SJOGuy

I think I can guess the answer to this, but here goes:

What's the Internet situation like in Cuba? Is it possible to pick up Wi-Fi signals at any hotels with a smartphone or tablet? I remember the days of a public computer with Internet access in hotel lobbies. Does that system exist?

Not that I'd need to be online that much, but I wouldn't want to be totally inaccessible either.

Jimbo

Some select major hotels will offer wifi access for a fee (not sure what the cost is). One such hotel is the Melia Cohiba in Vedado neighborhood on the Malecon and Paseo.

el_che

Yes, most major hotels (4.5 stars and higher) offer Wi-Fi. If not, there are Internet lobbies. A part from that, no Internet access. It is 8cuc per hour. Don't forget to manually disconnect from the browser every time.

Hotels I have been that have Wi-fi. Occidental Miramar, Parque Central and Melia Havana.

SJOGuy

Okay. Thank you. That's very helpful.

JDiver

The access is not speedy, and it's trammeled - you won't be able to access a number of sites. The pricing means it might be one hour costs about the equivalent to one quarter of a non-CUC earning Cuban's monthly earnings. My access was at the Meliá Habana (Miramar) and it was dodgy - and used American wireless routers, much like the Cuban immigration offices at HAV use Logitech cameras to photograph us.

We had free WiFi use in our hotel as part of a negotiated rate.

SJOGuy

Thank you, JDiver. It would be an occasional check of E-mail, nothing more. I was expecting the answer to be "Nada!" This sounds doable.

JDiver

No problem. I did that with no trouble at all.

djjaguar64

Internet is very expensive and very slow. I had some Cuban friends use wireless from a downtown hotel for free and were sending me texts. But that was clamped down a few weeks ago.

YVR Cockroach

FWIW, the cost is CUC 4.5 / hr at ETCESA (the Cuban telephone company). Have to use their computers (Cubans seem to love FB - more than 1/2 the 14 machines in Holguin were doing that). Some branches such as Santiago are said to make BYO device available (wifi). Didn't check earlier as I only went online to do OLCI not that the airline I flew (WS) offers that from Cuba.

jammanxc

Internet is surprisingly fast in Havana and you can buy internet cards at 30 or 1 hour increments. The cost is 2.25 CUC for 1/2 hour and 4.5 CUC for 1 hour from the ETESCA store itself. For more information, check out Everything You Need To Know About Internet Access In Havana Cuba - http://first2board.com/pointssummary...n-havana-cuba/

tmac100

Over a week ago in Havana I checked into wifi availability and it cost 6.50 CUC/hour. You got a card issued by the Cuban Telecon E??? and accessed it in a wifi room in the hotel. The "Park" hotel had it and it was slow!. BUT for email and low-graphics sites it was good enough to make connections.
I doubt that the wifi was available everywhere in any hotel - only in designated areas.But there was a connection. NO Skype - too slow maybe?? Not sure of the "why"

stimpy

Supposedly the new Pullman Cayo Coco which will open in November 2015 will be the first establishment on the island offering Wi-Fi in all its rooms. I believe as a Platinum elite it must be free according to Accor rules.

rankourabu

Just came back from 9 days in Cuba.
We stay away from resort areas, so I have no idea how it works there.

In general, wifi access costs 2 CUC/hour on the scratch cards bought directly from ETECSA. Hotels of course same the cards for much more (I heard someone paid 10 CUC in their hotel lol)

These cards are good for all the hotels in Old Havana and in any public area.
No idea about hotels further afield, but I would suspect since Nauta is the only operator, its the same login procedure.

Havana, the queue at ETECSA on the main drag is long, but there are other offices. We bought our cards in Trinidad, only waited about 15 minutes. You can buy as many cards as you like. As with anything in Cuba, there are some entrepreneurs selling cards for 3 CUC to people in line if you dont feel like waiting.

Santa Clara: There supposedly was public access around the ETECSA office
Trinidad: The entire square around ETECSA is fully wifi'ed. Lots of people with laptops, phones
Cienfuegos: Wifi in Marti square
Vinales: Wifi was down, but again, the entire area around ETECSA is wifi'ed
Havana: Hotels in old Havana provide a nice air conditioned refuge (we used Santa Isabel in P.d.Armas). Just BYO card, and plop down in the lobby with your device. There are public wifi'ed areas as well, including some parts of Central Park.

Speed was very decent, certainly faster than some US airports for example. Skype is blocked, but whatsapp, facebook, etc, work just fine.

I expect this to change rapidly as more hotspots open up.

Forrest Bump

Just got back as well from Cuba.
Everything's like rankourabu said.

The only issue I had with an Android device is the "unsafe connection" warning, which blocked me good half-hour every time.
Until one of the dozens refreshing of the browser (plus endless user and pin) let it through. iPad worked just fine connecting straight away.

In Havana the spot at the Avenida Italia and la Rampa are the most busy ones, with ETECSA cards sold for 3 CUC.
Outside Havana real shops and real price purchases are possible, with little to no queue, and surfing experience more laid-back.

rankourabu

ahhh good mention!

I had to click "use network as is" on my phone to get it to stop thinking its unsafe.