Miami firm says it will lay first US-Cuba fiber
NEW YORK — A small Miami-based company said the U.S. government has given it permission to lay the first optical communications fiber from the U.S. to Cuba. That could drastically cut the cost of calling the island nation and make the Internet more accessible to Cubans.
Treasury Department officials were unavailable to confirm that TeleCuba Communications Inc. has received approval, which is necessary even though the Obama administration eased long-standing restrictions on telecom links to Cuba in April.
TeleCuba said Tuesday that its cable will be operating by the middle of 2011. It still needs final permission from the Cuban government to land the cable.
A government official in Cuba, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly, said Cuba has been waiting for the U.S. to approve a “group of companies” seeking to build telecommunications infrastructure. But the official could not confirm whether Cuba would ultimately give them permission to enter the market.
Cuba is the only nation in the Western Hemisphere that is not linked to the outside world by fiber optics. Instead, it relies on slow, expensive satellite links. While the cable could make calling very cheap, it would be up to the Cuban government to set rates, and it could keep restrictions on Internet access as well.
The government of Venezuela, a Cuban ally, has announced that it is building a fiber to Cuba, which could beat TeleCuba by getting to the island next year. But construction hasn’t started, and TeleCuba has the advantage of a much shorter route: 110 miles, compared to 966 miles from Venezuela.
“We might get into a little race there with them,” said Luis Coello, CEO of TeleCuba.
TeleCuba projects the costs of its fiber at $18 million, which will be financed by private investors, while Venezuela said this summer that it is planning to spend $70 million.
TeleCuba’s fiber will follow the route of a defunct 1950s copper telephone cable from Key West to Cojimar, an eastern suburb of the Cuban capital, Havana. Apart from carrying communications, it will have scientific and weather sensors.
The capacity of the cable will be 8 to 10 terabits per second, enough for more than 160 million simultaneous phone calls. The last operational copper cable from Florida to Cuba could carry 144 phone calls at the same time.
Associated Press Writer Paul Haven in Havana contributed to this report.
Related News
NY Philharmonic postpones plans for Cuba tour, citing US travel restrictions for patronsOctober 1st, 2009 NY Phil postpones plans for Cuba tourNEW YORK — The New York Philharmonic is postponing a planned trip to Cuba, citing U.S. travel restrictions that prevent patrons from going on the historic journey to the communist country.
US-based journalism watchdog group calls for end to harassment of Cuban bloggersSeptember 10th, 2009 Journalism watchdog calls for Cuba blogger freedomHAVANA — A U.S.-based journalist watchdog group called Thursday for an end to what it described as "systemic harassment" of bloggers and independent journalists in Cuba, and urged the international community to step up its lobbying on the bloggers' behalf. The Committee to Protect Journalists said a surprisingly vibrant blogging community has sprung up on the communist-run island, despite government intimidation, official barriers and the high cost of going online.
Lawyers sue US to obtain contracts signed with journalists during Cuban spy caseSeptember 9th, 2009 Nonprofit law group sues US in Cuban 5 spy caseMIAMI — A nonprofit law group is suing the U.S. government's Office of Cuba Broadcasting, demanding it turn over a list of journalists whom it paid while they were reporting on the prosecution of five Cuban intelligence agents.
New Cuban law allows Internet access at post offices, but measure yet to be appliedSeptember 9th, 2009 Cuban post offices OK'd for Internet accessHAVANA — Cuba has authorized public Internet access at post offices across the country, though it has yet to apply what would be a landmark loosening of cyberspace rules in a nation where information is strictly controlled. A decree posted on the Web site of the government's official gazette this week authorizes Empresa Correos de Cuba to "provide access to public Internet to all naturalized persons."
Many post offices already offer public computers, but they are linked to a national intranet — an extremely limited list of Cuba-only Web sites.
Cablevision gunning for New York Wi-Fi contract, hotspots to run to Long Island, ConnecticutSeptember 2nd, 2009 Cablevision gunning for Wi-Fi contract in New YorkBETHPAGE, N.Y. — Cablevision Systems Corp.
Colombian singer Juanes still plans to peform at peace concert in Cuba this SeptemberAugust 29th, 2009 Juanes still pressing on for Cuba concertNEW YORK — Juanes is sorry about the huge outrage surrounding his upcoming peace concert in Cuba, but says that his intentions are truly genuine. "I deeply regret having caused, let's say, this bad moment," he said in an interview Friday night.
Communist Cuba acknowledges top left-handed pitcher's desertionJuly 10th, 2009 Cuba acknowledges top pitcher's desertionHAVANA — Cuba has acknowledged the defection of pitcher Aroldis Chapman, a week after he walked away from a tournament in the Netherlands. The Communist Party daily Granma said Friday that Chapman has hired baseball agent Jaime Torres to represent him.
With Congress away, Obama takes health care pitch on the road and via the InternetJuly 1st, 2009 Obama takes health care pitch to VirginiaWASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is taking his pitch for health care revisions to Virginia, holding a town hall forum and fielding questions via the Internet. Congress will fully engage in the health care debate when it returns Monday from a one-week recess.
Miami-Dade board picks NBA star Mourning over former AG Reno for new high school nameJune 18th, 2009 Miami-Dade school named for Mourning over RenoMIAMI — A new North Miami high school will be named after former NBA star Alonzo Mourning, rather than the first female U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno.
Miami schools to decide on naming new campus after NBA's Mourning instead of former AG RenoJune 17th, 2009 Fla. school likely named for Mourning over RenoMIAMI — Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno appears to have lost in a matchup with former NBA star Alonzo Mourning.
Obama just keeping campaign promise: Cuban speakerMay 12th, 2009 HAVANA - The speaker of the Cuban parliament Tuesday said US President Barack Obama's decision to end restrictions on Cuban-Americans' travel and remittances to the island was rooted in Washington's domestic politics. 'What he did has nothing to do with Cuba,' Ricardo Alarcon told reporters, 'it was an electoral promise he made during the campaign.'
'He made it (the promise) in Miami, it helped him win Miami for sure, and Florida,' he said.
The Miami Herald chooses first woman and Hispanic as editorial page editorMay 8th, 2009 1st woman editorial page editor for Miami HeraldMIAMI — The Miami Herald reports it has chosen its first woman and its first Hispanic journalist to become the editorial page editor. Myriam Marquez was born in Havana, Cuba.
Cablevision unveils fastest Internet speeds yet for cable, at 101 megabits per secondApril 28th, 2009 Cablevision has fastest Internet speeds for cableCablevision Systems Corp. on Tuesday unveiled the fastest Internet speeds available from any cable or phone company.
AT&T to shut down CallVantage Internet phone service, following similar move by VerizonApril 22nd, 2009 AT&T to shut down Internet phone serviceNEW YORK — AT&T is shutting down its CallVantage Internet-based phone service. AT&T Inc. is making the disclosure in letters to subscribers this week.
Cuba rejects calls to free political prisonersFebruary 9th, 2009 GENEVA - Cuba has rejected the call by the international community to free all political prisoners, saying such demands were violation of its sovereign rights, EFE reported Tuesday. The UN Human Rights Council concluded Monday its evaluation of Cuba's human rights situation during its Universal Periodic Review mechanism in Geneva, where several western countries called for the release of all dissidents of the communist regime.
Loading ...