The new mobile service and Internet rates in Cuba#
In 2021, prices started changing in all sectors due to the monetary unification and wage reform in Cuba. In telecommunications’ sector, when we talk about rates, the costs in national currency (CUP) remain the same, you just have to multiply the old values in CUC by 25.
Changes take effect on the first day of 2021, when all balances and bonus active at that time will go to CUP. “The credit of your cell phone will have the equivalent value in Cuban pesos, if you have a balance of 6 CUC, on January 1st its value will be 150 CUP”, explains Etecsa.
Given the doubt presented by users about why it is not multiplied by 24, the only telecommunications company on the Island has explained the following on its social networks:
“Etecsa implements its prices and rates taking as a reference the maximums set by the Ministries of Finance and Prices and Communications, applying values similar or lower than the established maximums.”
Now a process begins in which it will be necessary to adapt to the new values. The minute of call will no longer be 35 cents, but 8.75 pesos. The balance of a recharge will go from 20 CUC to 500 CUP and so on with all services.
How data plans work in Cuba?#
Mobile service rates#
Text messages have a cost of 2.25 nationally and 15 pesos when they are sent abroad. International calls go up to 27.50 CUP, except to Venezuela, which cost 10 pesos less.
Buying a new mobile phone number (activating a SIM card) used to cost 30 CUC and now it is priced at 750 CUP.
The calling rate goes for 8.75 pesos/minute and the night rate of 0.10 CUC is maintained between 11pm. and 7am., only now the value is 2.50 CUP.
4G mobile data packs#
The data plans for users with access to the 4G network vary from 100 pesos that 1 GB costs to 1125 pesos for the largest package: 14 GB.
The best offer is still 2.5 GB for 200 CUP.
3G mobile data packs#
The packages for those who use 3G are more expensive, as when they were in convertible pesos. The minimum to pay is 125 CUP for 400 MB, while the maximum goes up to 1,125 for 4 GB. The best ones are 250 for 1 GB or 500 for 2.5 GB.
WiFi zones and Internet browsing rooms#
Temporary accounts, that is, the cards that are bought to connect in the WiFi parks or navigation rooms, have a price of 25 pesos per hour. There are 3 types of cards: 30 minutes for 12.50, one hour for 25 or 5 hours for 125 CUP.
In the case of the permanent ones, which have better prices, international navigation costs 17.50 an hour and sites with a “.cu” domain barely 2.50. These accounts are the ones associated with the Nautic emails and can be created at Etecsa’s commercial offices.
Nauta#
Internet service at homes has improved its options recently, increasing the amount of hours to the most expensive one that has 120, 4MB of download speed and a price of 1,375 CUP.
The cheapest, 250 pesos, goes with 1MB of download speed and 30 hours a month.
Translated by Mariana Brugueras