5G in Latin America: unleashing the potential

The number of 5G connections in Latin America is forecast to grow steadily over the next couple of years, before accelerating in the second half of the decade as new 5G markets go live and existing networks expand to cover new areas. As such, 5G adoption will overtake 2G in 2024, 3G in 2026 and 4G in 2029. By 2030, 5G will account for nearly 60% of total mobile connections in Latin America.

However, unleashing the full potential of 5G requires policy measures to support network investment and improve the affordability of digital services for consumers. Ultimately, the speed of rollout, as well as the adoption, reach and quality of 5G services, will heavily depend on an appropriate policy environment being in place.

This report examines 5G in the context of Latin America’s connectivity landscape; operator plans to build the networks of the future; how to drive 5G uptake across the region; and the policies required to accelerate 5G development. It also provides country overviews providing an understanding of each market’s specific 5G outlook.