According to an announcement made on Sunday by ETECSA, Cuba’s state telecommunications company, a pilot project to bring broadband internet into Cuban homes is moving forward.
The announcement was made by Odalys Rodríguez del Toro, ETECSA’s director for Havana. Del Toro also stated that three parks will receive new WiFi service including the Castillito and the Cuba Pavilion, Plaza of the Revolution, and the University Spa in Playa.
Business can also request broadband internet including cafes, bars and restaurants.
New broadband Internet services will be made available through fiber optic connections operated with Chinese telecom operator Huawei.
Last week, the US and Cuba held talk over expanding Internet access in Cuba. US State Department officials said that while the U.S. is making efforts to push progress and close telecommunications agreements before the end of Barack Obama presidency, Cuban officials are still proceeding with caution.
“We need to have some solid wins to give [U.S. business] confidence,” said David Sepúlveda, the coordinator for international communications and Information policy in the State Department, in an interview with the Miami Herald.
Mr. Sepúlveda led a 14-member delegation that met in Cuba last week to discuss U.S. regulations which would allow American Internet and telecom companies to engage in a variety of business activities on the island, so long as Cuba allows it.
Early policy regulations by the Obama Administration announced after the normalization of relations in December 2014 created exemptions around the embargo for U.S. telecom companies to invest in Cuba.
Recently, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) removed Cuba from its exclusion list which now means that U.S.-based telecom operators can provide Internet and telephone services to Cuba without separate approval from the FCC and can now export telecom equipment and products to Cuba.
