Cuba Puts In Motion Its Internet Capabilities

In another sign that Cuba is preparing to further open its economy, on January 20, 2013, Renesys, a U.S. company that monitors internet traffic, reported that the fiber optic cable between Cuba and Venezuela was active. Renesys states that it first detected the signs of change in Cuba's Internet connectivity on January 14^th and has, thereafter, reported continued increased usage. Ten days later, on January 24^th, Cuba's state telecommunications monopoly, ETECSA, confirmed that the fiber optic cable was working. In a statement published in Granma, the state-run newspaper, ETECSA said that the cable had been operational since August for international telephone traffic, and that data tests have been conducted on the cable since January 10^th.  ETECSA, however, cautioned that even after the fiber optic cable is fully operational it will not mean that there will be an automatic increase of internet access.