Panama has an excellent telecom network, especially in expat areas. Cable Onda fiber covers 90% of Panama City, and 3 mobile carriers share a competitive market. Here’s the 2026 field comparison so you don’t make the wrong choices on arrival.
The Panamanian telecom landscape in 2026
Four players dominate:
| Carrier | Status | Specialty | Expat presence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable Onda + Tigo | #1 (2019 merger) | Fiber + Mobile + TV | 70-80% of expats |
| Más Móvil | #2 | Mobile + 5G | 10-15% |
| +Móvil | #3 | Low-cost prepaid mobile | 5-10% |
| Movistar | #4 (losing ground) | Historic mobile | <5% |
The regulator ASEP (Autoridad de los Servicios Públicos) oversees the market. Capped rates (no gouging), free and mandatory number portability.
Fiber internet: Cable Onda is the standard
The 2026 plans
| Speed | Rate/month | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 50 Mbps | USD 25-30 | Student, basic freelancer |
| 100 Mbps | USD 30-40 | Expat standard, HD streaming |
| 200 Mbps | USD 45-60 | Family, remote work + 4K streaming |
| 500 Mbps | USD 70-90 | Pro, gamer, multi-device |
| 1 Gbps | USD 120-160 | Power user, business |
Recommendation: start at 100 Mbps (USD 35/month average). That’s plenty for 2-3 people working remotely + streaming. You can upgrade free later if needed.
Cable Onda coverage in Panama City
| Neighborhood | Coverage | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bella Vista | ✅ 100% | Stable speeds, low latency |
| Punta Pacífica | ✅ 100% | Fibered residential towers |
| Costa del Este | ✅ 100% | Premium zone, recent equipment |
| San Francisco | ✅ 95% | A few older buildings capped at 100 Mbps |
| El Cangrejo | ✅ 90% | OK but more frequent outages |
| Casco Antiguo | ⚠️ 70% | Historic buildings: not always fibered |
| Coronado | ✅ 80% | Fiber available in the main complexes |
| Boquete | ⚠️ 50% | Limited fiber downtown, otherwise fixed 4G |
| Bocas del Toro | ❌ 20% | Rare fiber, Tigo fixed-4G alternative |
Subscription: the field procedure
- Physical store recommended (vs online): Multiplaza, Albrook Mall, Westland Mall, or Cable Onda Bella Vista agency
- Required documents:
- Passport (residence visa not mandatory)
- Signed lease (or landlord’s utility bill)
- Panamanian phone number (buy a SIM first)
- Choosing the offer:
- Internet only: USD 35/month
- Internet + TV (200+ channels): USD 50/month (worth it if you want CNN, BBC, international channels)
- Internet + TV + Tigo Mobile combo: USD 70-95/month with 2 mobile lines included
- Installation: 3-7 days after subscribing. Technician at home, 1-3h. Stay home.
- Payment: foreign credit card accepted. Billed automatically each month.
Field tip (Jade, March 2026): I installed Cable Onda 100 Mbps in Bella Vista in 4 days. Final rate USD 36/month all-in. The technician spoke basic English. Real measured speed: 92-105 Mbps download, 18-25 Mbps upload. Latency to the US East Coast: ~60-90 ms (great for video calls), to Europe 145-180 ms (acceptable).
Mobile: 3 serious options
Plus Móvil (+Móvil) — The low-cost prepaid
Site: https://plusmovil.com.pa Position: Tigo’s low-cost brand Audience: newcomers, tight budget, prepaid
2026 plans:
- 30 days: USD 15 for 8 GB data + unlimited Panama calls
- 30 days: USD 20 for 15 GB data + 100 international minutes
- 30 days: USD 25 for 30 GB data + 200 international minutes
Pros: cheapest on the market, mall-store purchase with no paperwork (cash possible), 5-min activation. Cons: no 5G, limited rural coverage, basic customer service. When to use it: your first 3-6 months while waiting for residence + postpaid.
