These days Fidel’s brother Raúl Castro is in charge, and practically the first thing Raúl did was to lift the ban on cell phones, heretofore restricted to tourists and VIPs. Mobile rates are prohibitive for the vast majority of Cubans whose average monthly salary is less than $20 per month. Nonetheless, there are approximately 838,000 cell phones in Cuba and that number is growing every day.What To See In CubaThe Cuban street scene is almost iconic: Old men playing musical instruments and dominoes on sleepy corners while at the grocers farther up the block, housewives line up with their ration cards and ancient American automobiles roll by, belching white smoke.

People go to Cuba because it’s beautiful and inexpensive; it’s a Caribbean vacation without Caribbean vacation costs or crowds. But there’s no denying, that the long years of embargo have left their mark: Cuba is more than a little bit shabby around the edges.

Tour the cigar factories, many of which are located in the capital city Havana. Visit Montemar Natural Park on the Zapata Peninsula, one of the largest natural marshlands in the Caribbean rich with birds, indigenous plants and a freshwater reservoir inhabited by golden trout. Tour its miles and miles of white sand beaches or stroll Havana’s historic city center. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes features art and artifacts that span five centuries, while the Museo de la Revolucion chronicles Fidel Castro’s rise to power.

Cell Phone In Cuba

In 2009, President Bush relaxed the import embargo on cellular phones, allowing Americans to send headsets to relatives living in Cuba. Cubacel, the island’s state-run wireless monopoly, charges anywhere from 30 to 70 cents per minute for outgoing calls and 30 to 66 cents per minute for incoming calls – expensive by anyone’s standards. Long distance at $2.45 to $5.85 per minute is even pricier.

Although cell phone activation fees have been slashed from $150 in 2008 to $25 in 2010, they are still pricey for the average Cuban who prefers to use his or her phone for texting rather than voice communication. There is an active black market

In 2009, the Obama administration very quietly moved to exempt U.S. wireless providers from Cuban trade sanctions, a move that was widely seen as a way to fan flames of discontent with the political status quo. It’s unlikely that the Cuban government would become officially involved in any event U.S. Courts have seized approximately $160 million in Cuban telecom assets.

Wireless Networks In Cuba

Cubacel is the island’s sole mobile network though it supports two different phone standards: the American standard in the 800 mHz band, TDMA and the European standard in the 900 mHz band, GSM with coverage in Havana, Varadero, Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo only. Cubacel is administered by ETECSA, a joint venture with Telecom Italia. Prepaid phone cards are available at Cubacel offices and ETECSA phone cards that can be used to make calls both within and outside Cuba are easily purchased at stores and kiosks.

Cell phone for Cuba?

Should you bring your own cell phone for Cuba travel? Probably. Phone rental in Cuba is notoriously unreliable. Travel experts advise you to activate roaming and use your own cell phone in Cuba.

REFERENCES:

http://www.webhavana.com/en/cell_phones_in_cuba_networks_and_coverage_areas

http://www.cellular-news.com/story/35917.php

http://havanajournal.com/business/entry/cuba_an_island_of_mobile_intentions_though_cell_service_hard_to_get/