Guyana's Internet Boom: From Slow Starts to a Surging 2025 Connectivity Revolution

• Rapid Fiber Expansion: Guyana is experiencing a connectivity revolution, with its main telecom provider rolling out fiber-optic internet to an ambitious 75% of homes by 2024 newssourcegy.com. Over 105,000 households have already been connected to fiber, shifting away from older DSL lines newssourcegy.com.
• Dominant but Evolving ISP Market: The internet market, long dominated by the formerly monopolistic Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GTT, now rebranded as One Communications), is finally seeing competition. GTT/One still controls about 54% of subscriptions, but new players like locally owned E-Networks (28%) and Digicel (12%) are chipping away pulse.internetsociety.org. Even SpaceX’s Starlink satellite service has quickly gained ~3% of the market pulse.internetsociety.org, underscoring new options for consumers.
• Modern Networks (4G, Fiber, and First 5G): Modern broadband technologies now blanket much of the population. 4G LTE mobile networks cover 93% of Guyanese residents pulse.internetsociety.org, ensuring almost universal mobile internet access in populated areas. Fiber-to-the-home is increasingly common in urban centers, delivering high speeds, and Guyana even launched its first limited 5G services in coastal zones – though 5G reaches <1% of people so far pulse.internetsociety.org. Satellite internet serves remote regions, meaning every corner of Guyana has at least some path online.
• Urban-Rural Digital Divide Narrows: Most Guyanese live outside big cities (only ~27% urban population datareportal.com), so extending internet to rural and hinterland communities is crucial. The government’s “ICT Access for Hinterland and Poor Communities” initiative has installed high-speed internet hubs in 144 remote villages as of late 2024 dpi.gov.gy. These community hubs – often powered by solar energy – use low-earth-orbit satellites (99 Starlink units so far) to deliver broadband of 250 Mbps or more in indigenous and interior areas once isolated from connectivity dpi.gov.gy. This effort is slated to reach over 250 villages (about 100,000 people) by 2025 guyanadailybusiness.com, dramatically shrinking the digital divide.
• Improving Affordability: Internet access is becoming more affordable relative to incomes. A basic mobile data or broadband package costs only about 1.2% of average monthly income in Guyana, meeting global affordability targets pulse.internetsociety.org. For example, One Communications’ home fiber plans start around GYD $8,399 (~USD $40) per month for 20 Mbps service, up to ~GYD $20,399 (USD $100) for gigabit speeds onecomm.gy onecomm.gy – competitive rates by regional standards. Likewise, mobile operators offer generous data bundles, and new unlimited 4G/5G plans by E-Networks have heated up price competition.
• Speeds on the Rise: Thanks to fiber and 4G upgrades, internet speeds in Guyana have surged. The median fixed broadband download speed is now around 60–62 Mbps, a ~24% jump in the last year datareportal.com. Mobile data speeds average about 22 Mbps on 4G networks datareportal.com. These performance levels, while not yet at the very top of the Caribbean (some islands enjoy 100+ Mbps averages), represent a huge improvement and comfortably support streaming, video calls, and modern apps. As fiber-to-the-home spreads and 5G matures, speeds are expected to keep climbing.
• Government Push for Digital Inclusion: Guyana’s government views internet access as essential infrastructure and is backing policies to modernize and expand the network. The 30-year telecom monopoly was finally liberalized in 2020, allowing new entrants like E-Networks to build the country’s first 5G mobile network and compete in broadband enetworks.gy. A forthcoming ICT Masterplan 2030 will outline national strategy for broadband expansion, e-government services, and tech innovation trade.gov. In 2023, Guyana introduced number portability so consumers can switch providers without changing their phone numbers stabroeknews.com, a pro-competition move. The government also invested heavily (GYD $25 billion+ to date) in digital inclusion – from the hinterland ICT hubs and training programs for digital literacy dpi.gov.gy to public Wi-Fi hotspots and tech in schools. Even legislation is catching up (e.g. a Data Protection Act in 2023 to build trust in online services trade.gov), creating a more enabling environment for a digital economy.
• Ongoing Challenges: Despite rapid progress, Guyana faces unique hurdles in bringing internet to all. The country’s terrain is rugged and settlements are far-flung, making infrastructure deployment costly and logistically tough trade.gov. Laying fiber through dense rainforest or across rivers (as was done to connect Bartica via subsea cable developingtelecoms.com) requires major investment and engineering effort. Market competition, while improving, remains limited – the Internet Society rates Guyana’s ISP market as “very poor” in competitiveness pulse.internetsociety.org, since essentially two or three companies serve most users. This lack of past competition contributed to relatively high prices and uneven service quality historically. There are also capacity constraints: only a handful of backbone networks (about 5 autonomous systems) operate in Guyana pulse.internetsociety.org, and local content caching is low (just 16% of popular content is cached in-country vs ~71% in the Americas) pulse.internetsociety.org, meaning heavy reliance on international bandwidth. Additionally, the need for more tech skills and ICT professionals is acute trade.gov – a reminder that physical connectivity alone isn’t enough without human capacity to maintain networks and drive digital services.
• Satellite Internet Game-Changer: Satellite broadband is emerging as a transformative force, especially for rural users. In 2024, Elon Musk’s Starlink went live in Guyana with regulatory approval, offering high-speed, low-latency internet nationwide. The Public Utilities Commission approved residential Starlink plans at GYD $7,400 and $11,000 per month (approximately USD $35–$52) for “Lite” and standard packages stabroeknews.com – a relatively accessible price point given the performance. Equipment (the satellite dish) runs around GYD $42,000–$82,000 (USD $200–$400) upfront guyanadailybusiness.com. Starlink’s entry has been hailed as a “significant milestone” by regulators, expected to bridge the digital divide for remote areas stabroeknews.com. Dozens of households and businesses in interior regions have already signed on, and Starlink accounted for a few percent of all internet subscriptions within its first year pulse.internetsociety.org. Beyond Starlink, traditional satellite ISPs (like GlobalTT’s VSAT service) have long served mining camps and villages, but these were expensive and had high latency. The new generation of low-earth-orbit satellites changes that equation, delivering fiber-like speeds from the sky. Even the offshore oil and gas sector stands to benefit: the recently completed Deep Blue One submarine cable (linking Guyana to Trinidad, Suriname, and French Guiana) was designed with branching units for offshore oil rigs, but satellite options like Starlink provide an alternate connectivity lifeline for energy operations in the Atlantic developingtelecoms.com.
• Regional Standing: Guyana’s internet landscape in 2025 both mirrors and diverges from regional trends. In terms of usage, Guyana has about 85% of its population online, on par with the Latin American & Caribbean average (~83% in 2023) fred.stlouisfed.org. That figure is comparable to nearby Jamaica (82% in 2023) and reflects the broad reach of mobile internet in Guyana datareportal.com. Where Guyana really stands out is its recent fiber rollout – few countries in the Caribbean or South America can boast fiber-access to three-quarters of homes. This aggressive FTTH expansion arguably leapfrogs Guyana ahead of some larger neighbors on infrastructure; for example, Guyanese telecom officials claim their country is “further ahead in the rollout of fibre, as [a] percentage of homes” than even some developed markets newssourcegy.com. On the other hand, mobile 5G adoption in Guyana is still nascent, whereas a number of Caribbean nations (e.g. Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago) have begun wider 5G deployments. Internet speeds in Guyana, while much improved, remain middle-of-the-pack regionally – slower than the fastest Caribbean hubs (like Barbados or Cayman Islands, which enjoy 100+ Mbps typical downloads developingtelecoms.com gsma.com), but comfortably ahead of a few low-connectivity outliers in the hemisphere. Prices have historically been on the high side in the Caribbean; Guyana’s new competition and rising incomes have brought relative prices down, so that entry-level broadband here takes a smaller share of income than in many nearby countries pulse.internetsociety.org. Overall, Guyana is quickly shedding its image as an internet backwater. It is now roughly on par with regional peers on core indicators (coverage, usage, affordability), and in some aspects (FTTH coverage, universal access initiatives) it is becoming a model for connectivity in a developing economy.

Overview of Internet Infrastructure in Guyana

Guyana’s internet infrastructure has evolved from rudimentary beginnings into a more robust, modern network. The country – sparsely populated and covered in rainforest outside its coastal strip – long relied on a limited telecommunications setup. Until the 2000s, most Guyanese accessed the internet via dial-up or very slow broadband over copper phone lines. Today, that picture is dramatically different.

Fiber-Optic Backbone: Guyana now boasts multiple fiber-optic cables carrying data domestically and internationally. One Communications (formerly GTT) and other operators have laid fiber routes along the populated coast and across parts of the interior. Notably, E-Networks (ENet) has built out the largest fiber backbone in the country, spanning 7 of 10 regions developingtelecoms.com. In August 2025 ENet completed a multibillion-dollar subsea fiber cable to the town of Bartica (often called the “gateway to the interior”), running under two major rivers to link that remote community with the coastal network developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. Infrastructure projects like this have extended high-capacity connectivity beyond Georgetown and coastal cities, something that was unthinkable a decade ago.

On the international front, Guyana’s internet is no longer funneled through a single bottleneck. It has at least three separate submarine fiber connections for global access, providing “fair” upstream diversity (more than two distinct routes overseas) according to the Internet Society pulse.internetsociety.org. The oldest link was the Suriname-Guyana Submarine Cable System (SG-SCS) activated in 2010, which gave Guyana its first fiber link to the global internet via Trinidad. This was supplemented by additional capacity from cables like Deep Blue One, a new 2,000-km subsea system that went live in 2024 connecting Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and Trinidad & Tobago developingtelecoms.com. Deep Blue One, built by Digicel and Orange, can carry up to 12 Tbps per fiber pair and interconnects with other regional backbones developingtelecoms.com, substantially boosting Guyana’s international bandwidth. Thanks to these investments, Guyana can handle ever-growing data traffic and is better insulated against outages – if one cable is cut, others can pick up the slack.