Más Móvil — The 5G challenger
Site: https://www.masmovil.com.pa Position: recent challenger, premium mobile Audience: expats who want 5G, digital nomads
2026 plans:
- Postpaid 30 days: USD 25 for 50 GB 5G + unlimited calls
- Postpaid 30 days: USD 40 for unlimited 5G + 500 international minutes
- International plan: USD 60 for US/Canada/EU roaming included
Pros: 5G deployed Panama City + Costa del Este (180-350 Mbps tested), easily accessible English support, best-rated app. Cons: weaker rural coverage than Tigo, 12-month commitment usual. When to use it: if you want long-term postpaid with 5G.
Tigo — The historic titan
Site: https://www.tigo.com.pa Position: #1 in the market, Cable Onda merger Audience: everyone, especially Internet + Mobile combo
2026 plans:
- Postpaid 30 days: USD 30 for 30 GB data + unlimited calls
- Postpaid 30 days: USD 50 for 100 GB data + 200 international minutes
- Postpaid 30 days: USD 75 for unlimited 5G + 500 international minutes
Pros: best rural coverage in the country (Darién included), attractive Internet + Mobile combos (save 15-25% vs separate), 5G deployed in Panama City + Coronado. Cons: slightly pricier than Más Móvil for equivalent, in-store service sometimes slow. When to use it: if you bundle Cable Onda + mobile with the same carrier.
Decision matrix: which carrier for whom?
You arrive in Panama, no residence visa yet
→ +Móvil prepaid USD 20/month + Cable Onda fiber 100 Mbps (USD 35/month) once you sign your lease.
You’re a digital nomad visiting 3-6 months
→ HolaFly eSIM (USD 45 for 30 days, unlimited, setup before the flight) + your Airbnb WiFi. No need to subscribe locally.
You’re a long-term settled expat with family
→ Cable Onda fiber 200 Mbps + Tigo postpaid 2 lines combo = USD 85-100/month total all-in.
You do high-demand remote work
→ Cable Onda fiber 500 Mbps (USD 75/month) + Más Móvil 5G postpaid USD 40/month as backup. Total ~USD 115/month but zero downtime.
You live in the provinces (Boquete, Coronado, Pedasí)
→ Tigo is your only real choice: best rural coverage and fixed 4G where fiber doesn’t reach. ~USD 50-70/month.
Connectivity tips for expats
Test quality before subscribing
Go to fast.com or speedtest.net in the lobby of your future building (with the manager’s permission) on public WiFi. If you see <30 Mbps download, beware: fiber may not really reach the building.
Know the outages
Panama has 5-10 internet outages per year on average (tropical storms, provincial failures). Preventive measure: keep a HolaFly eSIM (USD 20) active 5 days/month as backup. Direct smartphone-to-laptop hotspot if an outage hits.
VPN required
Many home-country banks block Panamanian IPs. See our security guides for details. Recommendation: NordVPN (~USD 5/month) with home-country servers.
Save on international communications
- WhatsApp / Telegram: 100% free, excellent voice quality
- Skype / Zoom: for pros, 4K possible with 100 Mbps fiber
- Signal: for sensitive communications (recommended for legal/tax discussions)
- Classic calls: USD 0.15-0.40/min abroad depending on carrier. Avoid.
Traps to avoid
- Subscribing online without a store visit → installation can take 2-4 weeks instead of 3-7 days
- Choosing Movistar out of habit (ex-Telefónica, known brand) → customer service declining since 2022
- “Unlimited” prepaid mobile: only really exists in postpaid. Prepaid “unlimited” = throttled after 30-50 GB
- 24-month fiber commitment → prefer 12 months max (the industry moves fast, rates drop yearly)
- Buying the carrier-provided router → keep the option and buy your own WiFi 6 router (~USD 80-150 at PriceSmart) for optimal speeds
Going further
- Related article: eSIM HolaFly before Tocumen
- Related article: Panama SIM card step by step
- Related article: Arrival in Panama, the first 72 hours
If you want a complete expat tech setup (Internet + VPN + passwords + cloud + backups) with the exact tools used by Jade and Natasha, the Expat Setup 30 days memo ($24) includes a dedicated connectivity section with exact configurations.
Article based on Jade’s personal tests (Cable Onda 100 Mbps fiber Bella Vista, March-May 2026) + feedback from 8 expats interviewed. Rates verified on official sites as of May 21, 2026. Any outdated info can be reported to hola@insidepanama.com.