Wi-Fi: A Social Trend in Cuba

Carmen walks around the Camilo Cienfuegos Park located in the municipality of San Antonio de los Baños in Artemisa province attempting to look for the perfect location to talk to her relatives abroad through the IMO application installed in her cell phone.

But the area is totally full any time of the day or night, the signal is not good without mentioning that there are times there is no connection or the image freezes when one is talking through the video camera.

This is the second hotspot that has Wi-Fi in the province in which not only the locals go to but the population surrounding the city like Guira de Melana, Alquizar, Bauta, Caimito and Bejucal, this last from Mayabeque province.

Another problem is that there is not enough lighting when many attempt to connect at sunrise, and not to say the difficulties to purchase a user card because the lines are long at ETECSA which is the only place in the municipality that sell them.

We proved, however, that the city where there are three hotspots, opinions are different maybe because they do not feel affected and can have a more private conservation with relatives and friends.

They do not have to stand in long lines to purchase a card at ETECSA which can be faster if they did not have to include a process of acquiring personal data.

Meanwhile, in the town of Artemisa you do not see any illegal sellers like in San Antonio de los Baños attempting to sell the cards for 3 CUC for one hour when you can buy them for 2 in ETECSA and I ask myself, where do these sellers get the cards to sell them illegally when the telephone company has strict controls?

Specialists from ETECSA say you can also purchase the cards in Havana and other provinces where by the way there are similar controls.

The possibility so much awaited by the Cuban people turns each territory into a social happening.

At least San Antonio de los Baños that enjoys the service will have to complain to their local representatives about the poor lighting in the streets.

But despite this, different groups go to the park each night to enjoy the new benefits obtained each time they connect to the world.

Marité for example achieved downloading a video that will help her in her Contemporary History class but also took advantage to create a Facebook account and is now able to exchange with her friends.