Last-Mile Technologies: For connecting homes and businesses, fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) has become the gold standard in Guyana’s urban areas. Both One Communications and ENet have deployed fiber in Georgetown and many towns. As of 2025 an estimated two-thirds of households are connected to fiber internet, and One Communications aims to reach about 75% of homes by end of 2024 newssourcegy.com. This is an extraordinary leap, considering fiber rollout only began in earnest around 2016. High-speed cable modems (common elsewhere in the Caribbean) were never widespread in Guyana; instead, the upgrade path jumped straight from copper DSL to fiber in many places. In areas not yet reached by fiber, One Communications still provides ADSL broadband over telephone lines, but they have been actively migrating customers from DSL to fiber (over half of legacy DSL users had switched as of 2022) newssourcegy.com. Fixed wireless is another part of the mix: ENet and others use wireless broadband (4G LTE or proprietary systems) to serve some neighborhoods and rural districts, especially where laying fiber is difficult. In fact, One Communications has even introduced a “5G” fixed wireless service for homes as an interim solution in areas awaiting fiber, using advanced LTE/5G technology on higher frequency bands to deliver broadband wirelessly enetworks.gy.

Mobile Networks: The mobile infrastructure in Guyana has seen significant upgrades. The country has two main mobile operators – GTT (under its Cellink/One Mobile brand) and Digicel (operating locally under the name U-Mobile Cellular Inc.) – which provide nation-wide cellular service. Both started with GSM and 3G networks and have now moved to 4G LTE. As a result, 93% of the population is covered by at least a 4G mobile signal pulse.internetsociety.org, bringing mobile internet to virtually all settled areas. In 2022, newcomer ENet entered the mobile arena as a third provider, launching a 4G/5G network after acquiring spectrum post-liberalization enetworks.gy. ENet built a modern, VoLTE-capable network from scratch, which it markets as the country’s first 5G service (though devices fall back to 4G outside the limited 5G zones) enetworks.gy enetworks.gy. This injection of new infrastructure – new cell towers, new spectrum utilization – has improved mobile capacity and coverage, especially in coastal regions. By 2025, while true 5G coverage is still extremely small (<1% of people can get a 5G signal) pulse.internetsociety.org, the groundwork is being laid for broader 5G expansion in the coming years.

Satellite Links: Given Guyana’s challenging geography, satellite has always been a component of its internet infrastructure. In the past, traditional geostationary satellites (VSAT) provided connectivity to remote mining outposts, hinterland villages, and some government sites. The drawback was high latency (600ms+), low speeds, and high cost. Now, however, low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite broadband is a game-changer. The government and private users are adopting services like Starlink to reach locales that fiber or terrestrial wireless can’t. Starlink’s constellation can deliver 100–200 Mbps with ~20–40 ms latency in Guyana, essentially broadband-equivalent performance from anywhere with a clear sky. The government has installed 99 Starlink terminals at community hubs so far dpi.gov.gy, and private citizens can order service directly via Starlink’s website after the company’s local subsidiary obtained a license in 2024 stabroeknews.com stabroeknews.com. In essence, satellites now complement Guyana’s terrestrial networks: ensuring even a single house deep in the Amazon jungle can get online if needed.

In summary, Guyana’s internet infrastructure in 2025 is a hybrid of state-of-the-art fiberoptic networks, widespread 4G wireless, emerging 5G pockets, and satellite overlays. The country has made immense strides from the days of single-threaded connectivity. While infrastructure development is still ongoing (and in remote areas just beginning), the foundation has been laid for a resilient, modern internet ecosystem.

Key Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and Market Shares

For decades, Guyana’s telecom sector was defined by monopoly. Guyana Telephone & Telegraph Company (GTT), partly owned by ATN International (USA), was granted exclusive licenses in the 1990s to provide virtually all telecom services – local, long-distance, mobile, you name it. This monopoly only officially ended in October 2020, when the government liberalized the sector. Since then, the ISP landscape has been gradually diversifying, though GTT (rebranded as One Communications in 2024) remains the dominant player by far.

GTT / One Communications: The incumbent operator, now rebranded as One Communications, is the largest ISP with an estimated 54% market share of internet subscriptions pulse.internetsociety.org. This share spans its fixed broadband services (DSL and Fiber) as well as any mobile data subscriptions on its cellular network. One Communications literally built the country’s telecom infrastructure from scratch – it still runs the copper telephone network, major fiber trunks, and international gateways. Since 2018, GTT/One has focused heavily on rolling out its fiber broadband (branded “Blaze” and now just “One Fibre”), upgrading thousands of customers from old DSL. As noted, the company aimed to pass 75% of households with fiber by 2024 newssourcegy.com, and it connected its 105,000th home by late 2022 newssourcegy.com. In mobile, One Comm operates a 2G/3G/4G network but has been losing ground to Digicel in terms of subscriber numbers. Still, its broad portfolio (fixed voice, mobile, internet, enterprise services) and legacy base make it the default provider for many Guyanese.

Digicel: Digicel Group, a major Caribbean telecom company, entered Guyana’s market in 2007 to compete in mobile services (operating as U-Mobile (Cellular) Inc., but branding itself simply as Digicel). It quickly broke GTT’s mobile monopoly and became known for affordable prepaid plans and wide coverage. In 2020 when full liberalization hit, Digicel was also freed from restrictions and could, in theory, offer fixed broadband as well. To date, Digicel’s presence in the home internet segment remains limited – it doesn’t offer residential fiber or DSL in Guyana, focusing on mobile and possibly some 4G-based home broadband. Digicel’s share of the internet market is about 12% pulse.internetsociety.org, which primarily reflects its share of mobile data users. The company has invested in upgrading its cell sites to 4G LTE and expanding capacity. It also was a partner in the Deep Blue One subsea cable project, indicating Digicel’s interest in providing robust backhaul and perhaps future broadband offerings developingtelecoms.com developingtelecoms.com. Digicel’s competitive impact has been significant in mobile (forcing GTT to lower prices and improve service), but in fixed internet, its impact has yet to be felt.

E-Networks (ENet): E-Networks is a 100% Guyanese-owned telecom company that has rapidly risen as a key ISP since liberalization. Established in the early 2000s as a cable TV and internet provider, E-Networks operated in GTT’s shadow for years by focusing on niche services (like wireless TV and limited internet in Georgetown) under special licenses. Post-2020, ENet aggressively expanded: it laid its own fiber networks in competition with GTT’s and launched Guyana’s first 5G mobile network in 2022 enetworks.gy enetworks.gy. ENet offers home fiber broadband, fixed wireless 4G broadband, mobile service, and even satellite TV. By 2025, E-Networks commands about 28% of the internet market pulse.internetsociety.org – a remarkable achievement for a newcomer going up against a former monopoly. Its success is attributed to very competitive pricing and innovation (for instance, ENet gave Guyana its first unlimited mobile data plans and claims the title of “Guyana’s fastest network” via Ookla awards enetworks.gy enetworks.gy). ENet’s fiber network reaches not just Georgetown but towns like Linden, Berbice, Bartica, etc., often being first to serve new housing developments. With ENet’s growth, Guyanese consumers for the first time have a viable alternative to GTT/One for home broadband in many areas, sparking real competition.

Other ISPs: Aside from the big three, a few smaller players exist, though their market shares are minimal. The Government’s eGovernment Unit/NDMA operates some networks (like free public Wi-Fi hotspots and networks connecting government offices and schools). This is reflected as about 1% of market share in internet connections pulse.internetsociety.org. Additionally, some niche operators and WISPs serve local areas – e.g., companies offering VSAT satellite internet, or small wireless ISPs in regions with unique needs. However, these collectively account for only a few percent of users.

It’s important to note that until recently, market competition was very weak, and its effects are still felt. The Internet Society’s assessment rates Guyana’s market competitiveness for internet as “Very Poor” pulse.internetsociety.org. Essentially, GTT had an overwhelming monopoly until Digicel and ENet started biting into it, and even now consumers don’t have a plethora of choices. In many rural areas, only one provider’s network might be available (either One Comm’s or ENet’s, but rarely both). The government hopes that measures like mobile/fixed number portability introduced in 2024 will increase churn and force providers to be more customer-centric stabroeknews.com. Already, anecdotal reports suggest that GTT/One has improved customer service and network quality due to ENet’s challenge, and both are trying to outdo each other in fiber deployment. As the country’s oil wealth spurs economic growth, more international telecom companies could be attracted to enter Guyana’s market in the future, further increasing competition.

Types of Internet Access Available

Guyana’s residents have access to a range of internet connection types, from traditional wired broadband to the latest wireless and satellite technologies. Here’s a breakdown of the major access types and their prevalence:

