22 April 2025
TCuba’s state run telecommunications company, ETECSA SA, has publicly acknowledged that it is unable to obtain the foreign exchange it needs to maintain the required level of investment in technology to continue upgrading its aging network.
Speaking to Cubavisión Internacional, the official worldwide arm of the domestic Cubavisión network, Kevin Castro, the Deputy Director of Network Operations said: “Our foreign currency income sources have been severely affected. What does that mean? It has become exceedingly challenging to continue with the investment plan we carried out up to 2022.”
In doing so he confirmed the reason for the growing number of complaints on Cuban social media about service failures, problems with Internet access in homes and public areas, interruptions in landline and mobile phone services, and more generally slowness and network congestion.
Rodríguez attributed the problems associated with connectivity to the increase in demand, a lack of foreign currency, external interference from the use of illegal equipment, reported recently to be degrading the service in some areas, and a recent increase in vandalism against telecommunications infrastructure. He also noted that the company faced other limitations due to economic sanctions and an overall shortage of resources.
According to ETECSA, the damage experienced involves cuts to fibre optic cables, damage to poles carrying cabling and to towers carrying relays, and battery theft. In his remarks Castro stressed the costs of recovery on the company’s finances, observing that a single fibre optic cable cut experienced recently in Camagüey had cost the company over CUP16mn and had disrupted airport services.
ETECSA’s Deputy Director of Network Operations also noted that the growing demand for Internet and telephone services has placed a strain on the existing infrastructure at a time when it is experiencing declining foreign currency income, and the company has had to redirect resources and technical staff to addressing repairs.
Highlights in this issue:
- Marrero again tells senior provincial officials they must address Cubans’ pressing concerns
- State dairy company reported to have accumulated huge debts to farmers cooperatives
- China holds policy seminar in Havana on Beijing’s approach to economic development
- Russia’s Novikom Bank formalises agreement to enable Cuban financial settlements in Rubles.
- US Federal judge blocks administration’s attempt to expel Cuban and other legal migrants
Speaking on the same programme, Pedro Lozada, the Director of ETECSA’s Southern Territorial Division, said that in 2024 planned investments had to be halted to address the damages, further delaying the modernisation of its increasingly outdated network.
He told Cubavisión’s viewers that external interference in the mobile cellular network caused by illegal antennas and uncertified equipment had jammed cells in areas like Havana, where 12% of external interference is reported, while in the rest of the country the impact was only 6%.
ETECSA said that it is now working in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior to strengthen infrastructure protection and to identify those responsible for vandalism and the use of imported equipment. In doing so, it reiterated its commitment to optimising its services, expanding coverage, and delivering technical solutions that enable a more stable user experience.
22 April 2025, Issue 1276
The Caribbean Council is able to provide further detail about all of the stories in Cuba Briefing. If you would like a more detailed insight into any of the content of today’s issue, please get in touch.
