Technology

WILL MY CELL PHONE WORK IN CUBA?

Yes and no (depending on from where you are calling). Some U.S. carriers have or are beginning to make agreements with ETECSA (the Cuban national telecommunications company) to provide roaming services in Cuba. Sprint and Verizon, for example, currently offer roaming services in Cuba. For updated information visit the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's website https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/telecommunications-faqs-travelers-cuba.

You are able to rent a Cubacel SIM card from the airport in Cuba at the ETECSA office or at the nearest ETECSA office in the city. You will need to show your passport and pay CUC $3 per day for this service. In order for your phone to be able to use the Cubacel SIM card, it will need to be unlocked and to operate on the 900 MHz frequency. You will simply top up your phone through purchasing pay-as-you-go Cuban phone cards, which generally retail at CUC $10 or CUC $20 per card.

The best advice is to reach out to your provider and inquire as to what kinds of plans they have available.

SOURCE: Frommer’s and Cuba Absolutely

WILL THERE BE ACCESS TO THE INTERNET?

You will have excellent WiFi access from the hotel. Otherwise you will need to goo the main ETECSA telephone office where you will find a small bank of computers. The José Martí International Airport in Havana also has Internet access at a cost of CUC$6 per hour for dial-up access. In hotels, the cost is around CUC$12 per hour. Internet is frequently slow so be prepared. And remember it’s very, very difficult to upload pictures because of the slow speed. Consider creating a blog (or other communication) to send to your friends and family when you return home.

Be sure to bring a connection kit of the right power as well as phone charger, a spare phone cord, an extension cord and a spare Ethernet network cable -- the Melia Habana usually has the latter available for guests. Throughout Cuba, electricity is mostly 110-volt AC, and most outlets are U.S.-style two- or three-prong. However, many of the large hotels and resorts that cater primarily to Canadian and European clientele are wired for 220 volts.

Be sure to advise your contacts in the U.S of the difficulty of communications from Cuba.

SOURCE: Frommers

CAN WE MAKE TELEPHONE CALLS TO THE U.S.?

Yes. First dial 119 and then the U.S. country code (1). Next dial the area code and number. For example, if you want to call Washington, D.C., you would dial 119/1-202-588-7800. You can also make collect calls to the U.S.

The Melia Habana has phone(s) in the rooms.

You can also buy pre-paid calling cards with set values; with these cards, you can make telephone calls by first dialing an access code (166), then dialing the number on your card, followed by the hash key, and then the phone number you want to dial. These cards are available in CUC and in moneda nacional and may be worth purchasing if you plan to make a lot of local calls on your trip. Note that international calls made from these calling cards run between CUC$1.50-CUC$1.80 a minute. To dial an international number from a CUC pre-paid calling card, you must dial 166 followed by the card code followed by the hash key, followed by 119 (international code) followed by the international area code, then the number you wish to call, followed by a hash key.

SOURCE: Frommers