• DSL (Digital Subscriber Line): This is the original broadband that many Guyanese households used in the 2000s and 2010s. DSL delivers internet over copper telephone lines. GTT (One Communications) was the sole DSL provider, with products like its “Zoom” ADSL service. DSL speeds in Guyana topped out around 10 Mbps in the best cases, and performance suffered over long distances. As of 2025, DSL is still available but rapidly being phased out. With the aggressive fiber rollout, GTT has been migrating customers off DSL – by late 2022, 55% of its DSL users had upgraded to fiber newssourcegy.com. The company no longer markets DSL in areas where fiber exists. Still, in some villages and neighborhoods awaiting fiber, a few thousand subscribers likely remain on DSL lines. DSL’s footprint roughly matches where landline telephone service exists (mostly coastal and larger inland towns). It’s a stopgap now, and within a couple more years GTT intends to retire copper broadband entirely.
• Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH): Fiber-optic broadband is the new standard in Guyana’s populated areas. Both One Communications and ENet have built FTTH networks. These involve running optical fiber cables directly to homes or curbside, enabling much faster speeds (100 Mbps up to 1 Gbps) and greater reliability than DSL. One Communications brands its service as “One Fibre” (previously GTT Fibre Blaze) and offers tiers from 20 Mbps up to 1000 Mbps onecomm.gy onecomm.gy. E-Networks (ENet) likewise sells fiber plans (often at 50, 100, 150 Mbps etc., with competitive pricing). As of 2025, FTTH is available in all major cities and towns: the capital Georgetown, the county capitals like New Amsterdam (Berbice) and Anna Regina (Essequibo), Linden, Bartica, Lethem, and many other communities now have fiber access. According to one report, about two-thirds of Guyanese households have a fiber connection (or the ability to get one) as of early 2025 gxmediagy.com. One Communications alone had run fiber past 75% of homes on the coast by end of 2024 newssourcegy.com. This rapid fiber deployment is a cornerstone of Guyana’s internet improvement. It means that in core areas, customers can enjoy world-class broadband speeds. FTTH is also the medium that will enable future services (like IPTV, smart home and so on) as Guyana’s digital economy grows.
• Fixed Wireless Broadband: In areas lacking wired infrastructure, fixed wireless is often used for home internet. Several flavors exist in Guyana:
  • 4G LTE Home Internet: Both Digicel and ENet have offered routers/modems that use the 4G cellular network to provide broadband to a household. A user can get a special SIM card and router, plug it in at home, and get internet via the cell network – effectively a wireless alternative to DSL. This is popular in semi-rural areas where fiber or DSL isn’t available. ENet in particular, after launching its mobile network, promoted unlimited data home plans over 4G/5G. Speeds on LTE home service might be around 5–20 Mbps depending on signal and network load.
  • Wimax/Proprietary Wireless: In the early 2010s, companies like Green Dot (a short-lived provider) and even GTT experimented with WiMAX in Guyana to deliver wireless broadband. Those efforts were limited. Today, ENet has some proprietary fixed-wireless networks (e.g., it had a service called “DreamNET” using 5.8 GHz radios for certain housing areas). However, most of these are being supplanted by LTE and fiber.
  • 5G Fixed Wireless: A new development is using 5G technology for fixed access. One Communications announced in 2023 that it would deploy a 5G-based fixed wireless solution for certain customers, possibly using the 3.5 GHz band. This is essentially a “last mile” solution: fiber is run to a cell site and then 5G radio links beam high-speed internet to home receivers in that vicinity. It’s not yet widespread, but it demonstrates that even wireless options in Guyana are reaching next-gen standards.
• Mobile Internet (3G/4G/5G): Nearly every internet user in Guyana has at some point accessed it via a mobile phone. Mobile broadband (smartphones, tablets, USB dongles) is very widespread. Guyana’s 3G networks (UMTS/HSPA) introduced basic mobile internet in the late 2000s, but the big leap came with 4G LTE, first launched by Digicel around 2017 and by GTT in 2019. Now, both main operators have nationwide 4G. Typical LTE speeds range from 5 Mbps up to 40+ Mbps in good conditions. Mobile data is sold in prepaid bundles (daily, weekly, monthly) and postpaid plans, and the competition keeps prices relatively reasonable. 5G mobile is the newest addition – ENet turned on an initial 5G network in Georgetown and a few areas in 2022 enetworks.gy, and it advertises “5G coverage” in parts of the coast. This 5G is likely used to deliver both mobile and home services. As of 2025, neither Digicel nor One Comm has launched consumer 5G yet (though trials may be ongoing), so ENet is the sole 5G provider for now. The current 5G coverage is very limited, but the presence of 5G at all makes Guyana one of the early adopters in the region. Users with compatible phones (and ENet service) can get very fast wireless data in pockets of Georgetown. Broader 5G rollout by all carriers is expected in the next couple of years, especially as demand for capacity grows (and as 5G spectrum like 700 MHz and C-band gets allocated by regulators developingtelecoms.com).
• Satellite Internet: Satellite fills the gaps where ground-based communications can’t reach. Two categories exist:
  • Geostationary (GEO) Satellite: Legacy satellite internet in Guyana was typically through providers like HughesNet or GlobalTT. These services use a dish to connect to satellites 36,000 km out in orbit. They are reliable for basic connectivity anywhere, but come with high latency (~600 ms) and relatively low speeds (a few Mbps, often metered by data caps). They’re also expensive (hundreds of dollars a month for a few GB of data). Thus, GEO satellite was historically a last resort for remote businesses or government use.
  • Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) Satellite: This is the new era. Starlink, with satellites just ~550 km above Earth, began service in Guyana in 2024 and “officially started operations” by April 2025 guyanadailybusiness.com. Starlink offers 50–200 Mbps download speeds with latency under 50 ms, truly broadband-quality. And it is priced far lower than old VSAT: the PUC-approved monthly rates are GYD $7,400 (approx USD $35) for a “lite” plan and GYD $11,000 (~USD $52) for the standard plan stabroeknews.com. The upfront kit cost is around GYD $60,000 (USD $290). This has made satellite viable even for ordinary households in off-grid areas. Already, remote lodges, hinterland residents, and even some urban users (as a backup) have subscribed. While Starlink is the main LEO option currently, others like OneWeb or Amazon’s Project Kuiper could potentially enter the region in the future. The government is supportive of satellite options – seeing them as complementary to terrestrial networks to achieve 100% coverage. The ongoing installation of LEO terminals at community ICT hubs shows a public-private approach: public funds establishing access points where private telecoms haven’t built out.

In summary, Guyana’s menu of internet access types ranges from aging copper lines to cutting-edge satellites. In coastal and urban zones, fiber is king – delivering the fastest, unlimited broadband. In less dense areas, 4G/5G wireless and satellite are bridging the gap. It’s telling that even in remote Amerindian villages now, one might find a solar-powered computer hub connected via Starlink, while in Georgetown many homes have gigabit fiber – a striking contrast, yet both represent improved connectivity. As technology costs fall and networks expand, these types of access will likely converge toward ubiquitous high-speed coverage across Guyana.

Coverage Across Urban and Rural Areas

Bridging the urban-rural connectivity gap is one of Guyana’s biggest development priorities. The country’s population distribution makes this challenging: only about 27% of Guyanese live in urban centers (mostly in Greater Georgetown), while the remaining 73% are in small towns, villages, and rural communities scattered across a vast landscape datareportal.com. Many hinterland villages are extremely remote – accessible only by river, plane, or days of driving on difficult roads. Providing modern internet service to such areas has required creative solutions and strong government commitment.

Urban and Coastal Coverage: The urban areas of Guyana – particularly the capital city Georgetown and surrounding Region 4 (Demerara-Mahaica) – enjoy the country’s best connectivity. In Georgetown and nearby towns, residents can typically choose from multiple ISPs (One Comm or ENet fiber, plus mobile broadband options). These areas have nearly full 4G mobile coverage and extensive fiber networks. The coastal strip of Guyana, where the majority of people live (from Springlands on the eastern border with Suriname, through New Amsterdam, Georgetown, to Charity on the western Essequibo coast), is relatively well served. Main roads and communities along the coast often have fiber cables running alongside, or at least DSL service historically. Mobile towers dot the coastal highway such that mobile signal is continuous when traveling. As a result, internet penetration in the coastal regions is high – most families have either a home broadband connection or at least a smartphone with data.

It’s notable that even within urban areas, the upgrade from basic to high-quality internet happened recently. In Georgetown prior to fiber, DSL quality varied and outages were frequent. Now, with fiber, Georgetown’s businesses and government offices have access to reliable high-bandwidth links. Key public locations (airports, malls, university campuses) often have public Wi-Fi or strong mobile data coverage. In coastal secondary towns like Linden, Bartica, Anna Regina, and Lethem (a border town in the southwest), connectivity has improved sharply in the last few years too. For instance, Bartica in Region 7 got its first fiber link in 2023 via the new subsea cable, and with it came “gigabit-speed internet [and] 5G mobile coverage” similar to the coast developingtelecoms.com. This is a huge development for a town in the interior. Similarly, Lethem, which lies on the Brazil border, was connected by a fiber-optic cable coming from Brazil a few years ago. Now both ENet and GTT serve Lethem with broadband and 4G, whereas previously it relied on satellite/microwave.

Rural Coastal and Riverain Areas: Outside the main towns on the coast, there are hundreds of small farming villages, rice and sugar estates, and fishing communities. Many of these are stringed along coastal roads or riverbanks and have historically had basic telecom (landlines, 2G cellular). Today, most coastal villages do have 4G mobile coverage – the flat terrain makes it easier to cover these areas with tall towers. So even if a village lacks fiber, residents with a smartphone can get online. Where the fiber backbone runs nearby, ISPs have started branching out: for example, One Comm’s fiber network passes through villages on the West Coast Demerara and along the East Coast highway beyond Georgetown, enabling those communities to sign up for FTTH. ENet and One Comm also use microwave links to hop connectivity to communities separated by rivers (Guyana’s many rivers make last-mile tricky). The Essequibo Islands (like Wakenaam, Leguan) now have microwave-fed LTE cell sites and even some fixed broadband service.

However, some remote rural pockets on the coast still have weaker service. Not every far-flung settlement has a cell tower in close range, meaning a few coastal spots might only get 2G or have to climb a hill for signal. In addition, electricity availability can be an issue in some rural spots (though most coastal villages are on the national power grid). Overall, one can say the populated coastal and riverain areas have near-universal basic coverage (voice/SMS and at least 3G data), and steadily improving high-speed coverage.

Hinterland and Interior Coverage: The true test is the hinterland – the vast interior regions (Regions 1, 7, 8, 9) and parts of Regions 2, 10, etc., where population density is very low and settlements are isolated. These include many Indigenous (Amerindian) villages, mining camps, and forest communities. Historically, these areas had almost no telecom infrastructure. Perhaps a high-frequency radio or a satellite phone was the only link for some villages. Over the last decade, efforts began to connect these communities: towers were built in some larger hinterland towns (e.g., Mabaruma, Mahdia, Port Kaituma) giving a limited cellular service; a government-run satellite internet or VSAT might be installed at a school or health center to allow some internet access.

Since 2017, the National Data Management Authority (NDMA) under the Office of the Prime Minister has been executing a major project to bring connectivity to these remote areas. Known as the ICT Access and e-Services for Hinterland, Poor, and Remote Communities (HPRC) Project, it takes a multi-pronged approach:

• Installing ICT hubs in villages – usually a small building with computers, satellite link, and solar power, where residents can come to use the internet.
• Providing internet links to schools and health clinics in those regions.
• Training local residents to manage and maintain the ICT facilities (creating jobs and local expertise).

By September 2024, this project had achieved significant milestones: high-speed internet connections were live in 144 out of 253 targeted communities (57%) dpi.gov.gy. In total, 323 connection sites had been set up – including 100 community ICT hubs, 137 schools, and 86 health facilities dpi.gov.gy. Importantly, the bandwidth delivered is substantial (aiming for 250 Mbps or more at each site) dpi.gov.gy, so villagers can access video calls, online classes, and telemedicine without frustration. The government prioritizes certain regions phase-wise: for example, by late 2024 they were focusing on Regions 8 (Potaro-Siparuni), 9 (Upper Takutu-Essequibo), and 10 (Upper Demerara) for new installations, having covered parts of Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 prior dpi.gov.gy. Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) was scheduled next, and revisit rounds were planned to earlier regions to expand coverage further dpi.gov.gy.

