The State of IPv6 in the Caribbean

By Bevil Wooding – Director of Caribbean Affairs

As ARIN prepares to participate in the 41st Caribbean Association of National Telecommunications Organizations Conference & Trade Exhibition, CANTO 2026, we return to our annual review of IPv6 progress across the Caribbean.

The 2026 results point to broader regional movement. Measured IPv6-capable traffic increased in 24 of the 31 countries and territories included in the review. Based on the jurisdictions represented in this year’s table, the unweighted regional average rose from 20.02 percent in 2025 to 24.66 percent in 2026.

Several developments stand out. Suriname moved into third place following a 20.45-percentage-point increase. Guadeloupe recorded the largest gain of the year and rose eight positions to fifth. Belize more than doubled its measured rate yet moved from fifth to eighth as several other jurisdictions advanced even faster.

Together, these movements illustrate both the scale of progress now possible within a single year and the continued variation in Caribbean IPv6 deployment.

Let’s take a closer look at these developments in our annual snapshot of the region’s IPv6 progress.

Why IPv6 Progress Matters

IPv6 supports the continued growth and evolution of the Internet by expanding the supply of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses and enabling networks to accommodate growing numbers of users, devices, and digital services.

For Caribbean governments, network operators, businesses, and technical communities, IPv6 deployment forms part of the region’s wider digital development agenda. It supports network modernization, service expansion, and the long-term resilience of national and regional Internet infrastructure.

Measurement provides an important view of that progress. It helps decision-makers identify where deployment is advancing, where momentum has slowed, and where further technical, institutional, or policy attention may be valuable.

Understanding the Data

The figures in this review are based on the average of available IPv6 traffic measurements published by APNIC, Google, and Meta. Each source applies its own measurement approach, and every source may not report data for every country or territory. Each jurisdiction’s result therefore reflects the average of the sources for which data were available.

The rankings should be understood as comparative indicators of measured IPv6-capable traffic. They do not represent a comprehensive assessment of every network, operator, or institution within a jurisdiction.

All figures are based on data available as of June 2026. Year-over-year movements are expressed in percentage points.

Major Gains Reshape the Ranking

Guadeloupe recorded the largest increase in 2026. Its measured IPv6-capable traffic rose by 22.83 percentage points to 48 percent, moving the territory from 13th to fifth place.

Belize followed closely with a 22.73-point increase, rising from 15.84 percent in 2025 to 38.57 percent in 2026. This represents another year of substantial progress for Belize and confirms its position among the region’s fastest-moving jurisdictions.

The scale of movement elsewhere meant that Belize fell three positions in the rankings despite more than doubling its measured rate. French Guiana, Guadeloupe, and Martinique all moved ahead of Belize following significant annual increases.

Suriname strengthened its position among the regional leaders. A 20.45-point increase brought its measured rate to 53.05 percent and moved it from fourth to third place.

French Guiana increased by 17.44 points to 50.24 percent, rising three positions to fourth. Martinique gained 11.97 points and moved from tenth to seventh.

The Bahamas and Guyana also recorded double-digit increases. The Bahamas rose by 11.59 points to 31.8 percent and moved four places to 12th. Guyana increased by 11.28 points to 33.17 percent, producing a five-place rise to tenth.

Seven Caribbean jurisdictions recorded gains of more than 10 percentage points during the reporting period:

Guadeloupe: 22.83 points
Belize: 22.73 points
Suriname: 20.45 points
French Guiana: 17.44 points
Martinique: 11.97 points
The Bahamas: 11.59 points
Guyana: 11.28 points

These movements show that substantial advances can occur within a relatively short period when network deployment reaches users at scale.

Shifts Among Previous Leaders

Saint Barthélemy and Puerto Rico retained the first and second positions in the regional ranking, although their year-over-year results differed. Saint Barthélemy remained first with measured IPv6-capable traffic of 68.62 percent — a decline of 5.35 percentage points from 2025. Puerto Rico, however, recorded a 1.93-point increase, reaching 55.48 percent.

Dominica, which ranked third in 2025, remained broadly stable. Its measured rate increased by 0.14 points to 38.95 percent. Stronger gains by Suriname, French Guiana, and Guadeloupe moved Dominica to sixth place.

These results demonstrate that rankings can change significantly even when a jurisdiction maintains or increases its measured IPv6 rate. Relative position depends on both national progress and the pace of deployment elsewhere in the region.

Where Momentum Slowed

Seven jurisdictions experienced year-over-year declines in 2026, compared with 13 during the previous year. The average decline among those seven jurisdictions was 3.25 percentage points, shaped primarily by decreases in Montserrat, Saint Martin, and Saint Barthélemy.

Montserrat recorded the largest decline, falling by 8.97 points to 12.86 percent. Saint Martin decreased by 6.83 points to 20.03 percent, while Saint Barthélemy declined by 5.35 points to 68.62 percent.

The other four decreases were each less than 1 percentage point:

Sint Maarten: 0.66 points
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 0.58 points
Trinidad and Tobago: 0.29 points
Cayman Islands: 0.05 points

Saint Kitts and Nevis and Montserrat were the only two jurisdictions to record declines during both the 2024–2025 and 2025–2026 reporting periods.

A year-over-year reduction in measured traffic does not by itself identify the underlying cause. Changes may reflect network deployment, operator configurations, user traffic patterns, or differences in the availability and coverage of measurement sources. Sustained monitoring is therefore important when assessing longer-term national trends.

