Cuba - Communications

International Dialing Code for Cuba is +53

ETECSA is the state-run telephone company.

Phone

Cell/mobile service in Cuba is pretty good. Data is mostly 3G but there is LTE available in the major cities.

A Cuban SIM card is $30 and you need to buy a minimum of $10 in airtime to activate the plan. Once the plan is active you can then subscribe to data which has multiple pricing tiers [for example 4GB of data including 15GB of LTE data for $35].

It may be worth only buying the minimum to begin with, because perhaps there are better deals available online from services such as Ding and Habla Cuba Cuba.

You can purchase SIM cards at any ETECSA store, which can be found in most villages and towns across Cuba. Ask for "Una Tarjeta sim Cubacel". Take your passport, visa card and cash for payment. Some Spanish most likely required for this transaction.

Top-up cards can be purchased for 5,10 and 20 CUC from ETECSA, most
hotels and a variety of local shops. You can also top-up online.

Internet

The internet in Cuba is still in its infancy, but as a result of a government initiative that was started over a year ago, the number of publicly available access points is increasing by the month.

See the ETECSA website for the current list: http://www.etecsa.cu/internet_conectividad/areas_wifi/

You can get online in public WIFi hotspots for $1/hour.

You will need to purchase internet access cards (scratch cards) before you can access the internet. These can be bought from hotel lobbies or ETECSA offices (where they are much cheaper), a post offices or off the street (normally for a 1CUC premium and they don't always work). Make sure the plastic wrapping is on the card when you purchase it. You cannot get them everywhere so it is best to stock up when you can.

You will need your passport to purchase a data card.

Once you have the card you log into the Wi-Fi with the password and user number on the card.

The best reception can often be found in hotel grounds, but ask around for good local hotspots. Generally, the connection is good but the hotspots get easily overloaded. As with everything else in Cuba, some waiting and persistence are required.

Worth noting is that hotels in Cuba are run on an all-inclusive basis, so if you buy a ticket for breakfast/lunch/dinner or for the day/evening, everything is free (including WiFi).

Cruiser VHF Net

Sailing and Cruising: Cuba

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SailingandCruisingCuba/

Cuba, Land and Sea

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Cubalandandsail/

Last updated:  October 2021