The Cuban Telecommunications Enterprise S.A. (ETECSA) started selling as of this Friday two new data packages of 6.5 GB and 10 GB for its users who connect to the internet on the 4G/LTE network.
The new packages are the largest sold so far by the company for connection through mobile data, and cost 35.00 and 45.00 CUC (convertible pesos, equivalent to the dollar at the official exchange rate), respectively, high prices for average Cubans, equivalent to the average monthly salary of state workers after the salary increase last June.
Both packages, which are valid for only 30 days after the first use, include a 300 MB voucher for national surfing, according to the digital site of Cuba’s telecommunications state monopoly.
#NuevaOferta para la comercialización del servicio #Internet por 4G/LTE.
Para más información contáctenos por el 118 o el 5264-2266 o visite nuestra página web https://t.co/pgE92zsztf pic.twitter.com/SCygjjSQAU— ETECSA (@ETECSA_Cuba) November 22, 2019
In addition, ETECSA announced a new offer called Daily Package, valid for 24 hours as the name implies, which allows users to use 150 MB of internet for 1.00 CUC.
Both the 6.5 and 10 GB packages, as well as the daily one, are only good to access the internet through the fourth generation mobile network (4G/LTE), available to prepaid customers, although according to the published information a maximum share of 4 GB (4,096 MB) in 2G or 3G networks could be used.
ETECSA recently released the 4G/LTE service to all mobile internet users. But to have access to this service, users must have a coverage in 4G networks, have terminal equipment that supports LTE at 1800 MHz and have a uSIM.
Until this Friday the most expensive package offered by ETECSA cost 30 CUC, for 4 GB of data. The high prices of the internet offered by the telecommunications enterprise have generated dissatisfaction and complaints from its users through social networks, in which they have asked the state enterprise to bring down the prices.
There are currently 5.67 million mobile phone lines in Cuba, and more than 2,800,000 of ETECSA’s clients have access to mobile internet. Meanwhile, the average monthly salary on the island is just a bit over 1,000 Cuban pesos (CUP), equivalent to 40 CUC.
