Telephone Telecommunications in Cuba

an 1895 map of first telephone network in havana, cuba on display in etecsa telephone museum.

country code: +53

international call prefix: 119

telephones - main lines in use: 1.2 million, 72nd in world, less 10 per 100 inhabitants (2009).

telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million mobile phones @ end of 2010 (9 per 100 inhabitants), 621,000 in 2009 , 330,000 in 2008, when cubans allowed buy , use them first time. mobile-cellular telephone service expensive , must paid in convertible pesos, limits subscribership.

telephone system: 95% of telephone switches digitized end of 2006. principal trunk system coaxial cable; fiber-optic distribution in havana , on isla de la juventud; 2 microwave radio relay installations (one old, us-built; other newer, soviet-built); both analog , digital mobile cellular service established; 1 international satellite earth station, intersputnik (atlantic ocean region).

new fiber-optic link:

a new undersea fiber-optic link venezuela scheduled 2011. in may 2012 there reports cable operational, use restricted cuban , venezuelan government entities. internet access general public still used slower , more expensive satellite links, until january 2013 when internet speeds increased.