How to Get Mobile Internet in Colombia for Travelers: What Option to Choose?

The Internet plays an important role in travel. Therefore, the mobile internet in Colombia article below will help you have a more complete trip in this country.

The article below outlines mobile internet in Colombia, for travelers who want to stay connected online while in the country. The internet market in Colombia is growing with an increase in phone usage and infrastructure investment is increasingly being developed. However, the specific mobile internet situation in Colombia is increasingly changing.

I. Mobile Internet in Colombia – Coverage and Speed

Coming to Colombia, visitors have many choices of mobile carriers in this country. The 3 major networks are Claro, Movistar and Tigo. Each network has its own advantages and disadvantages. Below are some main criteria to evaluate the suitability of each network for your needs:

1. Colombia Mobile Internet Coverage

Below is the coverage of major network providers in Colombia:

• Mobile operators Claro

Claro is Colombia’s leading large network provider, holding the largest market share (more than half of the total) as of 2022. The network provides Internet services to more than 1.9 million households in Belgium and more than 3,000,000 households. 6 million mobile customers. Claro also invested in buying a block in the 2.5GHz band to increase its 4G network. 

Notably, Claro Colombia has connected rural localities in the Meta department to its 4G network. This helps narrow the digital gap, expanding internet connectivity to remote areas. At the same time, it brings many benefits to citizens in all regions of the country.

In addition to rural areas, Claro has provided 4G and 4.5G coverage to 29 capitals in the Meta region. Wide coverage helps people have fast and reliable internet connections. That allows all citizens to participate in Colombia’s development, access internet commerce and online learning. 

• Mobile operators Movistar

Movistar is one of the major driving forces of the domestic digital economy. Movistar is present in over 50 cities and municipalities nationwide with more than 380,000 customers using the service, with fixed bandwidth and 4G LTE connection network.

• Mobile operators Tigo

Tigo is the first operator in Colombia to offer access to Facebook on any phone with the innovative SIM card. Currently, Tigo expands coverage to more than 900 rural areas that do not have enough internet service. This network will deploy the network in 915 locations that are currently not covered. At the same time, Tigo also converted 3G to 4G networks in 340 urban areas.

2. Colombia Mobile Internet Speed

Criteria	Claro	Movistar	Tigo
Median Download Speed	115.43 Mbps	210.46 Mbps	87.71 Mbps
Media Multi-Server Latency	28 ms	27 ms	32 ms

From the information table above, it can be clearly seen that Movistar provides the fastest average download speed with 210.46 Mbps, far surpassing Claro and Tigo. Additionally, Movistar maintains the highest consistent speeds with latency as low as 27ms, making it the top choice for travelers to Colombia who prioritize fast and reliable connections.

II. What are Connectivity Options for Tourists to Colombia?

With the development of the digital industry, there are 5 basic ways for tourists to connect to the Internet when traveling in Colombia: pocket wifi, eSIM Colombia, SIM card Colombia, roaming with Colombia operators, public wifi. Visitors can easily choose the method that best suits their needs.

Criteria	Pros	Cons
Pocket wifi	Allows connecting multiple internet devices at the same time Data connection and flexible usage	Operating time is limited, battery needs to be recharged
eSIM Colombia	Flexibility in purchasing and use There are many options for service providers	Some users believe that the eSIM signal is weaker than the physical SIM card signal
SIM card Colombia	Many customers choose Easily purchased at service providers’ points of sale at carrier stores, airports, and convenience stores	The cost is quite high, not the perfect choice for frugal spenders
Roaming with Colombia operators	Use the same fixed SIM card on your phone right away No need to remove the SIM card on the phone, avoid falling	High costs are among the top ways to use the internet in Colombia
Public wifi	Can connect anywhere with public wifi Save money on your trip	Easy to have information stolen Can be infected by viruses

III. Internet Rates in Colombia

Below are the costs to pay for various methods of using the internet in Colombia:

Option	Mobile internet rates (internet tariff)
SIM card Colombia	$6.4 USD to get 9 GB data for 30 days,  $29.90 USD to get 10 GB data,…
eSIM Colombia	from $8.9 USD to $35.9 USD
Roaming with Colombia operator Claro	$3.74 USD – $14/3 USD/GB
Roaming with Colombia operator Movistar	$6.5 USD to 1GB
Roaming with Colombia operator Tigo	$19 USD – $54 USD/plan for 5 – 20 days
Public wifi	Free
Pocket wifi	About $56 USD to $73.4 USD per week

For tourists, Colombian SIM cards and eSIM are the two most optimal and suitable solutions because of their convenience, ease of carrying and many data package options. Tourists can refer to products from Claro, Tigo or Movistar networks, and compare the suitability to choose the best method.

IV. Data SIM Card for Mobile Internet in Colombia

Data SIM card is a good option for tourists to both stay connected and stay in touch with people back home through apps. Some information about SIM card packages in Colombia below can be referenced:

• Movistar: A Movistar prepaid SIM card costs 6,000 COP ($1.50 USD) for unlimited calling and texting in Colombia:

• 3,500 COP ($0.7 USD) to 4GB data + free apps for 7 days
• 16,000 COP ($3.4 USD) to 12GB data + free apps for 15 days
• Tigo: Tigo prepaid sim card has two Colombian prepaid sim card packages for tourists

• 10,000 COP  ($2.1 USD) to 5GB data for 7 days and unlimited calls/text 
• 20,000 COP  ($4.2 USD) to 10GB data for 15 days unlimited calls/text
• Claro: Getting a Claro Sim card costs 3,000 COP with the following data packages:

• 7,500 COP ($1.6 USD) to 1.5GB data and unlimited calls/text  for 7 days
• 11,000 COP ($2.3 USD) to 2.5GB data and unlimited calls/text for 10 days 
• 31,000 COP ($6.4 USD) to 9GB data and unlimited calls/text for 30 days

V. Data eSIM for Colombia – Best Option to Get Mobile Internet for Tourists

eSIM is an option chosen by many tourists because of its compactness and ease of purchasing and receiving, but not everyone can use it. This option only works if the client phone is eSIM compatible. Travelers should buy directly from the operator that provides the country’s eSIM or buy from eSIM providers.

1. Buy eSIM from Colombia Operators

Major internet providers in Colombia all offer eSIM services such as Claro, Movistar and Tigo. To buy an eSIM from the carrier, you must present your passport or ID card to complete the registration procedure and then receive the eSIM. This method can help you save costs but takes a lot of time to search and has the potential to reveal personal information to third parties.

2. Buy eSIM from Gigago

To save time and avoid providing personal information, travelers can purchase a Colombian eSIM at Gigago. You have two provider options: Claro and Tigo with data packages from 1GB to 5G for use from 7 days to 30 days. The corresponding cost for data packages and usage time is $8.9 USD to $35.9 USD.

The following steps guide you to buy eSIM at Gigago in the simplest way:

• See description on GGG’s Polish eSIM page. Go to the homepage.
• Search for the name Colombia and tap
• Choose the right package with needs + budget + time duration
• Make payment
• Wait to get email
• Scan QR code or import activation code manually
• Turn on data roaming on your phone

VI. FAQs

Some frequently asked questions when using the internet in Colombia:

VII. Conclusion

Mobile internet in Colombia is widely covered throughout the country, focusing on providing coverage to rural areas. The best option for using the internet in Colombia is to buy an eSIM or SIM card (depending on device compatibility). If you have any questions or need eSIM support or advice, don’t forget to visit Gigago.