Pinar del Río Resident Challenges ETECSA Over Limited Daily Internet Access in La Palma

A resident from Pinar del Río has taken to Facebook to challenge ETECSA for restricting internet service in La Palma to less than eight hours a day—from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.—without offering any explanation. The company's silence in response to this public outcry has left many frustrated.

On Saturday, Luis Enrique Rodríguez Ortega openly questioned the state-run monopoly: “ETECSA... In La Palma, Pinar del Río, CUBA...less than 8 hours of daily connection, from 10 am to 6 pm. Can you explain the reasons?” The query was met with silence from the company.

However, fellow Cubans were quick to respond. One local resident noted that the stated schedule is overly optimistic: “From 10 to 6 is a lot; sometimes they cut it off even earlier.” Another confirmed that the issue also affects the provincial capital: “Same situation in Pinar del Río.”

The most heartbreaking account came from a user who shared, “I’d love to know...but no one has [...] the courage to face this. My mom passed away at 1 a.m., and I only found out at 10 in the morning.” The lack of nighttime connectivity turned a family tragedy into a belated piece of news.

Solar Panels and Daylight Dependency

This limitation to daytime connectivity isn't a temporary glitch. ETECSA has installed solar panels in municipal centers to cope with blackouts, but the backup batteries only last seven to eight hours without external power. This timing aligns perfectly with peak sunlight hours, hinting that local infrastructure might heavily rely on solar energy.

While Pinar del Río is among the provinces with significant solar installations by ETECSA, the company itself admitted that this setup does not ensure 24/7 service.

National Connectivity Crisis

On a national scale, the situation is equally bleak: the company acknowledged that during blackouts, over 45% of mobile radio bases and more than 55% of telecommunications cabinets could go offline. ETECSA has stated that further network expansion is unfeasible without reliable energy backup, shifting blame to the ongoing electrical crisis without offering solutions or timelines.

Internet users have their theories about how available energy is being used. Some sarcastically pointed to the electric vehicles of company executives. “The head of ETECSA needs to charge her car, she can’t walk, but the people can be without communication,” one user commented, garnering numerous agreements.

Public Outcry and ETECSA's Silence

Another commentator linked the issue with the “price hike” ETECSA implemented in May 2025, which increased mobile internet costs more than tenfold, raising its daily revenue from about $10,000 to $540,000, as acknowledged by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero.

“When ETECSA raised prices, they promised infrastructure improvements [...], installed solar panels to maintain service, then equipped themselves with electric transport so commercial offices could function better. [...] These improvements aren’t for the public; ETECSA comes first,” one forum user wrote.

The pattern of ignoring public grievances is well-documented across various locations. In Alamar, one resident sarcastically suggested dismantling a defunct communications tower to repurpose its materials. Humorist Ulises Toirac described ETECSA’s service as “daylight robbery,” criticizing the company for its lack of accountability and transparency while still charging users.

Even with limited connectivity, freedom is also restricted: Cuba scored only 19 out of 100 on Freedom House’s internet freedom index in 2026.

One online commenter summed up the crisis within the broader context of national decline: “The cause is the same as why a whole town can go months without water [...] this connectivity issue is just another stripe on the tiger.”