One of the game-changing aspects of the hinterland rollout is the use of LEO satellite technology (Starlink). The project deployed 99 Starlink terminals by late 2024 to connect these remote sites dpi.gov.gy. The performance of LEO means these communities get a “real” internet experience – unlike older VSAT that could barely handle a Skype call, the new connections support streaming, cloud services, and other bandwidth-heavy tasks. Additionally, recognizing power issues, the government outfitted 114 locations with solar photovoltaic systems totaling 570 kW to ensure the ICT hubs run on renewable energy continuously dpi.gov.gy. The model is essentially off-grid, independent internet hubs in villages that never had electricity or phones before – truly a leapfrogging of technology.

Coverage in the hinterland is thus improving via these shared access points. It’s not that every individual home in an interior village has internet yet, but the village as a whole now has one or more places to get online. And in some cases, mobile operators have piggybacked on these efforts – for instance, if a community now has an internet backhaul via satellite, a small cellular micro-tower might be installed to provide local 4G or at least 2G coverage in that village.

Offshore and Special Cases: Guyana’s new offshore oil industry presents another “coverage” domain – middle of the ocean. The major oil platforms are ~120 miles offshore. They are being connected by dedicated solutions (e.g., the Deep Blue One cable’s branches, or specialized satellite links). These are private networks not directly serving the public, but worth noting as part of extending connectivity literally from the deep forests to the high seas.

In summary, urban Guyana now enjoys connectivity on par with smaller developed countries, while rural Guyana is catching up fast through targeted initiatives. There is still work to do: by early 2025 about 15% of the population remained completely offline datareportal.com, largely in remote rural pockets. But the trajectory is positive. Each month, new villages are lit up with internet for the first time. A telling example is the story of a village in Region 8 that received a Starlink-powered ICT hub – suddenly schoolchildren there could join online classes and villagers could make WhatsApp video calls to relatives in the city, an experience entirely new for them. Such stories are increasingly common. The government’s vision of “leaving no community behind” is gradually becoming reality, with Guyana’s coverage map filling in from the coast to the farthest frontiers.

Affordability and Pricing of Internet Packages

Cost has historically been a barrier to internet access in Guyana, but in recent years affordability has significantly improved. Thanks to greater competition, increased capacity, and higher national income levels (driven by the oil boom), internet service is more within reach of the average Guyanese than ever before.

International Benchmarks: A key metric often used is the affordability target set by the UN Broadband Commission – that entry-level broadband service should cost no more than 2% of gross monthly income. Guyana is now comfortably meeting this target. As of 2024, a basic mobile or fixed broadband package in Guyana costs around 1.22% of GNI per capita pulse.internetsociety.org, well under the 2% benchmark. This is an aggregate measure indicating that, on average, Guyanese consumers don’t have to spend a huge chunk of earnings to get online. A few years ago, this percentage was likely higher (meaning relatively costlier internet), so the trend is positive.

Home Broadband Pricing: Let’s look at the actual prices from the main providers:

• One Communications (GTT) Fibre: In April 2025, One Comm updated its fiber plans. The cheapest home fiber package is One Fibre 20 – offering 20 Mbps download – for GYD $8,399 per month onecomm.gy onecomm.gy (this price includes VAT). That equates to roughly USD $40 monthly. Higher tiers include 200 Mbps for GYD $10,399 ($50), 300 Mbps for $11,399, 400 Mbps for $13,399, 500 Mbps for $15,399, and the top 1 Gbps plan at GYD $20,399 onecomm.gy onecomm.gy ($100). All plans come with unlimited data (no caps) and even some free calling minutes as a bundle. Compared to a few years ago, these speeds are dramatically higher at similar or lower price points. For instance, back in 2018, GTT’s top DSL plan was 10 Mbps for around $9,000 GYD; now for the same price you get 200 Mbps on fiber. Moreover, GTT has periodically reduced rates or increased speeds on plans to add value – e.g., in 2021 they doubled fiber speeds for free on some tiers. The installation and router for fiber are often subsidized or free during promotions, lowering upfront costs for new users.
• ENet Fibre: E-Networks typically tries to undercut GTT slightly. While their latest price list isn’t cited here, previously ENet offered packages like 20 Mbps around GYD $7,000 and 50 Mbps around $10,000. ENet also has a prepaid fiber option in some areas (pay-as-you-go monthly). In any case, ENet’s presence has kept GTT’s prices in check; when ENet introduced lower prices, GTT often responded to avoid losing customers.
• DSL and Others: For the shrinking DSL user base, GTT’s old DSL packages ranged from GYD $5–8,000 for 1 to 5 Mbps (those plans are mostly obsolete now with fiber available). If anyone is still on DSL Bronze/Silver/Gold packages, those have been grandfathered or upgraded.

What’s striking is that broadband in Guyana is now priced comparably to or even cheaper than in many other Caribbean countries. Paying $50 for 200 Mbps unlimited is a better deal than, say, in neighboring Suriname or Trinidad a few years ago where similar speeds cost more. This is partly because the advent of fiber and competition lowered the cost per megabit significantly.

Mobile Data Pricing: Mobile internet in Guyana is predominantly prepaid, and the operators offer a confusing array of bundles – daily social media packs, nightly YouTube packs, etc. But to simplify:

• Digicel and GTT both sell monthly data packages. For example, GTT’s Go Data plans might give ~2 GB for GYD $2,000, 5 GB for $4,000, etc., and up to maybe 50 GB for around $10,000 (these figures illustrative). Digicel similarly has combo plans (data + talk) that are competitively priced. As of 2023, Digicel advertised an Unlimited plan for around GYD $15,000 (with fair use policy).
• The cost per GB of data in Guyana was reported around USD $1.30 in one analysis for mobile (depending on package) – which is relatively low pulse.internetsociety.org. Some small daily plans cost mere cents for messaging apps, making basic connectivity affordable even to low-income users.
• A telling affordability stat: a “low-consumption mobile broadband basket” (something like 1.5 GB monthly) costs just 1.22% of average income in Guyana pulse.internetsociety.org, better than many countries in Latin America.

Satellite Pricing: Starlink’s arrival brought a new kind of pricing. The PUC-approved rates (residential) are GYD $7,400 and $11,000 per month stabroeknews.com. This is actually lower than initial Starlink pricing in the US (USD $99) – possibly they introduced a reduced “Latin America” rate. For rural Guyanese who previously might pay GYD $20,000+ for a slow VSAT connection, $7,400 for 100 Mbps is a breakthrough. The equipment cost ($290) could be a hurdle, but the government or entrepreneurs might step in to help finance that for community use.

Public Internet Access: In terms of affordability, one must also consider the many free or subsidized access points. The government’s ICT hubs in hinterland communities provide internet free of charge to users (the state covers the satellite bandwidth). Additionally, some urban spots have free Wi-Fi (e.g., downtown Georgetown had a “Guyana Free WiFi” project for a while in public areas). These options help those who cannot afford personal plans to still get online for essential tasks.

Income Context: It’s worth noting Guyana’s average incomes have risen sharply (GNI per capita jumped with oil revenue). So even if prices in GYD stayed same, the affordability % improved. But in reality, we’ve seen prices per Mbps fall. Between 2010 and 2020, internet was considered expensive – for instance, a 1 Mbps DSL line for $6,000 GYD (~$30) was steep relative to low incomes then. In 2025, however, the economy has improved and $30–$50 for broadband is more within reach, and you get vastly better service for that money.

Competition and Regulation: The government through the PUC keeps an eye on prices to ensure fairness. They have approved rates for new services like Starlink stabroeknews.com and can intervene if, say, a company tries to overcharge or if unauthorized resellers jack up prices (as the PUC warned in Starlink’s case) stabroeknews.com. The mere presence of multiple ISPs is the best guard against high prices – and indeed, the price drops since ENet’s arrival show how competition benefits consumers. Internet cafes, which used to be common for those who couldn’t afford home internet, are less needed now that mobile and home broadband are more accessible, but they still exist in some towns offering hourly access cheaply.

In summary, internet access in Guyana has shifted from being a luxury to a utility that many can afford. There remain lower-income households for whom even $40/month is a burden – but they can at least get mobile internet for a few dollars or use community access points. The trajectory is toward higher speeds for the same buck. The continued introduction of new players (perhaps Digicel in fixed broadband, or international providers) should further drive competitive pricing. With the combination of falling prices and rising incomes, Guyana is on track to make internet truly universal from an affordability standpoint.

Internet Speed and Performance Benchmarks

Guyana’s internet speeds have historically lagged behind global averages, but the country is rapidly catching up thanks to infrastructure upgrades. Let’s examine how Guyana fares in terms of broadband speed and overall performance, using recent benchmarks and comparisons:

Fixed Broadband Speeds: The latest data (early 2024) from Ookla’s Speedtest Global Index and other analyses indicate that the median fixed broadband download speed in Guyana is around 60–62 Mbps, with uploads perhaps ~20 Mbps datareportal.com. Specifically, DataReportal reported a median fixed speed of 61.85 Mbps download at the start of 2024 datareportal.com. By mid-2025, this may have edged higher as more fiber customers come online. This is a huge improvement over just a few years prior – for context, in 2019 the average download speed was likely under 10 Mbps nationally (dominated by DSL then). The jump to 60+ Mbps reflects the mass migration to fiber.

Not only are average speeds up, but consistency and latency have improved. Fiber connections have low latency (often <10 ms domestically) and are far more reliable than the old copper lines that suffered frequent slowdowns. Many Guyanese fiber users now enjoy virtually lag-free video streaming, clear Zoom calls, and fast downloads of large files. One Communications even boasts that its fiber service is “the best service in the world… no different than what people get in the US” newssourcegy.com. While that might be a bit hyperbolic, it’s true that a gigabit fiber in Georgetown provides an experience on par with any major city globally.

