Basics:
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''Cuba is still one of the least connected countries of the world. A trip to this Caribbean island is like walking down memory lane to a place of 30 years ago. The US embargo hindered any further development of the mobile phone system and the internet, but the easing of the restrictions from 2016 onwards bring new opportunities. Still in 2016, don't go to Cuba, if you need a steady internet connection at an affordable price. For all other visitors, there are more ways to stay connected now. According to our rules, this country is still [[Blacklist|blacklisted]], but this may change soon.''
''Cuba is still one of the least connected countries of the world. A trip to this Caribbean island is like walking down memory lane to a place of 30 years ago. The US embargo hindered any further development of the mobile phone system and the internet, but the easing of the restrictions from 2016 onwards bring new opportunities. Still in 2016, don't go to Cuba, if you need a steady internet connection at an affordable price. For all other visitors, there are more ways to stay connected now. According to our rules, this country is still [[Blacklist|blacklisted]], but this may change soon.''
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[[File:Blacklist.jpg|thumb|653x653px]]
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[[File:Blacklist.jpg|thumb|653x653px|none]]
== '''Basics''' ==
== '''Basics''' ==
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==== '''Mobile telephony in Cuba''' ====
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[[File:Etecsa.jpg|thumb|245x245px]]
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All telephone service is provided through ETECSA (for Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A.,) which is state-owned. It's the only player for landlines, mobile telephony and internet access on the island. In every town on the island you can find an office of ETECSA for basic services.
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Mobile telephone service is provided through two different companies under the roof of ETECSA:
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* '''Cubacel'''
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* C-com
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C-com, also called Celulares del Caribe is not accessible, so this article focuses on Cubacel.
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Mobile-cellular telephone service in Cuba is expensive and must be paid in convertible pesos (CUC) by locals too, which severely limits subscribership.
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==== '''Internet in Cuba''' ====
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The Internet in Cuba is characterized by a low number of connections, limited bandwidth, some censorship and high cost. Cuba has the lowest ratio of computers per inhabitant in Latin America and the lowest internet access ratio of all the Western hemisphere. So the main obstacle for the local population is to go online as Cuba’s domestic telecommunications infrastructure is limited in scope and only appropriate for the early days of the internet.
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The island depended on a few satellite links without significant bandwidth. In 2011 the new fibre-optic cable link to Venezuela was started, but delayed for years. Since 2015 it seems to be operational and gives more speed to the few users so far. But times are changing: in 2016 ETECSA began a pilot program for broadband internet to be rolled out in Cuban homes.
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Surprisingly, there is not much censorship around. Most international and social media pages are accessible. The main way of "filtering" is still the lack of access for local people, its high costs and slow speeds.
== '''Cubacel (by ETECSA)''' ==
== '''Cubacel (by ETECSA)''' ==
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[[File:Cubacel.png|thumb|168x168px]]
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Many consider Cubacel the only mobile provider in Cuba as C-com stays invisible. Cubacel started with a TDMA-network on 800 MHz which was decommissioned in 2009.
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It's today a GSM-based network on 900 MHz for 2G with additional spectrum on 850 MHz in ........... (see coverage map). In some tourist centers Cubacel started to deploy a 3G network on 2100 MHz.
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It has a reasonable coverage for voice and SMS services. Mobile internet, not even GPRS, is not included in the local access through Cubacel SIM cards. Data are only open to some of their foreign roaming partners, which can use their 3G network exclusively.
== '''Renting a local SIM''' ==
== '''Renting a local SIM''' ==
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These rules are frequently changing. As they are now, you will not be allowed to purchase a local SIM card as a temporary visitor or tourist to the island. This is reserved to permanent residents only. But you can rent a Cubacel SIM (and possibly a phone) when you arrive in Cuba and give it back when leaving.
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Be aware that there is generally no data on their 2G/GSM network with a local SIM card, only voice calls and SMS services.
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Rates (domestic, abroad)
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Email services
== '''Staying on roaming with your home provider''' ==
== '''Staying on roaming with your home provider''' ==
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Alternatively, you may choose to stay on roaming with your home provider to get data. But you must be willing to pay a hefty price. Cuba is frequently listed as one of the most expensive roaming countries worldwide just below cruise ships and sattelite telephony.
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Cubacel lists these roaming partners abroad (list ###) but beware that not all operators include data. So you should better check with your home operator before travel. Those who include data have the benefit of an exclusive use of the data network and 3G in some tourist places in Havanna and Varadero. Speed is reported to be quite good on 3G.
== '''Buying local vouchers for Wi-Fi hotspots (Nauta)''' ==
== '''Buying local vouchers for Wi-Fi hotspots (Nauta)''' ==