More than six million Cubans connected to the Internet, according to the Communications Minister
In Cuba, more than seven million inhabitants use mobile telephony and around six million of them are connected to the Internet via mobile data.
This was stated today by Mayra Arevich Marín, Minister of Communications, during the opening of the 19th International Convention and Fair Informática 2024, at the Conventions Center in Havana.
Arevich Marín said that Cubans consume an average of 7.7 gigabytes per month, due to the installation of the second Arimao fiber optic cable.
She pointed out that the country is making progress in the deployment of digital terrestrial television, which reaches 77% of the standard signal and 50% of the high-definition signal, a service that will be improved with the solidarity support of China.
She highlighted the existence of e-government portals, the computerization of procedures such as the payment of the document tax through the digital seal and the collection of basic services such as water, electricity, gas and telephone through the Transfermóvil and EnZona platforms.
The minister pointed out that 31 state entities, 290 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and scientific-technological parks promote the development of the Cuban software industry and, consequently, allow direct links between the academies and the productive sector.
Arevich Marín urged cybersecurity, which derives from the safe use of information and communication technologies (ICT), to protect the data and personal information of citizens in the face of the constant information blockades to which the country is subjected.
The digital transformation must be, according to the minister, an evolutionary process as a strength to the development strategy outlined by the top management of the largest of the Antilles, which gives technologies the highest priority.
She said that Cuba is working on the Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which will include the objectives to promote the development of this tool and its safe and responsible use in the national territory.
She said that the digital transformation is aligned with the principles of social justice defended by the Revolution, to ensure an inclusive society, solidarity and composed of digitally capable citizens and stripped of all kinds of access gaps.
For the Minister of Communications, alliances with the country’s universities and international cooperation will be vital in this process, in order to take advantage of the benefits of technologies and make them available to everyone.
Regarding Informática 2024, she explained that its exhibition fair will coexist with the 3rd International Colloquium Patria as a way of exchanging ideas regarding digital communication, politics and the sovereign development of ICTs.
This section will have 72 exhibitors, including 22 foreign entities from 12 countries and, for the first time, all the diversity of economic actors linked to the communications sector will participate.
