The state-run telecommunications monopoly, ETECSA, has reported a network malfunction impacting mobile services across Cuba. According to official sources, a disruption has been detected affecting both voice and data services in certain regions. "Efforts are underway to diagnose and resolve the issue. Please stay updated through the company's official channels," the announcement stated.
This recent disruption comes less than a day after ETESCA's Territorial Division in Matanzas reported a breakdown in the generator at the Unión de Reyes Telecommunications Center due to an electrical outage. According to the Girón newspaper, fixed-line services were disrupted in all localities of the area except Cidra, Bolondrón, and Güira de Macurijes, as well as Playa Girón in Ciénaga de Zapata. Additionally, data and mobile services were impacted in the municipalities of Unión de Reyes, Pedro Betancourt, Ciénaga de Zapata, and Jaguey Grande.
About a month ago, Kevin Castro Rodríguez, the deputy director of ETESCA’s Network Operations Vice Presidency, acknowledged the lack of foreign currency to maintain the pace of technological investments seen until 2022. "Our foreign currency income sources have been severely impacted. What does this mean? Continuing with the investment plan we developed until 2022 has become very challenging," Castro admitted, confirming what Cuban users experience daily: an increasingly congested, sluggish, and unstable network.
Infrastructure Challenges and Economic Crisis
The executive attributed the issues—affecting both fixed-line services and mobile and internet services—to a combination of factors: increased demand, lack of foreign currency, external interference from illegal antennas, and more recently, a surge of vandalism targeting telecommunications infrastructure. In Havana alone, where there are 1.9 million cell lines, 450,000 landlines, and over 68,000 Nauta Hogar services, 47 major incidents were recorded in 2024, and 10 cases from the start of 2025 until mid-April.
ETECSA reported damages including fiber optic cable cuts, battery theft, pole fires, and tower demolitions, some of which were labeled as "counter-revolutionary acts." However, beyond these acts of vandalism, the company acknowledges that its economic model is in crisis. As foreign currency revenue declines, particularly due to reduced international recharges and MLC services, ETECSA has been forced to redirect resources and technical staff not for progress, but for repair.
Economic Strain and Service Quality
Pedro Luis Lozada Morales, director of the Southern Territorial Division, revealed that planned investments for 2024 had to be halted to address damages, further delaying the modernization of an already outdated network. Service quality remains one of the most common complaints among Cuban users: constant interruptions, slow browsing speeds, Transfermóvil failures, and an infrastructure that cannot keep up with the growing number of users and data consumption.
Although ETECSA insists on its commitment to "continuous improvement" and claims to work in coordination with the Ministry of the Interior to protect its network, the reality is that the monopoly is facing an unprecedented crisis. Without foreign currency, without investment, and under pressure, the state telecommunications giant is faltering… jeopardizing connectivity for the entire nation.
Understanding ETECSA's Challenges and Impact
What is causing the service disruptions in Cuba's telecommunications?
The disruptions are primarily due to network malfunctions, increased demand, lack of foreign currency for technological investments, external interference, and vandalism against infrastructure.
How is ETECSA handling the current telecommunications crisis?
ETECSA is attempting to resolve issues by diagnosing malfunctions, repairing damages, and coordinating with the Ministry of the Interior, despite the economic challenges and limited resources.
Why is ETECSA's economic model considered to be in crisis?
The economic model is in crisis due to declining foreign currency revenues, particularly from international recharges and MLC services, which have forced the company to redirect resources for maintenance rather than expansion.