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Cuba Announces Full Internet Access for Mobile Phones

Cuban officials have announced that the country’s citizens will soon be able to fully¹ use the internet on their mobile phones.

Cuba is one of the last nations in the world to offer such service.

Mayra Arevich is the president of the Cuban state-operated telecommunications company ETECSA. She made the announcement on national television on Tuesday.

She said Cubans can begin paying for use of high speed data and voice services that use third generation, or 3G, communication networks on Thursday.

Until now, Cubans have had access only to state-operated email accounts on their phones.

The Cuban government has been building a 3G network in cities across the island. Some Cuban government officials and foreign business people and visitors have been able to use the network for several years.

Communist Party-ruled Cuba has one of the world’s lowest rates of internet use. Internet use increased after former United States President Barack Obama and former Cuban President Raul Castro eased tensions in 2014.

That growth has continued at a time when President Donald Trump’s administration has announced economic restrictions³ on Cuba.

Cuba permitted home internet use in 2017. Since that time, hundreds of public wireless⁴ internet, or Wi-Fi, connection points have opened in parks and open areas around the country.

The cost of the new service will be similar to the international average. But it will still be too costly⁵ for many Cubans who live on state salaries of about $30 a month.

Cuba created a high speed internet connection to Venezuela in 2012. This permitted the island to move from slow and costly satellite links. Cuba then began the slow process of permitting citizens to get access to the internet.

The government started offering internet service at places like cafes in 2013 and Wi-Fi two years later. The number of places offering internet service has grown to more than 800.

The Cuban internet is mostly uncensored. But the government blocks a small number of sites like the U.S.-supported Radio and TV Marti networks and some others. Radio and TV Marti provide news, information and commentary⁶ that Cubans are not likely to receive inside of Cuba.

Radio and TV Marti is based in Miami, Florida and is operated by the U.S. Agency for Global Media, the same agency that operates VOA.

Tania Velázquez is vice² president of ETECSA. She said the new internet service would become active in stages from Thursday through Saturday. Officials hope to avoid having too many people using the network at one time. Heavy usage⁷ caused problems during tests of the mobile network earlier this year.

I’m Jonathan Evans.

Words in This Story

mobile phone(s) – n. a small telephone that people can take with them and use outside their homes

telecommunications – n. the technology of sending and receiving signals and images over long distances by telephone, television or satellite

data – n. information that is produced or stored by a computer?

access – n. a way of being able to use or get something

salaries – n. amounts of money that a person is paid

uncensored – adj. expressed openly without removal of words or opinions that may shock or offend people

stage(s) – n. a particular point or period in the growth or development of something

1 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

2 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

3 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

4 wireless   

adj.无线的；n.无线电

参考例句：

• There are a lot of wireless links in a radio.收音机里有许多无线电线路。
• Wireless messages tell us that the ship was sinking.无线电报告知我们那艘船正在下沉。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 commentary   

n.评论，评注；实况广播报导，现场口头评述

参考例句：

• He is giving the commentary on the basketball game.他正在对篮球赛作评论。
• His running commentary on the football match was excellent.他对这次足球赛所作的实况报道十分精彩。

7 usage   

n.惯用法，使用，用法

参考例句：

• I am clear about the usage of this word at last.这个词的用法我算是弄明白了。
• The usage is now firmly established.这种用法现已得到确认。