Less Than Half of Dominican Households Have Fixed Internet Access

Only 46% of households in the Dominican Republic have a fixed broadband Internet connection, according to an annual survey released by the country’s Bureau of Statistics.

Even though a large number of Dominican homes access the Internet via mobile network, optical broadband networks have yet to reach most parts of the country.

While a lack of competition among telcos is a major factor behind low Internet penetration, smaller cities with fewer residents are also contributing to the crisis.

Over 60% of the country’s population lives in 28 of the 386 municipalities, making it financially unviable for telecom companies to build broadband infrastructure.

Claro, a subsidiary of Mexican provider America Movil, controls more than 56% of market share. Its only competitor, Altice, holds 38%.

In mid 2021, the government borrowed US$115 million from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and prepared plans to build a fiber optic network to reach 26 communities. There are no reports as to whether construction activity has started.

Meanwhile, Starlink, a satellite Internet provider owned by Elon Musk, began offering its service. It’s been reported that Chinese telecom giant Huawei is also seeking a license to offer telecom services in DR.