Cuba cell use up but computers lag
Computer use in Cuba grows modestly as cell use spikes, according to a
government report.
By Juan O. Tamayo
jtamayo@elnuevoherald.com
The number of cell phones in Cuba exploded by a factor of five since
2007 while the number of computers grew more modestly in the past year,
and the island's population continued to grow older, according to two
government reports made public Thursday.
The National Statistics Office reports underscored trends already seen
in previous years — including a population of 11.2 million growing older
because of a low birth rate and high emigration rate, especially among
the country's young.
One report on telecommunications noted that Cubans had registered one
million cell phones at the end of 2010, compared to 621,000 at the end
of 2009 and 198,000 at the end of 2007, just three months before the
Raúl Castro government lifted tight restrictions on cell services.
Previously, only foreigners and specially designated Cubans such as
doctors and high government officials had legal access to mobile phones,
although others had cells registered to relatives or friends living abroad.
Castro also dropped the cost of activating the phones from the
equivalent of $120 to $30, still outrageously expensive in a country
where the monthly salary officially averages $24. Monthly cell phone
fees average $5 to $10, often paid with pre-paid cards.
ETECSA, the government's telecommunications monopoly, does not offer
Internet access or other sophisticated services for smart phones.
The National Statistics Office report also noted more modest increases
in the number of computers on the island, which has one of the lowest
computer usage and Internet penetration rates in Latin America.
Cuba's overall number of computers rose from 700,000 in 2009 to 724,000
at the end of 2010, according to the report, while the number of
personal computers rose from 62,000 to 64,000.
Most of the computers are in government offices and enterprises, schools
and computer clubs, and have access only to a system of local Web sites
known as the "intranet." They usually connect to the intranet on slow
telephone land lines.
The report also noted that the number of computer users rose from 1.6
million to 1.79 million from 2009 to 2010 — although that figure is
believed to represent the number of people with access to the intranet,
not the Internet.
International companies with offices in Cuba pay $100-$130 a month for
Internet services, but are cleared to access foreign Web sites, Access
to the Web from Internet cafes in tourist hotels costs $6-$10 per hour,
but Cubans can buy black market access from government-approved users
for about $10 for 10 hours.
In a separate report, the Statistic Office noted that the number of
Cubans aged 60 or older grew to 1,996,600 at the end of 2010, a .4
percent increase from 2009 and evidence that the average age of the
island's population is continuing to rise.
Nearly 18 percent of Cubans on the island are now 60 or older, according
to the report, compared to 11.3 percent in 1985.
Cuba's population has been steadily shrinking in recent years as young
people seek new opportunities abroad and couples limit the number of
their children because of housing shortages, low salaries and high prices.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/07/08/2304249/cuba-cell-use-up-but-computers.html
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