5G connectivity projected to grow across Caribbean and Latin America

The GSMA reports that 5G connections in the Caribbean are projected to reach 23% of all mobile connections by 2030. Currently, 5G accounts for 10% of the region's mobile connections. Markets in Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago are expected to represent more than 65% of this total. In 2025, the mobile ecosystem in the region supported 170,000 jobs and generated USD 21 billion in economic value, equivalent to 8.1% of the regional GDP.

To achieve regional coverage parity, an investment of USD 1 billion is estimated to be necessary. However, under current conditions, only half of that investment is expected to be commercially recovered. The GSMA also noted a usage gap, where 49% of the population lives in areas with mobile broadband coverage but does not use mobile internet, primarily due to device costs and a lack of digital skills.

On a broader scale, the Ericsson Mobility Report indicates that global 5G subscriptions exceeded 3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026. In Latin America, 5G penetration is projected to grow from approximately 14% in 2025 to nearly 67% by 2031, with subscriptions rising from 110 million to 550 million during that period.