El Salvador Communications green base station in residents

The El Salvador Digital Ecosystem Country Assessment (DECA) report outlines the key aspects of El Salvador's digital ecosystem and provides 10 recommendations for creating a more inclusive, safe, and enabling environment. Resource Type: Country Assessment Country: El Salvador Sector: Cross-Cutting

El Salvador is lagging behind in the expansion of broadband internet connections. Around 66 percent of all residents have access to the internet. Around 11 percent have their own fast internet connection, which is at least faster than the former ISDN (more than 256 kbit/s).

El Salvador's private and public sector prefers U.S. information technology products, which creates opportunities for water metering, smart traffic solutions, smart lighting systems, custom technology solutions, and city monitoring systems.

Values above 100 percent mean that, on average, every inhabitant has more than one connection. El Salvador is lagging behind in the expansion of broadband internet connections. Around 66 percent of all residents have access to the internet.

Uneven digital connectivity across the country and a limited number of Salvadorans with adequate digital skills continue to hinder greater digital adoption. Although the government's embrace of bitcoin in September 2021 shined a spotlight on El Salvador globally, consumers and businesses have been slow to adopt the cryptocurrency.

El Salvador's telecommunications sector is largely governed by an outdated 1997 Telecommunications Act which does not consider recent progress in the digitalization space and hinders effective connectivity expansion. The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on device and connectivity disparities.