Guatemala, located in Central America, has a diverse geography including coastal plains, highlands, and rainforests. Its population, nearing 17 million, is unevenly distributed, with a significant population concentration in the southern region. This presents unique challenges for telecommunication infrastructure, which needs to cover wide, sparsely populated rural areas as well as densely populated urban areas. Guatemala's telecommunications sector is still developing, with mobile penetration significantly higher than fixed-line telephony. Technological innovation is led by the private sector, with firms like Tigo Energy, a San Francisco-based company, implementing solar power solutions in rural areas. The country's renewable energy sector is also gaining momentum, with an increasing reliance on hydroelectric, wind, and solar power. Infrastructure solutions are often unique due to the country's geographic and demographic challenges. For example, the use of microgrids and decentralised energy production is an innovative approach to reach remote communities.
Mobile Network Operators
The are 4 companies operating mobile networks in this region.
Claro Guatemala is a telecommunications company operating within Guatemala. The company is a subsidiary of América Móvil, a Mexican telecommunications group. Claro Guatemala was established as part of América Móvil's expansion into Central America. The parent company, América Móvil, is a significant player in the telecommunications industry, with operations in numerous countries across Latin America.
Telefónica Móviles Guatemala, operating as Movistar, is a telecommunications service provider operating in Guatemala. Incorporated in 2005 the company has operated as a subsidiary of Telefonica Centroamérica Inversiones, itself owned by Spain's Telefónica S.A. (60%) and local Corporación Multi Inversiones. Telefónica Móviles Guatemala was wholly acquired by América Móvil in January 2019.
Red Guatemala is a telecommunications company operating in the Central American nation of Guatemala. As a subsidiary of América Móvil, a Mexican multinational telecommunications corporation, it is part of a larger network of companies providing similar services across Latin America. The company's establishment dates back to the early 2000s, as part of América Móvil's expansion into the Guatemalan market. Ownership of Red Guatemala is vested in América Móvil, which controls and manages the company's operations in line with its broader corporate strategies and objectives.
Tigo Guatemala, originally known as Comunicaciones Celulares, S.A. or COMCEL, is a mobile phone service provider operating in Guatemala. It was established under the ownership of the international mobile phone company Millicom. In 2004, COMCEL underwent a rebranding, changing its name to TIGO and introducing their GSM Technology. Tigo Guatemala is the largest Tigo subsidiary in Central America, boasting a customer base of over 8 million subscribers.
In 2008, TIGO launched their 3.5G data network, operating on the HSDPA 850 MHz band, marking it as the only 3.5G network in Guatemala at the...