Best eSIM for Montevideo in 2026
— Ranked by Real Performance

Montevideo offers solid urban LTE connectivity anchored primarily by Antel, Uruguay's state-owned carrier, which holds the dominant infrastructure position and is the preferred wholesale partner for most eSIM MVNOs operating in the country. The city suits business travellers and long-stay digital nomads well — Antel's 4G LTE network covers roughly 96% of the greater Montevideo metropolitan area, and its fiber-backed backhaul means real-world speeds that routinely outperform regional peers in Buenos Aires suburbs. A non-obvious detail: Claro Uruguay and Movistar Uruguay both operate secondary LTE networks here, but most eSIM providers do not hold direct roaming agreements with them, meaning your fallback coverage in outlying barrios like Manga or Casavalle depends almost entirely on Antel's tower density.

• →Antel's LTE network covers approximately 96% of the Montevideo metropolitan area and is the anchor carrier for the majority of eSIM MVNOs serving Uruguay — Claro and Movistar coverage is largely inaccessible via consumer eSIM roaming agreements.
• →Average LTE download speeds in central Montevideo (Ciudad Vieja, Pocitos, Punta Carretas) consistently test between 28–45 Mbps on Antel's network, with peak throughput above 60 Mbps recorded near the rambla waterfront where tower density is highest.
• →Uruguay has no domestic 5G consumer network as of 2025 — Antel has conducted 5G trials but commercial rollout remains limited to pilot zones; all eSIM providers in this market are delivering 4G LTE service, so 5G marketing claims from any provider are misleading for this destination.
• →Airalo routes its Uruguay product via a wholesale agreement that prioritises Antel as the primary network, which is the single most important factor for eSIM performance in Montevideo given that carrier's infrastructure lead over Claro and Movistar.