Somos Internet: a startup revolutionizing Internet access in Colombia
Somos Internet Colombia is disrupting the telecom industry with a high-speed, low-cost network built from scratch. Discover how this Medellín-born startup is challenging giants like Claro and Movistar through innovation, culture, and bold expansion.
From the rooftops of Medellín to boardrooms in Bogotá, Somos Internet Colombia is challenging the status quo of fixed internet in Latin America. Founded by Forrest Heath, an American with no Spanish and zero telecom experience, this startup has quickly become a standout in Colombia’s startup ecosystem, offering ultra-fast, affordable internet and building a vertically integrated infrastructure from scratch.
From Medellín rooftops to Bogotá’s high-rises
The idea for Somos Internet was born in Medellín’s underserved neighborhoods. Heath and his small team began deploying Wi-Fi networks without knowing they were negotiating with local gang leaders. Those early lessons made one thing clear: the traditional telecom model was broken. Instead of extending outdated systems, they started fresh, building a new network inspired by data center-grade standards.
Their approach was simple yet radical: no luxury offices, no bloated hierarchies, just a team obsessed with simplifying complexity. With over 30,500 users in Medellín and Bogotá, Somos Internet is now Colombia’s 14th largest fixed internet provider.
A disruptive model for the last mile
Unlike traditional ISPs that lay outdated fiber cables, Somos has built a distributed data center network. Their system operates in ring topologies, ensuring redundancy and high uptime. Each connection is direct to the nearest data center, allowing them to deliver up to 2 Gbps speeds, even though their basic plan starts at 800 Mbps.
This tech-first model results in costs up to 10x lower than competitors like Claro or Movistar. And it's not just for homes, corporate clients like Mercado Libre and Auteco are already on board.
Backed by global names, built in Colombia
Somos has raised over $17 million in equity and $30 million in structured debt, attracting top investors such as:
Other notable backers include Freddy Vega (Platzi), Matías Muchnick (NotCo), and Pierpaolo Barbieri (Ualá).
This financial muscle is fueling their expansion. The company has already laid down 700 km of fiber and aims to double its user base to 65,000 by the end of 2025, with heavy investment in Bogotá neighborhoods like Cedritos, Suba, and Kennedy.
Culture: flat, fierce, and proudly Colombian
At Somos, titles don’t matter. Heath describes his team as “smart pirates” working in a non-hierarchical culture where even executives sit on the floor. With over 500 employees, including 80 engineers, many of whom returned from global tech giants like Amazon, Somos is reversing brain drain by building world-class tech from Colombia.
Customer support, software, router design, and installations are all in-house. Even chat support runs on WhatsApp, creating a seamless, efficient service experience.
A bold vision for 2025 and beyond
Somos isn't just selling the internet, it’s building Colombia’s first vertically integrated ISP. From submarine cable negotiations in Brazil to full control of its national backbone, the startup is rewriting the connectivity playbook.
Their goal? Become a carrier capable of providing enterprise-grade internet to everyone, at a fraction of the cost. In Heath’s words: “We don’t want to be IBM, we want to be SpaceX.”
As Somos Internet continues to scale from Medellín to Bogotá and beyond, it stands as a bold example of what happens when radical vision meets deep execution. In a market long dominated by legacy players, this Colombian-born startup is proving that innovation, when paired with grit and a people-first culture, can deliver not just better technology—but a more inclusive, efficient, and inspiring internet future for Latin America.