Data Snapshot: Caribbean Digital Access and Connectivity

Executive Summary

Internet penetration has expanded significantly across the Caribbean over the past decade, with many countries achieving connectivity rates above 70%. Access remains uneven, however, particularly in rural communities and among lower-income households. Mobile broadband is the primary means of internet access for most households, while small businesses still face challenges obtaining affordable high-speed broadband. Building a Caribbean Digital Single Market—with interoperable payments, harmonised data rules, and universal broadband—is essential to regional competitiveness in an age of e-commerce, remote work, and artificial intelligence.

Internet Usage Across the Caribbean

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), global internet usage surpassed 67% of the world's population in 2023, while many Caribbean countries recorded internet penetration rates ranging from approximately 65% to over 90%, depending on the jurisdiction and level of infrastructure development.

Key trends identified by the ITU, World Bank, and Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) include:

More than two-thirds of Caribbean citizens now have access to the internet.
Mobile broadband is the primary means of internet access for most households.
Significant disparities persist between urban and rural populations.
Small businesses continue to face challenges accessing affordable high-speed broadband.
Digital literacy levels vary considerably across age groups and income levels.

Mobile Connectivity

The Caribbean has among the highest mobile phone penetration rates in the developing world. Regional estimates suggest:

Mobile subscriptions exceed total population levels in several Caribbean countries due to multiple-device or multiple-SIM ownership.
Smartphone adoption continues to grow rapidly.
Mobile banking and digital payment platforms are expanding but remain fragmented across national borders.

Economic Potential

According to the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), digital technologies have the potential to increase productivity, expand financial inclusion, improve access to education and healthcare, reduce transaction costs for businesses, and facilitate regional trade and investment. For small island economies, digital commerce can overcome geographic barriers that have traditionally limited economic scale.

The Regional Gap

Despite progress, several barriers continue to impede a truly integrated Caribbean digital economy:

Challenge	Impact
Different data protection laws	Increases compliance costs
Limited regional payment systems	Restricts e-commerce growth
Uneven broadband infrastructure	Creates digital inequality
Cybersecurity vulnerabilities	Increases risk to governments and businesses
Limited digital skills	Reduces competitiveness
High internet costs in some island states	Constrains household and SME adoption

Case Study: Jamaica

Jamaica has emerged as one of the Caribbean's digital leaders through investments in e-government services, broadband expansion, digital payment infrastructure, business process outsourcing (BPO) and remote services, and technology training and skills development. The country's digital transformation demonstrates how strategic investment can create employment opportunities while enhancing competitiveness.

By the Numbers

Mobile subscriptions exceed population levels in several Caribbean countries.
Internet penetration in many Caribbean countries now exceeds 70%.
Cross-border digital payment systems remain fragmented across the region.
Digital services, AI, fintech, and remote work are expected to become major drivers of Caribbean economic growth over the next decade.

Policy Target for 2035

The Caribbean should aim to achieve:

Universal broadband access
A CARICOM Digital Single Market
Interoperable regional digital payment systems
Regional cybersecurity standards
Digital literacy in all primary and secondary schools
A Caribbean-wide digital identity framework

Key Insight

A major lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic was that countries with stronger digital infrastructure were better able to maintain government services, education, and economic activity during periods of disruption. This highlighted digital access as an essential component of national resilience and economic competitiveness.

Editor's Note

For a region fragmented by geography but united by culture and history, digital integration offers a unique opportunity to create a truly connected Caribbean. While previous generations built airports, ports, and highways to link nations, this generation must build the digital infrastructure that will power Caribbean prosperity in the age of artificial intelligence, e-commerce, and remote work.

The creation of a Caribbean Digital Single Market could become as transformative for regional integration in the twenty-first century as the establishment of CARICOM was in the twentieth. By connecting citizens, businesses, and governments through a shared digital ecosystem, the Caribbean can overcome geographic fragmentation and compete more effectively in an increasingly knowledge-based global economy.

Policy Recommendations

Pursue universal broadband access across CARICOM member states by 2035.
Establish a CARICOM Digital Single Market with harmonised digital regulations.
Build interoperable regional digital payment systems to unlock cross-border e-commerce.
Adopt regional cybersecurity standards and strengthen incident-response capacity.
Embed digital literacy across primary and secondary education.
Develop a Caribbean-wide digital identity framework to support trusted online services.

Discussion Questions

Should CARICOM prioritise a Digital Single Market alongside the CSME?
How can governments close the urban–rural broadband gap without locking in monopoly pricing?
What role should the CTU and CARICOM Single ICT Space play in reducing roaming and compliance costs?
How can small businesses gain affordable access to high-speed connectivity and digital skills?

These questions are a starting point. Join the discussion below.

Sources

Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU) (2023). Caribbean Single ICT Space Initiative. https://ctu.int
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) (2023). Facts and Figures 2023. https://www.itu.int/hub/publication/d-ind-ict_mdd-2023
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) (2023). Digital Transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean. https://www.iadb.org/en/topics/digital-transformation
World Bank (2024). Digital Development Overview.
CARICOM Secretariat (2024). CARICOM Single ICT Space Programme. caricom.org

Discussion

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