Cuba’s Telecommunications Co. ETECSA Confirms Oversaturation

HAVANA TIMES — The state monopoly telecommunications company of Cuba (ETECSA) faces a crisis due to errors in the calculation of the demand for its email service on mobile phones, made available since March 3rd.

Speaking to the local press, Hilda María Arias, Director of Mobile Services, said that for more than a year her office studied and conducted the investment processes needed to provide the service, but “did not calculate the fast pace of demand in such a short time.”

The data transfers are consuming more resources of the network,” said the official, noting the oversaturated base stations where the signal flows, which has led to delays in receiving sms and emails, while the phones frequently appear as if they were off or out of a coverage area.

To counter this effect, “a few weeks ago traffic management work took place in Havana, where the load is being shared with other territories,” said Arias, who recognized the need to “strengthen all platforms involved in the mobile service. She said this would require, of course, greater investments than previously foreseen.”

Without mentioning a date or what it will mean, ETECSA announced the launch of a new mobile center with 80 new base stations.

The company that monopolizes communications on the island remains committed to offer customers Internet access during the second semester of this year, as well as the service to make possible the transfer of account balances between mobile phones, and the extension of the period of that cell line remain active without having to deposit funds.