This Monday, Lauren Daniela's grandfather became a social media sensation by demonstrating how he crafted a homemade antenna using aluminum cans to enhance Cuba's 4G internet signal.
"Check out what my grandpa made so I can upload my videos," Lauren begins in the Instagram reel where her grandfather explains the step-by-step process with the ease of someone accustomed to improvising with available materials.
The elderly man employed sheets and cans of aluminum—including beer cans—along with small aluminum tubes for spacers and coaxial cable to connect the device. "I know how to build it with this material, but since I ran short, I had to finish with the beer can," the grandfather clarifies during the one-minute and 13-second video.
The story's most intriguing aspect isn't just the ingenuity of the process, but a detail Lauren casually mentions: "In Cuba, these antennas are sold on the street, but my grandpa chose to make it himself." This statement highlights that such DIY solutions already have an informal market on the island.
By the end of the video, the antenna works. "It works! The invention worked!" Lauren exclaims as her grandfather climbs onto the roof to install it, aiming it toward the nearest cell tower.
Innovative Solutions Amidst Deficiencies
These types of Cuban inventions to capture ETECSA signals aren't new. In July 2024, residents of Holguín used a pressure cooker lid connected by coaxial cable to a small wooden box as a parabolic reflector to enhance internet signal.
During Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, a Cuban in Holguín created a homemade antenna from household materials to maintain connectivity despite the storm. In September 2025, a Cuban family managed to access the internet during a blackout with an improvised phone stand.
Since late 2023, videos have circulated showing Cubans placing their phones in modified plastic bottles to catch signals in areas with minimal coverage.
The Struggles of ETECSA
The backdrop for such creativity is the structural inadequacy of the service. ETECSA, the state-run telecommunications monopoly, operates a network where 76% of devices support 4G, yet the actual service quality is poor. With 80% of the submarine cable's capacity already consumed, investments lag behind traffic growth, and prolonged power outages directly impact radio bases. The country's average internet speed hovers around 27 Mbps, with frequent instability during peak hours.
The public's response to these deficiencies has a distinct identity. "Cuban ingenuity knows no bounds," Lauren Daniela wrote in her reel's description, a phrase her followers have embraced as the perfect summary of the video’s content.
Understanding Cuba's 4G Challenges and Solutions
What materials did the grandfather use to make the antenna?
The grandfather used sheets and cans of aluminum, including beer cans, small aluminum tubes for spacers, and coaxial cable to connect the device.
Why do Cubans create homemade antennas?
Cubans create homemade antennas due to the structural inadequacies of ETECSA's service, which often results in poor signal quality and the need for inventive solutions to maintain connectivity.
What was the community’s reaction to the grandfather’s invention?
The community reacted positively, with Lauren's followers embracing the phrase "Cuban ingenuity knows no bounds" as a fitting summary of the inventive spirit demonstrated in the video.