The ongoing energy crisis in Cuba is exacerbating disruptions in telecommunications services throughout Havana. Prolonged blackouts and challenges in maintaining backup power for technological facilities are increasingly impacting several neighborhoods within the capital city.
On Monday, the Territorial Division of the Cuban Telecommunications Company (ETECSA) in Havana reported a rise in service disruptions in various areas of the municipalities Habana del Este and La Lisa.
"Due to the current energy situation and difficulties with technological site backups after extended operation periods, we are witnessing an increase in telecommunications service disruptions," the organization stated in its release.
According to the company, in the Habana del Este municipality, the issues are concentrated in Alamar, Camilo Cienfuegos, and Villa Panamericana.
In La Lisa, the affected areas include La Lisa, Alturas de La Lisa, Balcón de Arimao, San Agustín, and Arroyo Arenas.
Overall, ETECSA has identified eight areas across two Havana municipalities where telecommunications problems are on the rise. The company acknowledged that restoring services is contingent on the resumption of electric power to its facilities.
"Services will be reestablished as energy becomes available," they confirmed.
This statement leaves residents in the mentioned areas without a specific timeline for the normalization of communications, as restoration is dependent on the availability of the power supply.
During prolonged outages, telecommunications facilities rely on batteries, generators, and other backup systems to keep their equipment running. If these resources are depleted or fail, services such as mobile phone connectivity, calls, and Internet access may be disrupted, depending on the facility type and infrastructure that remains operational.
In this instance, ETECSA did not specify which particular services are interrupted in each locality, leaving it unclear whether residents have simultaneously lost phone and Internet connectivity.
The situation is particularly challenging for those who need to communicate with family, use digital services, work, or perform tasks that rely on a stable connection.
The fresh disruptions in Havana follow the company's prior acknowledgment of its declining ability to maintain telecommunications during blackouts.
In September, ETECSA admitted that the lack of electricity was preventing many technological sites from staying operational and limiting their capacity to expand the network.
In that announcement, the company revealed that during the national blackout on September 18, more than 80% of radio base stations and nearly 70% of telecommunications cabinets were out of service.
They also reported that Internet traffic had decreased by up to 58% compared to similar periods.
The entity recognized then that it was unfeasible to continue expanding access infrastructure without having the necessary energy backup capacity to maintain it operational.
The consequences of this dependency had already been evident during other recent disruptions.
In early October, ETECSA reported issues with the Nauta Internet service and the Transfermóvil electronic payment platform after energy problems took several systems and technological equipment offline.
Two days later, the company announced the restoration of both platforms, though it did not provide technical details on the actions taken to resume their functionality.
However, the crisis has also caused challenges in other provinces. On October 11, it was revealed that over 100 of the 179 existing radio base stations in Camagüey could shut down simultaneously due to the electricity shortfall.
The territorial director of ETECSA in that province, Luel García Lorenzo, acknowledged that the main cause of the interruptions was the lack of energy supply.
When a significant portion of base stations is out of operation, the remaining functional installations can become overloaded due to the increased number of users attempting to connect through them.
Addressing Telecommunications Challenges During Cuba's Energy Crisis
What are the main areas in Havana affected by telecommunications disruptions?
In Havana, the municipalities of Habana del Este, including Alamar, Camilo Cienfuegos, and Villa Panamericana, and La Lisa, including La Lisa, Alturas de La Lisa, Balcón de Arimao, San Agustín, and Arroyo Arenas, are significantly affected by telecommunications disruptions.
How is ETECSA addressing the telecommunications issues caused by power outages?
ETECSA is working to restore services as electric power becomes available. The company relies on backup systems such as batteries and generators to maintain operations during outages, but the restoration of full services depends on the resumption of the electrical supply.
What impact does the energy crisis have on digital services in Cuba?
The energy crisis severely impacts digital services, causing disruptions in Internet access, mobile phone connectivity, and electronic payment platforms like Nauta and Transfermóvil. These interruptions make it difficult for residents to communicate, use digital services, and complete tasks requiring a stable connection.