2026 IPv6 Caribbean Rankings

The following table presents measured IPv6-capable traffic across 31 Caribbean countries and territories, based on available data as of June 2026.

Rank	Country / Geographic Area	IPv6 Traffic Capable (2026)	Year-Over-Year Change in Rank	Year-Over-Year Change in Traffic (Percentage Points)
1	Saint Barthélemy	68.62%	0	-5.35
2	Puerto Rico	55.48%	0	+1.93
3	Suriname*	53.05%	+1	+20.45
4	French Guiana*	50.24%	+3	+17.44
5	Guadeloupe	48.00%	+8	+22.83
6	Dominica	38.95%	-3	+0.14
7	Martinique	38.90%	+3	+11.97
8	Belize*	38.57%	-3	+22.73
9	Dominican Republic	37.73%	-3	+2.28
10	Guyana*	33.17%	+5	+11.28
11	Anguilla	32.74%	-2	+2.38
12	Bahamas	31.80%	+4	+11.59
13	Turks and Caicos Islands	31.08%	-5	+3.69
14	Sint Maarten*	23.29%	-2	-0.66
15	Trinidad and Tobago*	23.14%	-1	-0.29
16	Saint Martin	20.03%	-5	-6.83
17	Barbados	17.51%	+1	+2.12
18	Jamaica	17.36%	+3	+4.07
19	Virgin Islands (British)	17.05%	+1	+4.17
20	Saint Lucia	16.55%	-1	+2.56
21	Montserrat	12.86%	-4	-8.97
22	Virgin Islands (U.S.)	11.85%	+1	+5.31
23	Haiti*	11.62%	-1	+4.12
24	Saint Vincent and The Grenadines	10.95%	+2	+7.03
25	Curaçao*	9.56%	-1	+3.74
26	Grenada	7.10%	-1	+2.16
27	Antigua and Barbuda	1.86%	+1	+0.53
28	Cuba*	1.77%	+3	+1.61
29	Cayman Islands	1.67%	-2	-0.05
30	Aruba*	1.08%	0	+0.52
31	Saint Kitts and Nevis	0.96%	-2	-0.58

*Denotes countries in the LACNIC region. For information on IPv6 resources through LACNIC, please visit https://www.lacnic.net/1016/2/lacnic/get-ip-addresses_asns.

Priorities for Caribbean IPv6 Progress

The 2026 results show that Caribbean IPv6 deployment is advancing, with progress distributed across large and small jurisdictions. They also show the value of maintaining attention beyond an initial deployment phase. IPv6 readiness depends on sustained implementation across networks, services, procurement systems, and technical teams.

Five areas merit continued attention:

1. Make IPv6 Readiness a Standard Procurement Requirement

Governments and large organizations can include IPv6 capability in the technical requirements for new networks, applications, cloud services, equipment, and managed technology services.

Clear procurement standards can ensure that current investments support long-term network requirements and reduce the need for later replacement or remediation.

2. Support Network Deployment and Customer Migration

Internet Service Providers play the central operational role in bringing IPv6 connectivity to end users.

Deployment plans should extend beyond core network capability to customer-facing services, access networks, equipment configuration, technical support, and migration arrangements. Regulatory and policy frameworks can support this work by encouraging modernization and providing clarity on national expectations.

3. Expand Practical Technical Capability

IPv6 deployment requires engineers, administrators, security professionals and technology managers who can design, configure, operate, and troubleshoot IPv6-enabled environments.

Training programs should combine foundational understanding with practical implementation experience. Governments, operators, universities, and technical organizations can work together to expand access to relevant training and certification.

4. Strengthen Measurement and National Coordination

Regular measurement can help governments and operators assess deployment progress and identify changes that warrant further investigation.

National coordination among policymakers, regulators, operators, public-sector technology teams, academia, and technical communities can support a clearer understanding of deployment conditions and implementation priorities.

5. Use Regional and International Partnerships

Regional organizations and Internet technical bodies can provide access to expertise, training, implementation guidance, and peer experience.

Engagement with ARIN, LACNIC, CaribNOG, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union, and other technical partners can help Caribbean stakeholders learn from successful deployments and apply relevant lessons within their own operating environments.

Sustaining Regional Progress

The 2026 data highlights significant movement within the ranking and presents a regional picture of expanding IPv6 capability.

The strongest annual gains demonstrate that deployment can accelerate considerably when operators and institutions move from planning to implementation. The experience of previous leaders also shows the importance of sustaining operational attention as networks, services, and traffic patterns evolve.

The next stage of Caribbean IPv6 progress will depend on making IPv6 readiness a routine component of network modernization, public-sector procurement, workforce development, and digital policy.

Through consistent implementation, measurement, and regional cooperation, Caribbean countries and territories can strengthen the infrastructure required to support the region’s continued digital development.

Get Started with IPv6

Organizations planning an IPv6 deployment should begin by reviewing the policies, eligibility requirements, and technical guidance provided by the Regional Internet Registry serving their jurisdiction.

Organizations within ARIN’s service region can consult ARIN’s free online guide to IPv6 for practical information on preparing for, requesting, and implementing IPv6. ARIN’s Number Resource Policy Manual also provides for a dedicated block of IPv4 addresses to facilitate IPv6 deployment under section 4.10.

Organizations operating within the LACNIC service region can consult LACNIC’s guidance on requesting Internet number resources and preparing for IPv6 deployment.

Post written by:

Bevil Wooding
Director of Caribbean Affairs

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