As Cuba slowly opens up to the new technologies, more and more people are embracing mobile phones. As a matter of fact, the number of mobile phone subscribers in the country will exceed one million by the end of this year.
Since 2003, Cuba has invested about $150 million to develop the cellular phone industry, according to the vice president of ETECSA’s mobile services – Maximo Lafuente. He also added that the projection for 2015 is to have 2.4 million subscribers.
As part of the plan to keep expanding, cost savings on calls are set to be introduced at the beginning of June. Activation cost has fallen from the original $120 to the current price of $43, whereas rates for national and international calls will fall by between 42 and 75 percent, depending on the destination.
If you remember, the lifting of the restrictions on mobile phone use was one of the first measures Raul Castro adopted after succeeding his ailing older brother Fidel in February 2008. In addition to mobile phones, the unrestricted sale of computers, DVD players and other consumer goods also took place at that time.
The problem, however, is that not whole of Cuba has been covered by the mobile phone network. 23 out of the island’s 169 municipalities are left off because they are located in mountainous or swampy areas.
[Via: sify.com]