11 Aug 5 Hot Spots in Havana: Long Way to Go

The Washington Post Sunday had a fascinating story about one of the just five public wifi locations in the city of Havana and how locals flock there daily to get on Facebook and communicate with loved ones. You still can’t go to your cell provider and get a data plan there. This is pretty much it for now. The article notes that the Government says it’s more technical vs. political issues preventing further proliferation of Internet access. Some like the fact that you have to gather with others to get online, noting that Cubans are social people and are better off not having reasons to stay home. Others have created a business opportunity out of the wifi stations, reselling the $2 cards that provide an hour of access.

The UN noted (before these access points existed) that just 5% of Cubans have Internet access. Many still use old-fashioned dial-up modems ’90s style. Skype and some anti-Cuban sites are blocked but for the most part there is full access. One wifi user said she never thought she’d see the day that the Castro government would permit this amount of openness.

In many ways from a tech standpoint Cuba is a nearly blank slate. The opportunity is indeed tremendous, when the time comes, for smart business folks to help Cuba get everyone online. Doing it from almost scratch allows for some pretty forward thinking. Should wireless be everywhere? Hard wired? Add that to the list of infrastructure projects that could allow us all the chance to help this nation still stuck in the 1950s to dramatically enter today’s interconnected world.