Cuba Increases Telephone Capacity

HAVANA TIMES, Dec 28 — Cuba increased its landline and cellphone capacity by 18.5 percent during 2011, according to the president of the national telephone company (ETECSA).

Speaking to the Juventud Rebelde newspaper, the official said that 43,000 fixed lines were installed this year, adding to the 1.2 million such phones already in service.

At the same time, the number of cellphone lines increased by 300,000, due largely to reductions in consumer activation fees – currently set at 30 CUCs. This price, however, is still almost twice the average monthly salary on the island.

The number of cell phones is now the same as fixed lines, noted ETECSA.

In its last census, Cuba showed a total population of just over 11.2 million inhabitants.