Mobile Phone Services in Cuba Shift to Dollar Transactions: ETECSA Limits Use of Cuban Pesos

The Telecommunications Company of Cuba, ETECSA, has introduced new commercial measures as of May 30, which further the trend of dollarizing mobile phone access on the island. Moving forward, recharges in Cuban pesos (CUP) will be restricted, while major data plans must be purchased in U.S. dollars (USD) using international cards or the MiTransfer Wallet.

Restrictions on National Currency Recharges

As detailed by the Institutional Communication Directorate of the state enterprise, prepaid service clients will only be able to top up their main balance to a maximum of 360 CUP within a 30-day period. Although users can continue to use available balances for plans or transfers, this new restriction signifies a significant shift in mobile service operations under the national currency.

According to ETECSA, this measure is necessary to "develop and sustain the telecommunications service network in our country," as anticipated by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz during parliamentary sessions last December.

Data Plans Increasingly in Dollars

While the use of CUP is being restricted, ETECSA is promoting new Extra DATA Plans in USD, available via international cards and the MiTransfer Wallet. These plans, purchasable at authorized commercial offices, offer:

• 4 GB for 10 USD.
• 8 GB + 75 MIN + 80 SMS for 20 USD.
• 16 GB for 35 USD.

All these "offers" include an additional 300 MB for national browsing, a component that remains unchanged.

What Remains in CUP?

Despite this partial dollarization of mobile services, ETECSA assures that some plans can still be purchased in national currency up to a limit of 360 CUP. Additionally, new Extra DATA Plans in CUP are available through Transfermóvil, Online Services, MiTransfer Wallet, and the commercial network. These packages are as follows:

• 3 GB for 3,360 CUP.
• 7 GB for 6,720 CUP.
• 15 GB for 11,760 CUP.

Each of these plans also includes 300 MB for national browsing. However, the prices in Cuban pesos are excessively high, reaching figures that far surpass the minimum wage in the country. A 15 GB plan in CUP costs nearly 12,000 pesos, making it unattainable for a large portion of the population, especially those without remittances or access to hard currency.

ETECSA also announced that these plans can now be used on any mobile network (2G, 3G, and 4G), which they claim represents a technical improvement. Additionally, voice, SMS plans, and the toDus Messaging Bundle maintain their prices in CUP and continue to be available through traditional channels.

Controversy Surrounding ETECSA's Announcements

ETECSA's bombshell announcement came shortly after notifying users of service disruptions between Thursday morning and midday due to "updates on some of its platforms." Official journalist Lázaro Manuel Alonso called ETECSA’s announcement "commercial offers," but many internet users have expressed their disagreement, considering the Cuban communications monopoly's measure as robbery from citizens.

"ETECSA updates commercial offers. From today, national recharges will be up to 360 pesos in 30 days. Extra data plans in MN and USD are incorporated. The available internet on the phone will be used on any network. Messaging and call plans maintain their current prices," described the journalist.

An outraged commenter warned, "Well, let’s be a bit more serious and not call these commercial offers lightly. These are not commercial offers, this is robbery. Another attack on people who already have very little."

"The ration book has come to ETECSA, an extra plan exceeds the minimum wage in Cuba. This is truly a revolutionary achievement, leaving me speechless, and I can only look up and, though I am not a Christian, shout: LONG LIVE THE REVOLUTION AND THE COMMUNIST PARTY!" exclaimed another commenter.

Early reactions to this measure, which promises to be very unpopular, include remarks such as "I am left speechless"; "They regulate your money and open their mouths to dollars, hypocrites"; and "Very fortunate is the one making decisions from an air-conditioned office while having a car at their disposal anytime of the day. So, where is the weakest link, the people?"

A Step Further Toward Dollarization in Cuba

Even though ETECSA reiterates its commitment to providing services in the national currency, maintaining free access to educational platforms, and supporting priority social sectors, the new provisions confirm a shift towards greater dollarization of internet and mobile phone access in Cuba. This process, in an already complex economic context, adds a new layer of inequality for Cubans who lack access to remittances or foreign currency income, further entrenching monetary duality in one of the country's essential services.