Growth and Territorial Concentration of Fixed Broadband Internet in Ecuador: A Provincial Comparison, 2024-2025

Abstract

This study analyzed the territorial evolution of fixed internet in Ecuador at the provincial level, comparing the June 2024 and June 2025 reporting periods based on official ARCOTEL/SIETEL records. A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive-analytical design was applied. The analysis considered absolute growth, relative growth, approximate penetration per inhabitant—accounts per 100 inhabitants based on the 2022 Population and Housing Census—and territorial concentration. For this purpose, the study used accounts assignable to a specific province, excluding non-provincial records identified as “study areas.” Provincial share, CR2, CR4, HHI, Gini coefficient, normalized Entropy, and normalized Theil indicators were calculated; in addition, non-parametric Wilcoxon and Spearman tests were applied. The results showed that all 24 provinces increased their number of fixed internet accounts. However, Guayas and Pichincha continued to account for more than half of the provincial total. Spearman’s correlation indicated that the initial size of the provincial market was positively associated with absolute growth (rho = 0.743; p < 0.001) and negatively associated with relative growth (rho = -0.521; p = 0.009). Likewise, provinces with higher initial penetration tended to capture greater absolute increases (rho = 0.498; p = 0.013). It is concluded that the expansion was widespread, but it reflected heterogeneous territorial diffusion rather than solid provincial convergence.