Cuba and the Internet – 11.4 million Cubans Without Basic Cell Phone Service the largest Market when Spectrum Auctions Announced

“We will end an outdated approach that for decades has failed to advance our interests, and instead we will begin to normalize relations between our two countries,”

President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, commenting on US-Cuban Relations being normalized on Wednesday December 17^th 2014

The Relationship between the USA and Cuba seems to only be getting better and better.

This after the Barack Obama led administration decided to lift the embargo and normalize relations with Cuba on Wednesday December 17^th 2014 as reported in the article “Obama hails 'new chapter' in US-Cuba ties”, published 17 December 2014 Last updated at 22:34 GMT, BBC News.

Cuban President Raul Castro in a TV address welcomed the move but indicated what’re still Communists, so don't get any bright ideas as noted in the article “Cuba 'will not change' communist system, despite thaw with US”, published 20 December 2014 Last updated at 22:23 GMT, BBC News.

He also freed US contractor Alan Gross in exchange for three (3) Cubans held in the US.

This move came after eighteen (18) months of secret negotiations in Canada initiated by the Vatican and directly involving Pope Francis and Nelson Mandela as detailed in the article “U.S. to Restore Full Relations With Cuba, Erasing a Last Trace of Cold War Hostility”, published DEC. 17, 2014 By PETER BAKER, New York Times.

Now Raul Castro, Cuba’s de facto leader, has freed some more Cuban dissidents!

As a part of that normalized changes, Cuba has released all fifty three (53) prisoners of War as part of this deal with the US Government as reported in the article “Cuba has freed all 53 prisoners as agreed in U.S. deal: U.S. officials”, published Mon Jan 12, 2015 5:47pm EST BY MATT SPETALNICK, DAVID ADAMS AND LESLEY WROUGHTON, Reuters.

But it's the coming changes that has Telecommunications Bloggers like myself excited; the normalizing of Cuban Relations opens up the possibility of Spectrum Auctions for Voice and Data Telecoms Providers to enter Cuba!

Telecom Providers gearing up for Cuba – Huge population without even basic Cell phone Service

As far back as 2009, Telecom Provider Digicel, with assistance from former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson acting as a negotiator, has been in talks with the Cuban Government with regards to entering their Telecoms market as reported in the article “Why PJ, Digicel officials went to Cuba”, published Sunday, May 17, 2009, The Jamaica Observer.

Haven’t heard any official word from Digicel on Cuba and neither have they published any Press Releases since US President Barack Obama made the announcement.

But LIME has been quite vocal, with LIME Chairman Chris Dehring suggesting that they already making plans to go to Cuba to provide Telecom Services to some 11.4 million people, making them the largest telecom market in the Caribbean, quote: “There is a direct correlation between internet penetration, national development and productivity. Therefore, with the opening of the telecommunications highway into the corridor of our closest neighbour, there will be increased growth opportunities for Cuba”.

Telecom Provider LIME has since March 2010 been in a partnership with Venezuelan/Cuban Telecom Provider TGC (Telecomunicaciones Gran Caribe) to build a Fiber Optic Link between Venezuela, Cuba and Jamaica as announced in the article “LIME Lands Fibre Link Partnership”, Published Wednesday March 24, 2010, The Jamaica Gleaner.

CWC (Cable and Wireless Communication) partnered with Venezuelan/Cuban Telecom Provider TGC to build the Undersea Fiber Optic Cable called ALBA-1 to provide Internet Access via Venezuela, a project that began on Saturday January 22^nd 2011 as stated in the article “Chavez Beats AT&T to Cuban Telecom `Gold Mine' as Dispute on Pricing Bites”, published Jan 26, 2011 1:05 PM ET By Charlie Devereux and Blake Schmidt , Bloomberg.  

This is “ALBA-1” that LIME Chairman Chris Dehring, which by the way was paid for by CWC (Cable and Wireless Communication) to the tune of US$70 million, quote: “This development augurs well, especially for the ALBA-1 undersea Cable Network that connects Cuba with Jamaica and, consequently, the world. ALBA-1 has Internet connectivity and international wholesale capacity for operators to the US through Venezuela, and is a joint venture between the Cuban and Venezuelan governments”.

Completed by February 2011, the US$70 million Undersea Fiber Optic Submarine Cable connecting Cuba, Venezuela and finally Jamaica was built under contract by Paris, France based Alcatel-Lucent. It stretches some 1,600-kilometer (1,000-mile), terminating in the city of Ciboney, Cuba and has a lifespan of twenty five (25) years.

And yes, it went live in August 2012 as confirmed in the article “Cuba confirms Alba-1 fiber hook-up to Venezuela, internet remains on lockdown”, published January 25th 2013 at 10:14 am by Zach Honig, Engadget.

Cuba and the Internet – Huge potential for 4G LTE when Spectrum Auctions are announced

It's still restricted Internet, as most of the people of Cuba still have no Internet access or reliable infrastructure to even get access to Internet in the first place.

Also, since it went live, it’s mainly being used for downloading, with uploading traffic still going through Satellites as noted in the article “Cuba's undersea fiber Cable potentially sees consumer internet use for first time”, published January 21st 2013 at 10:14 pm by Alexis Santos, Engadget.

But they now have Wi-Fi, at least in a park in the City of Santiago for US$4.50 an hour as reported by Cuba’s Official Journalists in the article “Cuba moves to expand WiFi service slightly”, published Monday, January 12, 2015 8:43 PM , The Jamaica Observer.

The potential for 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution) Wireless Internet and even just basic Voice GSM (Global System Mobile) and CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) Networks as noted in the article “U.S. announces Cuba telecom plan; Cable preps for Gigabit broadband”, Published 23 Dec 2014 by Katherine Finnell, Assistant Site Editor, Search Telecom means that in a few weeks from now, expect announcements from Cuba opening up Spectrum Auctions for these services in Cuba.

Viva La Revolution, Fidel!