Chile telecommunications market sees fiber optic and 5G growth

Data from the Chilean Undersecretary of Telecommunications (Subtel) reveals significant shifts in the country's connectivity landscape during the first half of 2026. Fiber optic technology has become the dominant force in fixed internet, accounting for 87.3% of all fixed connections with a 20.7% year-on-year growth. This has pushed total fixed internet connections to approximately 4.9 million.

In the mobile sector, 5G technology saw a 31.8% increase, reaching over 10.8 million connections, while 4G usage declined by 16.8%. Entel leads the mobile internet market with a 35.2% share, followed by Wom, ClaroVTR, and Movistar. In the fixed internet segment, Movistar holds the largest market share at 30.4% of fiber optic connections.

Satellite internet, categorized under alternative technologies, is seeing rapid expansion led by Starlink. Starlink's customer base grew by 67% compared to the previous year, reaching nearly 170,000 users by June 2026. Starlink now commands 90.9% of the satellite internet market, significantly outpacing competitors like HughesNet.