In terms of international ranking, a median of ~60 Mbps puts Guyana somewhere in the middle of the pack. It’s below the global median (~80-100 Mbps as of 2025, since many developed countries have very high speeds). Within the Caribbean region, Guyana’s fixed broadband speed is now better than some larger countries like Jamaica (which had ~40 Mbps median in 2023) and light-years ahead of Haiti or Cuba (which are in single digits) gsma.com. However, it trails regional leaders like Barbados or the Cayman Islands, where widespread gigabit networks yield median speeds over 100 Mbps gsma.com. For example, a survey in 2023 showed typical download speeds ranged from 4.1 Mbps in Cuba up to 125 Mbps in Cayman Islands, with Guyana at that time likely around 20-30 Mbps; but by 2025 Guyana would have moved up significantly on that list gsma.com. Moreover, speed is not uniform across Guyana: fiber users in Georgetown may consistently get 100+ Mbps, whereas someone on a fixed wireless link in an outlying area might still be limited to 5–10 Mbps. So the median doesn’t tell the whole spread.

Importantly, speed trends are upward – Ookla data noted fixed speeds in Guyana increased by ~11.94 Mbps (+23.9%) during 2023 alone datareportal.com, one of the larger jumps in the region. As remaining DSL users switch to fiber and as fiber itself sees network upgrades (like possible future XGS-PON rollouts for multi-gig speeds), the averages will continue to rise.

Mobile Data Speeds: On mobile networks, Guyana’s speeds are more modest but still decent. The median mobile download speed is about 22–23 Mbps as of 2023 datareportal.com. The Internet Society Pulse recorded an average mobile download of 22.37 Mbps pulse.internetsociety.org. This is roughly in line with many 4G networks worldwide – not spectacular, but sufficient for streaming 1080p video or video calls in most cases. Uploads on LTE might be around 10 Mbps median.

Mobile speeds can vary widely depending on location and network: In central Georgetown, users often report 30-50 Mbps on LTE when the network isn’t congested. In rural areas with 4G, one might get 5-15 Mbps. Since both major telcos still rely on 4G and haven’t rolled out mass 5G, the mobile speeds haven’t hit the triple-digit highs seen in places with 5G. For example, 5G can offer over 100 Mbps easily; ENet’s limited 5G might give some users those speeds in its coverage bubbles, but the userbase and test data are small. Generally, Guyana’s mobile internet is serviceable though not lightning-fast, and the focus has been more on expanding coverage (from 2G to 3G to 4G everywhere) rather than ultra-high speeds.

Latency and Quality: With the new infrastructure, latency to common content (like connecting to a Miami server) is fairly low – fiber users might see ~30-50 ms pings to the USA. The Internet Society’s resilience assessment gave Guyana a 43% score, noting that only 16% of popular content is locally cached pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org. This implies that a lot of traffic still goes overseas, which can introduce latency and slowdowns if international links congest. However, the addition of multiple submarine cables (Deep Blue One, etc.) means there’s ample international capacity now. The upstream diversity is fair (multiple routes) so latency and packet loss are less of an issue even if one path has issues pulse.internetsociety.org. The country does not yet have an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) for local peering at large scale (hence the low local cache figure), but if one is established it could further improve efficiency by keeping local traffic internal.

Performance in Remote Areas: For the interior communities on satellite links, the performance is surprisingly good for what it is. Starlink delivers ~50-150 Mbps to those community hubs, which is transformative even if shared among users. Latency ~50 ms means even real-time applications can work. Contrast this with the older VSAT at 2 Mbps and 700 ms latency – it’s a radical upgrade. So even the “worst” connections in Guyana (LEO satellite) are now pretty decent broadband by technical standards.

One lingering performance issue has been consistency: power outages or maintenance issues sometimes disrupt service, and the telecom companies have had to improve backup power and redundancy. The government, interestingly, has worked with operators to enhance network resilience – for example, tax breaks on certain telecom equipment to encourage building more robust networks developingtelecoms.com. As a result, networks have become more stable. GTT/One and ENet both tout high uptime percentages now, and when issues occur (like a fiber cut on a backbone), they can often reroute traffic through alternate paths, whereas in the past a single cut might knock out internet for the whole country.

User Experience: From a user perspective, the improvement in speed and performance is perhaps most noticeable in the proliferation of bandwidth-heavy services. A few years ago, only a minority of Guyanese could smoothly stream HD video on Netflix or attend a Zoom meeting without stuttering. Now, these have become commonplace activities for those with fiber or 4G. Social media usage (rich media on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) has skyrocketed, correlating with the better mobile data speeds and affordable data bundles. According to DataReportal, by early 2024 over 60% of the population were active social media users datareportal.com – something enabled by the network’s ability to handle videos and images much better now.

Room for Improvement: It’s worth noting what comes next. With 5G on the horizon, mobile speeds could dramatically increase (theoretical 5G speeds in sub-6GHz can reach 1 Gbps in ideal conditions). If operators roll out 5G in coming years, we can expect median mobile speeds to climb. On fixed broadband, because fiber is now widespread, the main thing is ensuring that the backhaul and international capacity keep up so that those fiber links can be used to their full potential. Given Deep Blue One and other cables, Guyana likely has enough international bandwidth for the near term. The country’s Internet Resilience Index score (43/100) suggests a need for better infrastructure and market redundancy, but it’s in the “medium” range, not highly vulnerable pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org. Technical improvements like IPv6 adoption (currently 24% of users have IPv6 access pulse.internetsociety.org) are ongoing, which will help future-proof and potentially improve network efficiency as more devices come online.

In conclusion, internet performance in Guyana has transitioned from sluggish to speedy in a short time. An average household in Georgetown can now get speeds that allow multiple simultaneous HD streams, and an average mobile user can watch videos on their phone without constant buffering. There remain disparities – interior vs coast, and even within city (some areas still waiting for fiber) – but overall the trajectory is strongly upward. If current trends hold, we might see Guyana in the top tier of Caribbean broadband speeds in a few years, rather than near the bottom as it once was.

Government Policies and Digital Inclusion Initiatives

The Guyanese government has been a driving force in expanding internet access and promoting a digital society. With the rapid transformation of the economy due to oil discoveries, leaders recognized that a robust digital infrastructure is essential for inclusive growth. Thus, over the past several years, policy reforms and initiatives have been geared toward liberalizing the telecom sector, investing in infrastructure, and ensuring even the remotest citizens get connected.

Telecom Liberalization (Ending the Monopoly): Perhaps the most consequential policy move was the October 2020 liberalization of the telecom industry. For nearly 30 years, GTT’s monopoly (enshrined by a 1990 deal) stifled competition – other companies were simply not allowed to provide certain services. The PPP/C government, upon taking office in 2020, fast-tracked the breaking of this monopoly. By issuing new licenses and updating the Telecommunications Act, they opened the doors for competitors. This allowed Digicel to finally offer international voice and potentially internet services (previously it was barred from some segments) and enabled new players like ENet to enter mobile and expand broadband enetworks.gy. The result has been more investment: ENet’s launch of a 5G network, Digicel’s participation in submarine cables, and GTT itself stepping up its game knowing it no longer has a guaranteed market. Liberalization is widely credited with “stimulating greater competition, innovation and consumer choice,” as the Public Utilities Commission noted stabroeknews.com. It truly reset the sector’s dynamics.

Regulatory Oversight – PUC and Telecommunications Agency: Guyana’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and a new Telecommunications Agency have been strengthening regulatory oversight. They approve tariffs, ensure fair play, and manage spectrum. For example, the PUC approved Starlink’s service plans and explicitly warned unauthorized resellers to comply with official rates stabroeknews.com stabroeknews.com. In 2022–2023, the regulator also allocated new spectrum (like 700 MHz band) to improve 4G coverage and is preparing for licensing spectrum for expanded 5G developingtelecoms.com. The introduction of Mobile Number Portability in July 2024 was a regulatory measure to enhance competition – now consumers can keep their phone numbers when switching between GTT, Digicel, and ENet mobile stabroeknews.com. This prevents number-lock-in and encourages operators to offer better service to retain customers.

ICT Masterplan and Strategy: The government has articulated a vision for a digital future in policy documents. A forthcoming “ICT Masterplan 2030” is expected to lay out strategic priorities: expanding broadband access nationwide, improving e-government services, fostering innovation, and emphasizing digital inclusion trade.gov. While the full plan hasn’t been public as of late 2024, its core themes align with what officials have been implementing: universal access, e-government, and an enabling environment for tech business. The Masterplan is likely to coordinate efforts across ministries and align with other national plans (like the Low Carbon Development Strategy, which also mentions ICT as part of sustainable development).

Infrastructure Investment – Hinterland Project: One of the flagship inclusion projects, described earlier, is the ICT Access & e-Services for Hinterland, Poor and Remote Communities Project. This multi-year project (funded partly by international sources, possibly the Guyana REDD+ Investment Fund and others) has poured resources into establishing ICT hubs in over 200 communities. By 2024, the government spent over $1 billion GYD (≈US$5M) on Amerindian community ICT development and planned $125 million more in 2025 to expand it guyanadailybusiness.com. The goal is 200 ICT hubs by 2025 guyanadailybusiness.com. These hubs, as noted, come with solar power, satellite broadband, computers, and trained local managers – a holistic approach not just dropping equipment, but ensuring it’s used effectively. This project directly addresses the digital divide by targeting “hinterland, poor, and remote” communities that market forces alone would likely overlook.

Digital Literacy and Training: Alongside physical infrastructure, the government has initiated digital skills programs. For instance, under the same hinterland project, they trained 129 ICT hub managers (mostly young people in those communities) and hundreds of residents (723 as of 2024) in basic ICT literacy dpi.gov.gy dpi.gov.gy. Separately, the Ministry of Education has been incorporating ICT into school curricula, and there are programs like “One Laptop per Family” (an earlier initiative from 2011–2015 that distributed tens of thousands of laptops to low-income households). A new iteration called “ICT for All” provides tablets to students and equips schools with computer labs.

The government also partners with international bodies – for example, the Indian government helped set up an ICT training center in Guyana; the US and others have sponsored coding camps and STEM programs. The idea is to create a digitally literate populace that can utilize the new internet access meaningfully.

E-Government and Services: The e-Government Unit (now part of NDMA) has built a government fiber optic network that connects government agencies, schools, etc. So while commercial ISPs focus on consumer service, the government network ensures that public institutions have connectivity. This network was initially built using a Chinese-funded fiber cable that runs from Georgetown to Linden to Lethem, and connects via microwave to other areas. It provides services like Edutel (for schools) and e-health links. As of 2023, Guyana’s e-government system readiness score (from the UN’s e-Government Development Index) was 69.28 pulse.internetsociety.org, indicating moderate progress. The government has launched online platforms for services like passport applications, business registration, and a “Single Window” construction permit platform trade.gov. A big push in 2023 was digitizing public transactions and records. The Data Protection Act 2023 trade.gov complements this by giving citizens privacy rights and establishing rules for data handling.

