Smart cities are changing the conception of urban life in most cities where technologies are applied, whether in the economic, environmental, or social spheres. In the Ecuadorian context, the concept of smart cities represents an innovative approach to improving the quality of life of its citizens. The purpose of the article is to present the results of the maturity level of smart cities of two Ecuadorian cities, Cuenca and Quito, which the Ministry of Telecommunications has been measuring from 2000 to 2024. The level of maturity of a smart city is measured using the Maturity Model for Smart and Sustainable Cities (MM-CIS) proposed by the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) methodology, which uses, on the one hand, an achievement survey that reflects the implementation of strategies, services, infrastructure, data management, and evaluation mechanisms of a city. On the other hand, the key performance indicators (KPI) maturity level divided in dimensions such as economy, environmental and society and culture are measured. Based on these results, the opportunities and challenges that these two cities face in becoming truly smart cities were identified. In the case of the city of Quito, its data has been consistent since 2020, with progressive improvements over time, especially in the key performance indicators. This result points out a strong planning and consistency in program implementation, reflected in the various smart city initiatives and projects implemented by the city. However, it still faces challenges such as maintaining the sustainability of its main projects given changes in local municipal administration and the lack of coordination between the Central Government and the local government. Similarly, the city of Cuenca shows progress in the KPI but a decline in the results of the achievement survey, which pointed out a disconnect between strategic planning and operational execution in the last year of measurement, possibly attributed to the lack of solid governance that articulates public, private and social actors, which limits the long-term sustainability of projects.