Communication in Cuba - Internet, telephones, mail

TELEPHONE AND COMMUNICATIONS:

 
To make international calls, it is better to do at the hotel where you stay, or an international call center (centro internacional teléfonico). Many hotels offer clients access to international telephone services via satellite or through the operator. It is also possible to call directly. In this case, you should expect the same tone and dial 88. We must expect a ton stronger than usual and then, dial the national code of your country. If you call Canada, dial 01, for France, dial 33, then the area code for the province without the first digit, for example, if you want to call in Montreal, dial the 88-01 -- 514-666-6666. For local calls in hotels and restaurants, you will find telephone booths at a cost of five cents. If you want to communicate with another province, you must dial 0 before the code and subscriber number. For any questions, please consult the operator of the hotel. Take that calls made from the hotel normally cause supplements rather high.
If you wish to make a call before you leave Cuba, to plan your trip to Cuba, the country's telephone code is 53. If you wish to contact someone in Havana, the city code is the number 7. So for example if you call from Canada, you will have 011-53-7 - and the local number of the person to join. Las Nuevitas (other region of Cuba) is accessible through the code 32 as a result of the national code.

INTERNET

The Cuban regime does its best to keep its citizens outside the Internet. The sale of computer equipment is strictly regulated, Internet access is controlled, and the use of email is monitored closely. Look for something on the Internet can be dangerous. Indictments of most of the journalists imprisoned in March 2003 contained references to their Internet activity. Cuba is the biggest prison for journalists since freedom of expression is strictly prohibited. The government is taking care over the news because it decides the information to its citizens, without of course allow any independent press. The government has a contradictory position on the Internet. It trains thousands (nearly 30 000, according to some statistics) of students in new technologies. In return, it prevents the vast majority of the population access online. The authorities described the Internet as "the great disease of the twenty-first century. Des10 Cuba is among the most repressive countries as regards freedom of expression online. Internet is reserved for the ruling elite. Even the few privileged n ' generally have access to an Intranet specially created and filtered by the authorities.
The Cubans have found ways to circumvent government censorship everywhere, for the purchase of Internet access on the black market or to share a few connections allowed. However, the government punished severely any use "illegal" from the Web.

The physical restrictions are the main obstacle preventing the Internet to reach the general public. On the one hand, there are only six telephone lines per hundred inhabitants. On the other hand, the prohibitive cost of international telephone calls (two dollars per minute for USA) and the scarcity of international lines prevent people from using an Internet service provider based abroad.

Cubans have been able to use an electronic messaging system through the service ETEC SA access points since September 2001, without an Internet connection. Three hours access to this service - valid for one person - costs 3.5 euros (a third of the average Cuban's monthly salary of around 10 euros). The user must prove identity, fill out a long form and give his address. The ISP is able to monitor all messages before they are sent or received. According to official figures, Cuba currently has 480 000 mail boxes.

Unless they have official authorization, Cubans can not access the Internet from a public access point. The Internet is only available for tourists - at inflated prices by about 6 euros per hour - in some hotels and Internet cafes.

The Government has introduced various Internet Center - usually in post offices - where Cubans can access their emails. They also created an Intranet called Tu Island (Your Island), composed of Web sites selected by the authorities, including the sites of radio stations which broadcast television their own information.