Promoting Innovation and Private Sector Tech Growth: Through initiatives like hackathons, tech incubators (e.g., the Guyana Innovation Hub), and fintech regulations, the government is trying to spur a local digital economy. They’ve acknowledged human capital gaps – lack of ICT professionals – and thus are encouraging scholarships in computer science and related fields. The Inter-American Development Bank hosted an AI and Digitization event in Guyana in 2024 trade.gov, with government support, showing the state’s interest in emerging tech fields.

Financial Support and Taxes: To make ICT tools more affordable, the government in some cases removed VAT on computers, phones, and internet services (at various times). In 2020, they zero-rated VAT on residential internet service to immediately cut consumer bills by 14%. Additionally, telecom companies received certain tax incentives for infrastructure expansion (for example, duty-free import of telecom equipment) – a move that operators say helps them reinvest in network rollout. In one joint plea in 2023, Guyanese operators lobbied for tax breaks on devices to make smartphones cheaper for consumers developingtelecoms.com, acknowledging that device affordability is also key for internet uptake.

Inclusive Policies: The government has explicitly framed internet access as a tool for equity. Speeches by officials often mention “bridging the digital divide” as fundamental for education and democracy dpi.gov.gy. When launching a new community hub, Prime Minister Mark Phillips or President Ali would highlight how a child in a riverine village can now do research for school like a child in Georgetown, or how a farmer can get market prices via the internet. This narrative has maintained strong political support for ICT funding even as massive investments are also needed in roads, health, etc.

Regional and International Cooperation: Guyana is part of CARICOM, which has initiatives for a Single ICT Space. It shares best practices with Caribbean neighbors and participates in organizations like the Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) to harmonize policies (like roaming charge reductions, cyber security coordination, etc.). Guyana also works with the ITU; for example, the ITU has provided technical assistance on rural connectivity. Being categorized (somewhat controversially) as a Small Island Developing State by the UN pulse.internetsociety.org has allowed Guyana access to certain development funding and programs for ICT, even though it’s not an island.

In summary, the government’s role has transitioned from telecom gatekeeper to telecom enabler. By removing monopoly barriers, directly investing in hard-to-serve areas, fostering skills, and using policy levers to make internet affordable and safe, the state has laid groundwork for broad digital inclusion. Challenges remain (like execution capacity, and ensuring initiatives continue across administrations), but thus far, the political will behind ICT development in Guyana has been strong and consistent. The payoff is visible in the increasing internet penetration and narrowing gaps between rich and poor, coast and interior, in digital access.

Challenges and Barriers to Internet Expansion

Despite the impressive gains, Guyana faces a number of challenges in expanding and upgrading internet access for all citizens. These obstacles are multi-faceted – geographic, economic, technical, and even cultural. Overcoming them will be crucial for sustaining the momentum of Guyana’s digital growth. Here are the key barriers:

• Geographical Terrain and Low Population Density: Guyana’s physical environment is arguably the biggest challenge. The country covers approximately 215,000 km² (similar to the UK in size) but has only ~800,000 people – and most live on a narrow coastal strip. The interior is dense rainforest, mountains, and savannah, with villages sometimes 100+ miles apart. This makes the cost per connection for infrastructure sky-high in remote areas. Running fiber or even microwave links through “rugged terrain” and jungle is technically difficult and expensive trade.gov. For instance, to fiber-connect Bartica, engineers had to navigate rivers and thick forest developingtelecoms.com. Many communities can only be reached by aircraft or boat, complicating logistics of installing towers or satellite equipment. The dispersed population means there’s no economy of scale – a tower might serve a village of 200 people, generating too little revenue to cover its costs under normal pricing. Thus, without government subsidy (as we’ve seen), these places would remain unconnected. The terrain also poses maintenance challenges: equipment in the rainforest faces humidity, lightning strikes, and needs fuel (if not solar) for power in off-grid areas. Technicians to service any breakdown have to travel long distances. All this adds to operational costs and the risk of outages in hinterland networks.
• Infrastructure Gaps and Legacy Issues: Guyana started behind the curve – in the 2000s, while some countries were rolling out fiber and 3G, Guyana was still largely on dial-up and 2G. Catching up has been rapid but gaps remain. Some examples:
  • The last-mile connectivity in certain neighborhoods (even on the coast) is lacking. There are still housing schemes not yet passed by fiber or that rely on older copper plant. Until fully upgraded, those pockets experience slower speeds.
  • The national power grid is not 100% reliable, and power outages can affect internet uptime. Operators have had to invest in backup generators and batteries; the government’s use of solar in ICT hubs is one solution. But smaller ISPs or cell sites might suffer if backup power isn’t robust, causing service disruptions during blackouts.
  • Backhaul in remote regions: While the coast is now well served by fiber backbones, the interior mostly relies on satellite or a couple of long microwave relays. These have limited capacity compared to fiber. For example, sending high bandwidth to mountain villages can strain satellite bandwidth, meaning there could be speed limits or contention at peak times until more capacity (like additional Starlink terminals or a fiber spur from Brazil) is added.
  • Device and literacy barrier: Not exactly infrastructure, but many people, especially older or in poor communities, may not have modern smartphones or computers to fully utilize the internet. The cost of smartphones, while falling, can still be a barrier for the poorest. And some older folk lack the digital literacy to use the internet even if it’s available. This generational gap is a softer barrier that needs training and time to overcome.
• Economic Considerations and Affordability for All: Even though average affordability has improved, not everyone can afford a home broadband subscription or a hefty mobile data plan. The relative poverty in certain hinterland or depressed areas means that commercial ISPs have little incentive to extend service there, and residents might only be able to use free access points or very low-end plans. The government is addressing this via free hubs and hoping rising incomes lift more people into the market, but in the interim, some Guyanese remain offline simply because of personal cost constraints (e.g., a family that prioritizes food and fuel over an internet plan).
• Market Competition and Monopoly Legacy: While the sector is liberalized, the effects of decades of monopoly are not erased overnight. Market concentration is still high, with GTT/One and perhaps one other provider in each segment. Internet Society noted the choice of ISPs remains very poor in Guyana pulse.internetsociety.org. In many regions, One Comm is the only fixed broadband provider (ENet is mostly in towns). This can lead to local monopolies where service might stagnate. Additionally, GTT’s long head-start means it owns a lot of infrastructure (telephone poles, ducts, towers) that others must lease or work around. If incumbents were uncooperative or slow in things like interconnection or number portability (which has happened in some countries), it could hamper competition – though so far Guyana’s PUC has been vigilant on this. Still, fostering a truly competitive market with, say, 3 equivalent ISPs in all areas is a challenge that likely requires time and maybe further policy nudges.
• Regulatory and Policy Gaps: The regulatory framework is still evolving and playing catch-up with technology. For example:
  • There is a need for comprehensive cybersecurity laws and capacity – the Global Cybersecurity Index scored Guyana only 28.11/100 in preparedness pulse.internetsociety.org, indicating outdated or insufficient frameworks for cyber incident response. As more people come online, issues like cybercrime, online scams, and data breaches need addressing.
  • Legal issues like right-of-way for infrastructure: Laying fiber often requires digging or using poles; cumbersome processes to get municipal permissions can slow down expansion. Streamlining these and perhaps adopting policies like “dig once” (coordinating fiber deployment with road construction) would help.
  • Data protection and consumer rights online: The new Data Protection Act is a start trade.gov, but enforcement and public awareness are next steps. Similarly, net neutrality rules or quality-of-service standards have to be clear so that ISPs provide what they advertise.
• Skilled Human Resources: Guyana faces a shortage of specialized ICT professionals – network engineers, cybersecurity experts, software developers, etc. trade.gov. Many trained Guyanese in tech migrate to bigger markets. This “brain drain” means telecom companies might not easily find local talent to design, maintain, and innovate networks. It also affects government’s ability to implement IT projects or secure systems. Efforts are underway to train more (University of Guyana has expanded CS programs, and overseas scholarships in ICT fields are given), but in the short term, this is a constraint. Companies sometimes have to bring in expat specialists at higher cost for certain projects.
• Local Content and Relevance: To drive adoption, content and services that are locally relevant are important. With only 16% of top websites cached locally and presumably few major local content providers pulse.internetsociety.org, much of the internet may seem externally oriented. While this isn’t a direct barrier to access, it can influence engagement. If more government services, news, entertainment, etc. are online in Guyana, it compels more people to value getting online. Right now, those who are not internet users may feel it’s not relevant to their lives (especially older rural folks). Changing this perception is part of the challenge – through e-government, local language content (in Indigenous languages, for instance), and compelling use cases (like telehealth consultations for villagers).
• Reliance on International Connectivity: Guyana now has multiple submarine cables, but there is still reliance on going through other countries (Trinidad, Brazil, etc.) for global internet. A major natural disaster (like if an undersea earthquake cut multiple cables at once) could still isolate the country. Regional redundancy plans (like a backup link via Venezuela or via satellite backup capacity) need to be in place. Also, being a small market, Guyana doesn’t host big data centers or content delivery network nodes (hence low local cache). This means even accessing common services (Google, Facebook) depends on transcontinental links. Encouraging big tech to place caching servers in Guyana or building a local IXP are challenges but ones that could significantly enhance resilience and performance.

In a nutshell, Guyana’s path to full digital inclusion isn’t without roadblocks. The government and private sector have tackled some (e.g., cost and coverage through subsidies and new tech), but others like tough geography are permanent hurdles that require ongoing mitigation rather than elimination. What’s heartening is that most challenges are well-recognized by stakeholders, and there’s a collaborative approach to solving them (e.g., operators and government partnering to reach hinterland communities). As oil revenues give the state more fiscal space, we can expect continued investments to surmount these barriers – such as funding more backbone links into the interior, offering incentives to operators to serve sparsely populated areas, and building human capacity. The focus is to ensure that the digital divide, whether geographic or socio-economic, is narrowed so that every Guyanese can partake in the internet age.

