When United States President Barack Obama announced in December that the US would resume diplomatic talks with Cuba for the first time in decades, some Caribbean tourism stakeholders worried that an economic relationship between the two countries could take away business from other economies in the region.
Others noted that the communist dictatorship has years, if not decades, of work to improve its infrastructure before it would pose a real threat of competition to other Caribbean tourist destinations.
An article from Reuters on Monday illustrates just how far the country has to go to be a viable tourist destination for Americans, as it has reportedly just made wireless Internet available to the general population.
“Before the Wi-Fi signals became available on Wednesday, broadband Internet access had been limited largely to desktops at state Internet parlours and pricey hotels,” the article states.
Cuba’s Internet service, which has been described as the worst in the Western Hemisphere, was previously only available to 3.4 percent of the population, according to the report.
Now, 35 nodes across the country are reportedly up and running, offering service to anyone with an account with the state telecommunications monopoly ETECSA.
“Clearly, the Cuban government has decided that broad Internet access is essential to a 21st Century economy,” William LeoGrande, a professor of government at American University, was quoted saying in the article. “The Internet cafés and now this Wi-Fi network show that the government is serious about expanding Internet access.”
The article noted that the government-set price of $2 an hour is still exorbitant for most Cubans, given the fact that the average monthly salary there is about $20.
Mr. Obama’s relaxation of a telecommunications embargo was credited as the reason the upgrades were implemented.
And what did most people do when the network opened?
“They mainly browsed Facebook,” the article stated.
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