- Reliability
- Moderate
Good to know
Good to Know
- Lima metro has solid 4G/5G with 30-50 Mbps mobile speeds; fiber broadband (100+ Mbps) available in modern apartments
- All four major carriers (Claro, Movistar, Entel, Bitel) provide reliable coverage in Lima; Claro slightly edges others for download speed and rural reach
- SIM registration now mandatory with local ID and fingerprints—as a tourist, you'll face restrictions at official stores; e-SIM is the most practical option to avoid bureaucracy and airport markups
- Prepaid data plans start around PEN 10-20 ($2.70-$5.40 USD) for modest data; plans bundle data with unlimited social media and minutes
- 5G is expanding but still limited; 4G is the reliable standard for urban and most populated areas
- Public WiFi available in hotels, cafes, coworking spaces, and shopping centers; speed and reliability vary by location
Reliability Notes
Connectivity can fluctuate more than countries with mature infrastructure; time of day, location, device, and network congestion affect performance; expanding rural 4G rollout through government programs
Connectivity Reliability Tier
moderate
Connectivity Reliability Tier Rationale
Lima has solid fiber and widespread 4G/eSIM options in the capital, but rural expansion lags, SIM registration is cumbersome, and performance can fluctuate with congestion and location.
Home Broadband
- Reliability
- Generally reliable in urban areas; infrastructure concentrated in capital with slower rural expansion
- Availability
- Fiber broadband available in modern apartments in Lima metro; coverage concentrated in capital with expanding rural programs
Typical Speeds
- Fiber
- 100+ Mbps in modern apartments
- Description
- Lima has solid fiber infrastructure with expanding 5G pilots
e-SIM Options
All major carriers (Claro, Movistar, Entel, Bitel) support e-SIM; compatible devices required. International e-SIM providers available (Airalo, Roafly, etc.) often more convenient for tourists than purchasing physical SIM in-country.
Mobile Speeds
- Coverage
- 4G guaranteed coverage across 82.86% of populated areas nationally; 4G/5G across Lima metro districts
- 5g Status
- 5G pilots expanding in major cities; 5G adoption at 7.5% of connections nationally as of Q4 2025
4g Speeds Mbps
- Upload
- speeds vary by operator and congestion
- Download
- 27-50 Mbps average
SIM Acquisition Notes
SIM card registration now requires biometric fingerprint validation; tourists often refused at official stores—e-SIMs recommended as practical alternative. Tourist SIM cards at airport cost significantly more (~$32 USD for 15 GB). Official stores require passport and biometric enrollment; process takes 15-30 minutes.
SIM And e-SIM Carriers
Claro
- Speeds
- Led download speed at 27.0 Mbps in Feb 2025 tests
- Coverage
- Widest 4G coverage nationally, best performance in mountainous areas
- SIM Card Cost
- PEN 5.00
- e-SIM Available
- Yes
- Market Position
- Largest market share; strong 4G/LTE coverage including rural areas
Prepaid Plan Examples
- Cost
- PEN 20
- Data GB
- 4
- Minutes
- 500
- Duration Days
- 20
unlimited
- Cost
- PEN 30
- Data GB
- 10.5
- Duration Days
- 30
unlimited
- Cost
- PEN 40
- Data GB
- 13.5
- Duration Days
- 30
Movistar
- Speeds
- Close to Claro in 5G download; reliable for urban areas with less congestion than some competitors
- Coverage
- Widest overall reach; strong 4G/LTE availability
- SIM Card Cost
- PEN 10
- e-SIM Available
- Yes
- Market Position
- Second-largest operator; oldest provider in Peru
Prepaid Plan Examples
unlimited
- Cost
- PEN 15
- Data GB
- 2.5
- Duration Days
- 15
unlimited
- Cost
- PEN 20
- Data GB
- 4
- Duration Days
- 20
unlimited
- Cost
- PEN 30
- Data GB
- 7
- Duration Days
- 30
Entel
- Speeds
- Topped upload speed and consistent quality in Feb 2025 tests; competitive performance
- Coverage
- Growing network; excellent in urban areas; limited in Amazon region
- Strengths
- Competitive pricing; 130+ roaming agreements with countries
- e-SIM Available
- Yes
- Market Position
- Third-largest operator; acquired Nextel in 2013
Bitel
- Speeds
- Often leads in speed tests alongside Claro
- Coverage
- Limited but strongest fiber optic network; focused on rural coverage
- Strengths
- Most economical data rates
- SIM Card Cost
- PEN 20
- e-SIM Available
- Yes
- Market Position
- Smallest operator; newest to market
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this connectivity & internet research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Lima
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.