U.S. blockade hinders telecommunications development in Cuba

Havana, March 30 (RHC)-- The economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States hinders the development of telecommunications in Cuba; a country focused on guaranteeing greater access to the Internet and improving the quality of connectivity.

It is very complex to acquire technology, sometimes due to the remoteness of the markets, the cost of transporting freight, especially those with 10 percent of components from the United States, stressed the Minister of Communications, Mayra Arevich.

The official added that there are platforms impossible to access and some applications and sites that would contribute to the training and improvement of specialized personnel.

Likewise, there are limited licenses for Cuba, which slows down the sector's progress, she said the day before on the radio program Round Table.

The minister lamented that telecommunications in Cuba also suffer from banking and financial obstacles.

But despite the hostile policy of the United States against Cuba, the island seeks to promote the development of technological infrastructure to achieve an improvement in connectivity and services to the population, said Arevich.

He explained that Internet traffic grew 2.6 times, as it is a process that accelerated and massified nationally with great utility in teleworking, education, health, entertainment, and digital government.

Among Internet users, 73 percent use 3G, and 49 percent use 4G, said the head of state, who pointed out that seven million 500 thousand people access the network in Cuba.

Currently, 80 percent have access through mobile telephony.

One of the sector's aspirations is to provide 56,000 new domestic services known as Nauta-Home, said the minister.

Arevich said that in 2022 they want to advance in 4G technology since it is the same services that drive the development of the infrastructure.

We will not give up the Wifi connection areas, and all we want is to improve the services and connectivity of the population, Arevich said.