Cuba USA
The Cuban National Assembly has approved a new law designed to attract foreign investment. This BBC report summarizes the changes in policy and this Reuters article is a bit more skeptical, giving examples of problems encountered by previous investors. (The law was passed unanimously -- compare that to proceedings in the US Congress -- the Cuban approach does have some advantages :-).
What does this mean for the Internet, if anything? Cuba bought out Telecom Italia's interest in ETECSA in 2011, but the government does not seem to have anywhere near the capital necessary to build modern Internet infrastructure. Might ETECSA be open to new foreign investment?
Today, ETECSA, is jointly owned by Rafin, S. A. and the Ministry of Information and Communication. I do not understand Rafin or their relationship to ETECSA, but they are not a foreign investor. It is hard to imagine a foreign investor willing to partner with both the government and Rafin in view of the government's ambivalence about freedom of communication.
I've proposed investment in low cost satellite connectivity, which could be afforded by the Cuban government, perhaps partnering with a US satellite partner, but that is a no-go if the government fears open communication more than it values its economic and social payoff. (I've been led to believe -- off the record -- that such a deal would be approved in the US).
I will be surprised if this change in foreign investment policy has any impact on the Internet, but you never know.
- Us-cuba Talks On Telecommunication And The Internet
Both sides moving slowly Last week, a US government delegation visited Cuba to discuss telecommunication and the Internet. I've not seen any official release on the meetings, but a few "off the record" quotes by US attendees have been reported in...
- A High-level Us Delegation Is In Havana To Discuss Telecommunication And The Internet
I hope Cuba's policy is not shaped by political fear or the desire to protect government/ETECSA revenue and that the US delegation is not trying to influence Cuban politics or maximize the profit of US telecommunication companies. Conrad Tribble,...
- Can There Be A Uniquely Cuban Internet?
I don't criticize to knock the system down. On the contrary, I criticize to perfect the system. Cuban blogger Carlos Alberto Pérez The first instance of citizen journalism on the Internet was during the Soviet Coup attempt of 1991, where it was used...
- Who Owns Etecsa And Who Runs The Show?
The move toward normalization of relations between the US and Cuba has generated speculation that Internet access will improve markedly. I agree that that is a possibility, but it is far from assured. As a virtual Internet "greenfield," they have the...
- A Modest Connectivity Pilot Proposal
Would the Cuban government be willing to test a few low-speed satellite links that were not controlled by ETECSA? I had an interesting exchange with a reader this week. He took exception to my assertion that the sorry state of the Internet in Cuba today...
Cuba USA
What does this mean for the Internet, if anything? Cuba bought out Telecom Italia's interest in ETECSA in 2011, but the government does not seem to have anywhere near the capital necessary to build modern Internet infrastructure. Might ETECSA be open to new foreign investment?
Today, ETECSA, is jointly owned by Rafin, S. A. and the Ministry of Information and Communication. I do not understand Rafin or their relationship to ETECSA, but they are not a foreign investor. It is hard to imagine a foreign investor willing to partner with both the government and Rafin in view of the government's ambivalence about freedom of communication.
I've proposed investment in low cost satellite connectivity, which could be afforded by the Cuban government, perhaps partnering with a US satellite partner, but that is a no-go if the government fears open communication more than it values its economic and social payoff. (I've been led to believe -- off the record -- that such a deal would be approved in the US).
I will be surprised if this change in foreign investment policy has any impact on the Internet, but you never know.
- Us-cuba Talks On Telecommunication And The Internet
Both sides moving slowly Last week, a US government delegation visited Cuba to discuss telecommunication and the Internet. I've not seen any official release on the meetings, but a few "off the record" quotes by US attendees have been reported in...
- A High-level Us Delegation Is In Havana To Discuss Telecommunication And The Internet
I hope Cuba's policy is not shaped by political fear or the desire to protect government/ETECSA revenue and that the US delegation is not trying to influence Cuban politics or maximize the profit of US telecommunication companies. Conrad Tribble,...
- Can There Be A Uniquely Cuban Internet?
I don't criticize to knock the system down. On the contrary, I criticize to perfect the system. Cuban blogger Carlos Alberto Pérez The first instance of citizen journalism on the Internet was during the Soviet Coup attempt of 1991, where it was used...
- Who Owns Etecsa And Who Runs The Show?
The move toward normalization of relations between the US and Cuba has generated speculation that Internet access will improve markedly. I agree that that is a possibility, but it is far from assured. As a virtual Internet "greenfield," they have the...
- A Modest Connectivity Pilot Proposal
Would the Cuban government be willing to test a few low-speed satellite links that were not controlled by ETECSA? I had an interesting exchange with a reader this week. He took exception to my assertion that the sorry state of the Internet in Cuba today...