For the fourth consecutive day, ETECSA has yet to provide a timeline for restoring telecommunications on the Isla de la Juventud. The company admitted on Saturday that their efforts to reestablish service have made no definitive progress.
In a Facebook announcement, the state-run telecommunications company noted that, although technicians have pinpointed the disruption in the submarine cable, adverse weather conditions are hindering repair efforts.
"The adverse weather has complicated the repair process of the damaged cable section, which requires bringing it to the sea surface and precisely splicing the fibers," ETECSA explained.
The outage began on September 8, when damage to the two main connectivity routes of the special municipality cut off mobile services across the island. Landline service was also partially disrupted, restricted to local calls only.
Emergency Measures Amidst Communication Crisis
As a temporary fix, ETECSA has set up an emergency satellite link. While the company admits its usage is limited, it has allowed for the continued broadcast of national radio and television signals on the island. This remains the sole connection between the territory and the rest of the country.
The company concluded its statement with an open-ended promise: "We will continue undertaking necessary actions to reconnect this territory to the network."
Impact on Families and Worsening Infrastructure
The communication breakdown has triggered a humanitarian crisis for Cuban families abroad, who have been unable to reach their loved ones for days.
Geida Ponciano shared a tearful video pleading, "If your mother is alive, try to understand me."
Frank García Martínez was more forthright: "Four days of silence mean four days of anguish for thousands of people. We aren't asking for special treatment. We're asking for something basic—the ability to communicate with our family."
This incident isn't isolated. The Isla de la Juventud has been grappling with a worsening electrical crisis, which has gradually debilitated ETECSA's network throughout 2026. Power outages increased from four hours daily in February to 18 hours in May and dwindled to only one or two hours of electricity per day by July.
On August 18, the area was nearly devoid of electricity, with power reserved solely for the hospital and water pumping.
ETECSA has acknowledged its network cannot remain operational for more than 24 hours without power, with approximately 47.5% of mobile base stations inoperative during extended blackouts.
Series of Technical Failures
This recent disruption is the most severe in a series of accumulated failures over the summer: a generator malfunction on August 3 led to a national cellular service outage; on August 17, a fiber optic cut disrupted the Nauta payment system; and on September 2, SMS failures rendered Transfermóvil inoperative.
Addressing Frequent Communication Disruptions in Cuba
What caused the communication blackout on Isla de la Juventud?
The blackout was due to damage in the two primary submarine cables connecting the island to the national network, compounded by adverse weather conditions hindering repair efforts.
How are residents staying connected during the outage?
An emergency satellite link has been set up to maintain national radio and television broadcasts, though its usage is limited and does not fully restore communication services.
What challenges does ETECSA face in repairing the network?
ETECSA's repair efforts are complicated by severe weather conditions that make it difficult to access and repair the damaged submarine cables.