MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Google, Cuba close deal to improve speed of internet connection

Google works its way into the highly-restricted Cuban internet market

Google and Cuba's state-owned telecommunications company Etecsa signed an agreement to improve the speed of access to Google products on the Internet, which means an improvement in Internet access on the island, where Google first landed in 2014.

 With this agreement, Cuba has access to the hitherto vetoed Google's Global Cache service, which allows shorter access time to Google content on the Internet, providing greater speed and quality of service and optimization of network capabilities International Etecsa.

“This agreement allows Etecsa to use our technology to reduce latency by delivering locally some of our most popular and high bandwidth content, such as YouTube videos,” Google said in a statement.

Google's presence on the island dates back to 2014, a few months before the diplomatic thaw between Cuba and the US, when they first launched products such as Google Chrome, Google Play and Google Analytics.

Since the resumption of relations between Cuba and the United States, interest has been expressed several times in opening internet access in Cuba, currently listed among the countries with the lowest penetration rates in the world. However, Cuban authorities keep blaming the foreign blockade for the little success achieved by these measures.

In Cuba, home internet access is prohibited and it is only possible for professionals such as journalists, lawyers or academics with a government authorization, although since July 2015 hundreds of Wi-Fi zones in public places have been opened. They charge around 2 US$ per hour, which has amplified access to the internet for the Cuban population, thanks to which Cuba reached almost 4 million Internet users last year, 20% more than the previous year.