Developments in Satellite Internet

Satellite internet has taken on an increasingly prominent role in Guyana’s connectivity landscape, evolving from a niche last-resort option to a mainstream component of the national broadband strategy. Key developments, especially the entry of SpaceX’s Starlink, are reshaping how remote connectivity is delivered and even introducing new competitive dynamics.

Starlink’s Arrival: The biggest headline in satellite internet for Guyana is the launch of Starlink service. Starlink is SpaceX’s LEO (low Earth orbit) satellite constellation designed for global broadband coverage. In early 2024, Starlink began accepting pre-orders in Guyana, and by April 2025 it had officially started operations with a local subsidiary, Starlink (Guyana) Inc. stabroeknews.com guyanadailybusiness.com. The Public Utilities Commission quickly granted approval and set tariffs for Starlink’s residential plans at GYD $11,000 and $7,400 (approx US$52 and US$35) per month stabroeknews.com. These correspond to Starlink’s standard and a lower-tier “Residential Lite” service. The presence of an approved “lite” plan at GYD $7,400 suggests Starlink is offering a slightly reduced speed or data option at a cheaper price, making it more accessible.

Starlink’s impact was immediate:

• Coverage: It offers coverage across all of Guyana – effectively any home from the coast to deep interior can now be served, as long as they have a clear view of the sky. This universal availability is unprecedented; previously unconnected villages or far-flung ranches now have the option of broadband.
• Performance: Users report download speeds typically between 50 and 150 Mbps, and latency as low as 20-40 ms. This is a game-changer for rural users who might have been on a sub-1 Mbps satellite or had nothing at all. Suddenly, they can stream videos, join video conferences, and access cloud services akin to an urban fiber user.
• Adoption: Within months, Starlink captured an estimated 3% of the internet market share in Guyana pulse.internetsociety.org. This indicates a few thousand active Starlink connections already, which include not only individual households but also businesses (e.g., eco-lodges, mining companies) and a major chunk from government-installed terminals at community hubs. The government’s deployment of 99 Starlink units for hinterland ICT hubs gave Starlink a substantial base usage dpi.gov.gy. Additionally, some urban/suburban consumers who crave backup connectivity or faster upload speeds (like videographers, IT firms) might also subscribe to Starlink to complement their terrestrial ISP.
• Competitive Pressure: The entry of Starlink is also noteworthy as the first new “facilities-based” entrant in broadband since liberalization (aside from ENet). It doesn’t rely on any local infrastructure – bypassing the traditional telcos entirely. The local ISPs now face potential competition even in areas they serve; e.g., a customer unhappy with GTT or ENet could switch to Starlink if they value higher speeds or if the local network is down. This puts pressure on ISPs to improve service and perhaps lower prices to retain customers, especially in remote areas where previously consumers had no alternative to, say, a patchy DSL line besides dial-up.

The government and regulator have welcomed Starlink as helping “bridge the digital divide” stabroeknews.com. However, they are also cautious about unlicensed reselling. The PUC warned against individuals who had ordered Starlink kits earlier (via freight forwarding) and were reselling service at marked-up prices on social media stabroeknews.com. With Starlink officially licensed, all users are supposed to go through the official channel and pay the standard rates on Starlink’s website, ensuring fairness.

Other Satellite Services: Prior to Starlink, and still continuing, are traditional satellite providers:

• GlobalTT / Hughes / Others: GlobalTT (a Belgian firm) has provided VSAT in Guyana, often to mining operations and businesses. Hughes Network Systems also extends its satellite internet service (usually in Ka-band) in Latin America, which likely covers Guyana in some capacity. These services typically offer plans like 5-10 Mbps down, with strict data caps, and are expensive (maybe US$100+ for a few GB).
• O3b / Medium Earth Orbit: Another interesting piece is O3b Networks (now SES Networks) which operates MEO satellites. O3b was utilized by Digicel in some markets to provide backhaul. It’s possible O3b had been used to connect sites like rural cellular base stations or even to provide trunk connectivity to remote ISPs. With the new fiber cables, reliance on O3b might lessen, but MEO/GEO satellites still play a backup role.
• OneWeb: OneWeb, a LEO competitor to Starlink, has been coming online in 2023-2024 across various regions. It’s not clear if OneWeb had any presence in Guyana by 2025, but potentially through partners it could offer service (OneWeb tends to work with telecom operators to deliver connectivity to enterprise/government rather than direct retail). If OneWeb sees a role, it might complement Starlink by maybe serving enterprise or mobile backhaul needs with guaranteed bandwidth packages.

Use Cases and Uptake: Who is using satellite internet in Guyana?

• Hinterland Communities: As discussed, government ICT hubs in hinterland villages are a primary user – bringing shared connectivity to those communities via Starlink. Also, some individual households in those areas have privately acquired Starlink if they can afford it (for instance, a successful farmer or village shopkeeper might invest in one and maybe share with neighbors for a fee).
• Businesses in remote areas: Mining companies in the gold and bauxite mining districts (interior Regions 1, 7, 8) often need internet for communication and even for connecting remote monitoring or workers. They used to rely on very costly VSAT; many would eagerly switch to Starlink for higher bandwidth to do things like live data transfer, VoIP calls, etc. Similarly, eco-tourism lodges in the rainforest can now offer Wi-Fi to guests via Starlink, enhancing their appeal.
• Maritime and Offshore: Starlink Maritime is a service for ships and oil platforms. Given Guyana’s burgeoning offshore oil fields, there’s interest in high-speed comms for the FPSOs (Floating Production Storage and Offloading units) and support vessels. In February 2023, SpaceX announced Starlink was available for maritime global coverage smartmaritimenetwork.com, which would include Guyana’s offshore waters. Companies like ExxonMobil could be using Starlink (or plan to) to connect crews offshore with head offices, as a backup or supplement to microwave links. This is speculative, but certainly Starlink has been marketed to the energy sector regionally.
• Urban Backup Connections: In Georgetown and other cities, some tech-savvy individuals and businesses have installed Starlink mainly as a backup internet. While fiber is usually stable, having a backup via an independent platform is attractive especially for businesses that need 24/7 connectivity (banks, IT firms, etc.). The cost of ~$50/month is low enough to justify as redundancy. In fact, the combined use of terrestrial + Starlink can approach a kind of bonded connectivity that’s very resilient.

Local Partnerships: So far, Starlink operates directly – users order online and manage service themselves. The mention in the PUC release of no authorized retailers yet stabroeknews.com means SpaceX hasn’t partnered with any local telecom to bundle or resell Starlink officially (unlike in some countries where, for example, a telco might integrate Starlink into their offerings). However, local entrepreneurs have seized the opportunity: some are setting up as installers and support for Starlink (as hinted in a business newsletter piece recommending “Starlink retail & setup services” as a new opportunity guyanadailybusiness.com). This cottage industry of Starlink installers is emerging – especially to help hinterland customers mount and align their dish, configure networks, and provide after-sales support which SpaceX remotely might not handle in person.

Regulatory Future: The government will likely monitor how Starlink’s presence affects the market. If a large number of people ditch landline internet for Starlink, that could reduce revenues for local ISPs which might impact their ability to invest. On the flip side, Starlink is paying license fees/taxes locally and providing a solution the locals weren’t. There might also be future coordination where, say, the government uses Starlink to connect not just hubs but also as emergency backup for public services (disaster resilience – if terrestrial comms go down, having satellite links ensures continuity).

Satellite for Cellular Backhaul: Another development to watch is using satellites to connect rural cell towers. It’s possible that Digicel or GTT could leverage Starlink or OneWeb to quickly connect a remote new cell site instead of building expensive microwave relays. This can help extend mobile coverage deeper. Starlink in 2022 tested direct cell tower backhaul with T-Mobile in the US; similar could be tried in Guyana’s interior.

In summary, satellite internet in Guyana has shifted from the periphery to a central role in the connectivity ecosystem. Starlink’s cutting-edge LEO service has proven that even in a country with tough geography, modern broadband can be delivered almost instantly via satellite. It complements ground networks by covering the hard parts and even competes in easier parts. The government’s embrace of satellite for digital inclusion shows a pragmatic approach – not waiting to string fiber everywhere, but using the fastest solution available to connect people now. As more satellite constellations come online (and perhaps prices fall further or speeds increase), the reliance on satellites may grow, especially to serve that last 5-10% of the population that will likely never get fiber or even reliable cell coverage due to remoteness. Guyana could well become a poster child for how LEO satellite internet is utilized to achieve universal connectivity.

Comparisons with Regional Internet Access Standards

When assessing Guyana’s internet access, it’s illuminating to compare it with both Caribbean neighbors and the broader South American region. Just a few years ago, Guyana was an outlier – it lagged behind on almost every ICT indicator. By 2025, however, Guyana has made enormous strides and in some areas now meets or exceeds regional averages, though some gaps remain. Here’s how Guyana stacks up:

Internet Penetration: Guyana’s internet user penetration is estimated around 85% of the population datareportal.com. This is roughly on par with the Caribbean regional average – for example, the Latin America & Caribbean average was ~83% in 2023 fred.stlouisfed.org. It also matches countries like Jamaica (82% in 2023) datareportal.com and Suriname (around 65-70%, Suriname is a bit lower due to infrastructure limits). It far surpasses some South American countries like Bolivia or Paraguay which are in the 60-70% range. Essentially, Guyana is no longer behind in the basic metric of “how many people use the internet occasionally.” Thanks to mobile networks reaching most people, Guyana has closed the gap in basic access. For context, in 2014, Guyana’s penetration was only ~35% (one of the lowest in Western Hemisphere). The rise to 85% by 2024 is spectacular and places Guyana among the better-connected developing nations in terms of share of population online.

Mobile Connectivity: Nearly 84% mobile SIM penetration (active mobile connections vs population) datareportal.com in Guyana suggests many people have mobile phones, though some might have multiple SIMs. This is slightly below the world average (over 100% globally, due to multiple SIM ownership) but not unusual for the region. Other Caribbean nations like Trinidad & Tobago or Barbados often have >100% mobile penetration. But more meaningfully, 4G coverage in Guyana is 93% of population pulse.internetsociety.org, which is quite high. Many Latin countries have around 90-95% 4G coverage too (some like Argentina, Brazil in the 80s, island nations often 95+ due to smaller area). Guyana is on par with regional standards in mobile coverage, albeit with the caveat that interior coverage for some neighbors is also spotty (Suriname has similar issues with its interior, for example).

