ETECSA warned this Thursday that the electricity crisis in Cuba is causing an increase in disruptions in telecommunications. It did not provide a specific date for service restoration nor announced any discounts or compensations for the inconveniences.
In an informative note published on Facebook, the state telecommunications monopoly stated that "due to the existing energy situation and difficulties with generators at technological sites, an increase in the disruption of various telecommunications services is observed, which will be restored as they receive power."
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 anticipated impact 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 base stations and 56.5% of telecommunications cabinets are out of service during the blackouts. Its network cannot withstand more than 24 hours without electricity 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 shortages 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 connections with the national network, and gradual recovery only began to be announced on September 13, after more than five days of nearly total disruption.
The reaction from users on Facebook was one of widespread outrage. "It has been a century already that when the power goes out, coverage disappears instantly. They go hand in hand," wrote one internet user. Another expressed: "So, there will be no connection because the power isn't going to improve."
Several comments highlighted 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 impact nearly half of its customers.
Others demanded concrete solutions: "Then extend internet services, data packages, etc., because the electricity issue won't be resolved immediately," claimed another commenter. One more summarized the general sentiment: "The thousands of dollars from international top-ups, invest them in renewable energy sources to avoid these problems."
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