lowest-income bracket. Ensuring digital literacy among new users (so they can safely and effectively use the internet) will be an ongoing task; otherwise, connectivity alone won’t translate to socio-economic benefits. Network resilience might also be tested by climate change (more extreme weather impacting infrastructure) or new security threats as more critical services go online. The government will likely continue updating regulations to protect consumers, maintain competition, and encourage investment in under-served areas.

In conclusion, the trend lines for Colombia point to a more connected, faster, and inclusive internet environment in the coming years. If current initiatives bear fruit, the urban-rural divide will narrow: we might see, say, 90%+ of urban homes with high-speed internet and a solid majority of rural villages at least enjoying community connectivity or 4G/5G coverage. Colombia has set an example in Latin America with its comprehensive approach – combining policy, technology, and market forces – and the future looks bright in terms of achieving near-universal internet access. While work remains to be done, Colombia’s digital trajectory is one of continued growth and bridging gaps, connecting its people from the bustling Andean cities all the way to the farthest Amazonian frontiers.

Sources: The information in this report is drawn from a range of up-to-date sources, including digital adoption reports, industry analyses, and official statistics. Key references include DataReportal’s “Digital 2024/2025 Colombia” reports for penetration and usage stats datareportal.com datareportal.com, the World Bank and Colombian ICT Ministry for urban–rural connectivity figures and goals blogs.worldbank.org blogs.worldbank.org, OpenSignal and Access Partnership for provider market shares and network performance opensignal.com accesspartnership.com, and news on recent initiatives like rural school Wi-Fi and satellite projects developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. These and other cited sources provide a detailed, factual basis for understanding the current state and future of internet access in Colombia. The collective data paints a picture of a nation making great strides in digital inclusion, while continuing to overcome challenges to ensure that the benefits of the internet reach all Colombians, no matter where they live.