ETECSA warned this Thursday that the electricity crisis in Cuba is causing an increase in interruptions in telecommunications. It did not provide a specific date for the restoration of services nor announced any discounts or compensation for the inconveniences.
In an informative note published on Facebook, the state telecommunications monopoly indicated that "due to the existing energy situation and difficulties with generators at technological sites, an increase in disruptions to various telecommunications services is observed, which will be restored as energy is received."
Normalization depends on an electrical system that has been on the brink of collapse for months. On Wednesday, the Electric Union reported an available generation of just 1,000 MW against a demand of 3,200 MW, with a maximum expected shortfall of 2,130 MW during peak hours.
The infrastructure of ETECSA is particularly vulnerable to these power outages. The company has acknowledged that approximately 47.5% of mobile radio bases and 56.5% of telecommunications cabinets are rendered inoperable during outages. Its network cannot withstand more than 24 hours without electrical supply.
Of the approximately 2,520 radio bases in the country, only half have some form of energy backup, and about 450 are experiencing mechanical failures or fuel exhaustion in their generators.
The situation has serious consequences
La Isla de la Juventud has been without mobile services since September 8 due to damage to its two main connection routes to the national network, and gradual recovery was only announced on September 13, after more than five days of almost total interruption.
The reaction from users on Facebook was one of outrage. "It's been a century that when the power goes out, the coverage drops instantly. They go hand in hand," wrote a user. Another added, "So, there will be no connection because the power isn't going to improve."
Several comments pointed out the contradiction between the decline in service and the increase in rates. "Was that the reason for raising prices last year?" asked a user, referring to the so-called "tarifazo" of May 2025, when ETECSA limited top-ups in Cuban pesos to 360 CUP per month and raised the prices of data packages, a measure that the company itself acknowledged would affect almost half of its customers.
Others demanded concrete solutions: "Then extend internet services, data packages, etc., because the electricity issue won't be resolved immediately," one commenter insisted. Another summed up the general sentiment: "The thousands of dollars from international top-ups should be invested in renewable energy sources to prevent these issues."
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