5G Rollout: In the 5G race, a number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean launched 5G around 2020-2022 (e.g., Bahamas, Dominican Rep., Brazil, etc.), whereas Guyana only got a small 5G via ENet in 2022. So Guyana is a bit behind the regional leaders in 5G; however, many Caribbean nations still lack commercial 5G in 2025 except a few. Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica, for instance, were still in testing phases for 5G around 2024. So Guyana having any 5G at all, even limited, puts it slightly ahead of some peers and behind others. It’s a mixed bag: definitely behind big LatAm countries (Brazil, Chile have widespread 5G) but among Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states, Guyana is one of the early ones to taste 5G.

Fixed Broadband Coverage and Fiber: Here, Guyana is surprisingly emerging as a leader. Few developing countries manage to get fiber to 75% of homes. In the Caribbean, only some small islands like Barbados or Cayman Islands (with small areas and wealthy populations) have very high fiber coverage. Larger ones like Jamaica, Trinidad have been slower – they rely on hybrid fiber-cable networks and still have a lot of DSL in use. Guyana’s aggressive fiber rollout may have leapfrogged it ahead of many neighbors in terms of fiber-to-home reach. The CEO of GTT boasted that Guyana is further ahead in fiber rollout (as % of homes) than big carriers in the developed world newssourcegy.com. That might be hyperbole, but it underscores that a 75% home pass rate by 2024 is exceptional. For comparison, Jamaica’s main provider Flow was targeting maybe 50% fiber coverage by mid-2020s; Trinidad’s Flow and Digicel had fiber in parts of the country but also still cable/DSL in others. Thus, per capita, Guyana might actually have more fiber penetration than several Latin American countries aside from maybe Uruguay or Costa Rica which also pushed fiber. If realized fully, that is a significant achievement.

Broadband Subscription and Usage: A difference to note: while 85% of Guyanese use the internet, the fixed broadband subscription per 100 people is likely much lower (maybe 15-20 per 100). Many people rely solely on mobile data for internet use rather than a home fixed line. This is common in developing countries. Countries like Barbados or Bahamas have higher fixed broadband penetration (30-40 per 100) because incomes allow more households to afford it. Guyana’s fixed broadband take-up is increasing with fiber but might still be under 20% of households subscribed. The regional average for fixed broadband penetration in LAC was around 15% in 2022 desarrollodigital.cepal.org, so Guyana is probably around or slightly below average on that count. Mobile broadband (3G/4G subscriptions per 100) might be relatively high though, thanks to heavy mobile usage.

Internet Speed: As discussed, Guyana’s fixed broadband speeds (~60 Mbps median) are now very respectable. They exceed those in some larger Latin countries (for instance, Mexico’s median is around 40-50 Mbps, Brazil ~60-70). In the Caribbean, countries like Barbados (median ~95 Mbps) and Trinidad (~60-70 Mbps) are in the same ballpark or higher. Smaller high-income islands like Cayman or Bermuda are way higher (100-200 Mbps median). But Guyana is no longer at the bottom; it’s somewhere in the middle regionally, a big climb from near-bottom a few years prior. For mobile speeds (~22 Mbps), that is middling; some countries with 5G have 60+ Mbps medians (e.g., Puerto Rico, Suriname’s Digicel network has seen ~25-30 Mbps). So mobile-wise, Guyana might be slightly below the Caribbean average (which might be ~30 Mbps if you include places with partial 5G). But again, it’s not an extreme outlier.

Affordability: The cost of internet relative to income in Guyana has improved to among the best in the region for entry-level service (1.2% of GNI) pulse.internetsociety.org. Many Caribbean countries have struggled with high broadband prices – e.g., in some OECS islands, a basic broadband could be 5-10% of income for poorer households. Guyana’s unique situation (oil revenue boosting GNI, plus competition lowering prices) has made internet quite affordable comparatively. So on the metric of “% of monthly income for broadband,” Guyana is doing better than many peers. For instance, the ITU reported a few years back that in some Latin countries the cost was 3-4% of GNI for broadband. Guyana’s ~1% is near the top performers. That being said, absolute prices in USD are still higher than say in the US, but relative to local income it’s improved.

Digital Inclusion and Policy: Regionally, many countries have programs to reach rural areas, but Guyana’s scale of connecting remote indigenous villages with broadband is notable. It parallels efforts in, say, Amazon regions of Brazil or Peru, but those are often smaller pilot projects. Guyana might become a case study in how to do remote connectivity via satellite – something many other Caribbean nations with hilly interiors or spread-out multi-island territories could learn from. Also, Guyana’s push for ICT hubs is similar to projects in Belize and other places, but again the large number (200 hubs) is ambitious for its population size.

Cybersecurity and E-government: Guyana lags in some advanced benchmarks. For example, cybersecurity readiness score was low pulse.internetsociety.org, whereas countries like Barbados or Trinidad score higher. Also, the UN’s E-Government Development Index ranking for Guyana has historically been moderate; small states like Barbados, Bahamas often rank higher due to more online services. Guyana still has work to do in fully digitizing government transactions and improving online service quality. But it’s catching up.

Regional Cooperation (Roaming and IXPs): A regional standard being pursued is the reduction of roaming charges within Caricom. In 2022-2023, Caribbean operators (Digicel, Flow, GTT etc.) agreed to massively cut roaming rates for data and calls among Caricom countries developingtelecoms.com. Guyana is part of this, meaning Guyanese traveling in the Caribbean or vice versa face lower roaming costs now – a win for regional integration. Not all Latin America has that, so Caricom is ahead in that respect. On the infrastructure side, a regional goal is to establish more IXPs and to possibly share bandwidth. Guyana does not yet have a major IXP, whereas some neighbors do (Trinidad has one, etc.). That’s an area to improve relative to some peers.

In aggregate, Guyana’s standing regionally has significantly improved:

• It’s no longer the country with extremely low penetration – it’s average or above-average in connecting its people.
• It’s leading in some cutting-edge approaches like national LEO satellite adoption for broadband.
• Its speeds and capacity are middle-range now, not an outlier, and likely to improve further.
• Affordability is trending better than many.
• However, Guyana still can learn from others in things like building local content, robust cybersecurity frameworks, and maximizing the benefits of connectivity (e.g., e-commerce, digital industries – areas where places like Trinidad or Jamaica have more developed digital economies).

One final comparative note: Within South America, Guyana used to be behind all mainland neighbors. Suriname was slightly better in some metrics, Brazil/Colombia obviously far ahead. Now, one could argue Guyana even leapfrogged Suriname in some aspects (Suriname has had chronic telecom issues, though it has its own fiber and was part of the same Deep Blue cable). Compared to its giant neighbor Brazil, Brazil has deep broadband reach in cities but huge gaps in the Amazon – ironically, northern Brazil faces similar issues connecting remote communities, and Brazil too has started using satellites for Amazon connectivity. Guyana by virtue of size can address those gaps more comprehensively. In the coming years, it wouldn’t be surprising if Guyana becomes a regional success story in achieving near-universal internet access and serves as a model for blending fiber, wireless, and satellite solutions in a developing country context.

Sources:

• International Trade Administration, Guyana Digital Economy 2024: Guyana’s internet penetration was ~52% in 2024 and is projected to reach 75% by 2030 trade.gov. The telecom sector was liberalized in 2020, ending a 30-year monopoly and enabling new 4G/5G networks enetworks.gy.
• Internet Society, Pulse Country Report (Guyana): 85% of the population used the Internet in 2022 pulse.internetsociety.org. Guyana’s top ISPs by market share are GTT/One (54%), E-Networks (28%), Digicel (12%), and Starlink (3%) pulse.internetsociety.org. 4G coverage reaches 93% of people, while <1% have 5G coverage so far pulse.internetsociety.org. Internet market competition is rated “Very Poor” pulse.internetsociety.org.
• Department of Public Information (Guyana), Advances in ICT for Hinterland Communities (Sept 23, 2024): High-speed internet (250 Mbps) has been delivered to 144 remote communities, with 323 sites (hubs, schools, health centers) connected dpi.gov.gy. 99 LEO satellite (Starlink) terminals were installed to overcome geographic barriers dpi.gov.gy.
• News Source Guyana, GTT eyes Fibre to 75% of homes by 2024 (Nov 21, 2022): GTT (One Communications) had 105,000 homes connected to fiber and planned to pass 75% of all homes with fiber by 2024 newssourcegy.com newssourcegy.com.
• Stabroek News, PUC welcomes Starlink in telecoms sector (May 4, 2025): Starlink (Guyana) Inc. was licensed, with approved residential rates of GYD $11,000 and $7,400 per month stabroeknews.com. The PUC hailed Starlink’s entry as a milestone to improve access in unserved areas stabroeknews.com.
• DataReportal, Digital 2024 Guyana (Feb 2024): 696.9k internet users (85.3% penetration) in Jan 2024 datareportal.com. Median fixed broadband speed 61.85 Mbps, mobile 22.4 Mbps as of early 2024 datareportal.com, with fixed speeds up 23.9% year-on-year datareportal.com.
• Developing Telecoms, ENet connects Bartica to fibre backbone (Aug 12, 2025): ENet completed a subsea fiber cable to Bartica, bringing gigabit internet and 5G mobile service to that interior town developingtelecoms.com. ENet’s fiber backbone now spans 7 of 10 regions developingtelecoms.com.
• Developing Telecoms, Digicel’s Deep Blue One cable goes live (June 7, 2024): The new Deep Blue One 2,000-km subsea cable connecting French Guiana, Suriname, Guyana, and Trinidad was declared ready, providing 12 Tbps per fiber pair capacity and interconnecting with regional cables developingtelecoms.com.
• Guyana Daily Business, Starlink Launches in Guyana (April 12, 2025): Starlink started residential service in Guyana, offering satellite internet for GYD $7,400–$11,000 per month, with equipment $42,000–$82,000 guyanadailybusiness.com.
• Internet Society Pulse: Global Cybersecurity Index 2023 – Guyana scored 28.11/100, indicating need for better cyber readiness pulse.internetsociety.org; Only 16% of top websites are reachable via a local cache in Guyana vs 50% target pulse.internetsociety.org, showing low local content hosting.