The state monopoly on telecommunications in Cuba, ETECSA, announced this Wednesday that the issue detected in its mobile network, which affected voice and data services in various regions of the country, has been resolved.
“The issue detected in the early hours of the day related to mobile service has been resolved. Usual traffic values are being observed. We apologize for the inconvenience caused,” the company posted on its official profile on social media X.
A little more than three hours after the company itself publicly acknowledged a nationwide interruption, ETECSA reported on its X profile that the service was gradually being restored.
"Mobile data services are starting to normalize. However, there are still high levels of congestion when trying to make voice calls and send SMS. Efforts continue to fully restore services," it was indicated in a previous update.
According to the initial information, a malfunction affecting voice and data services was identified "in some numbers," without detailing the extent of the problem or the affected provinces.
"Work is underway on the diagnosis to provide a solution. Stay updated through the company's official channels," clarified the initial post.
This new outage occurs less than 24 hours after the Territorial Division of ETESCA in Matanzas reported a malfunction in the generator at the Telecommunications Center of Unión de Reyes, due to a power interruption.
The newspaper Girón reported that fixed telephone services were affected in all the localities of that area, with the exception of Cidra, Bolondrón, and Güira de Macurijes, as well as Playa Girón in the Ciénaga de Zapata.
Data and mobile services were also affected in the municipalities of Unión de Reyes, Pedro Betancourt, Ciénaga de Zapata, and Jaguey Grande.
Similarly, just a few days ago, a fire that occurred on Friday in the Alamar neighborhood of East Havana caused disruptions in telecommunications services for over 200 residents, as confirmed by ETECSA through its official social media channels.
The incident, the causes of which have not yet been clarified, left 264 customers without fixed telephone service and 95 households affected in the Nauta Hogar service, which provides residential internet connection.
A month ago, the deputy director of the Operations Vice Presidency of the ETESCA Network, Kevin Castro Rodríguez, acknowledged that they no longer have foreign currency to maintain the pace of technological investments that they sustained until 2022.
"Our sources of foreign currency income have been seriously affected. What does that mean? It has become very difficult to continue with the investment plan we developed until 2022," Castro acknowledged, confirming what Cuban users suffer daily: an increasingly congested, slow, and unstable network.
The executive justified the failures—in both fixed-line and mobile phone services as well as Internet services—by citing a combination of factors: an increase in demand, a lack of foreign currency, external interference caused by illegal antennas, and more recently, a wave of vandalism against telecommunications infrastructure.
Only in Havana, where there are 1.9 million mobile lines, 450,000 landlines, and more than 68,000 Nauta Hogar services, 47 serious incidents were recorded in 2024, and 10 cases from the beginning of 2025 until mid-April.
According to ETECSA, the damages included cuts to fiber optic cables, theft of batteries, burning of poles, and destruction of towers, some of which were classified as "counter-revolutionary acts."
Frequently Asked Questions about the Interruption of ETECSA Mobile Service in Cuba
What caused the interruption of ETECSA's mobile service?
The interruption was caused by a technical failure in the mobile network that affected voice and data services in several regions of Cuba. ETECSA did not specify the exact magnitude of the problem or the affected provinces, but reported that the failure was detected in the early hours of the day and that efforts were made to resolve it.
How did the shortage of foreign currency impact the quality of service at ETECSA?
The lack of foreign currency has severely affected ETECSA's ability to maintain and modernize its infrastructure, resulting in an increasingly congested, slow, and unstable network. The company has had to redirect resources to repair damage instead of advancing its investment plan, which has worsened the quality of service.
How is ETECSA addressing issues of vandalism and lack of maintenance?
Although ETECSA has mentioned acts of vandalism as a cause of the problems in the network, the company is working on repairing the damage and is coordinating with the Ministry of the Interior to protect its infrastructure. However, the lack of financial resources limits its ability to carry out proper maintenance of the network.
What measures is ETECSA taking to improve connectivity in Cuba?
ETECSA has expressed its commitment to "continuous improvement" and is working to restore mobile service following the disruption. However, the company is facing significant challenges due to a lack of foreign currency and resources, which limits its ability to implement substantial technological improvements in the short term.
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