R.bartlett

Guys
where are or are there internet cafes or general Wi-Fi access in and around Havana.

we are travelling from our home in Tenerife to Havana to pick up the cruise ship msc opera. So in all will be spending around 5 days there.

havent been to Cuba for nearly 30 years so looking forward to seeing how its progressed

hints and tips other than Wi-Fi most welcome too.

richard

catcher1

You buy an internet card, available at major hotels. The current price is 1 CUC for an hour of use. You can access the internet, with the card, in hotels (and various restaurants, etc.). When you are finished, make sure you turn off the internet on your device, because if you don't, the time on your card will continue to run. A few other hints: The cards purchased at the Parque Central hotel will only work in that hotel; there are also hotspots (usually at public parks), where you can use your card--but it's not as comfortable as sitting in a hotel lobby; and the internet service can often be slow, although at other times it's excellent.

R.bartlett

Thanks for the info.

richard

VidaNaPraia

You can tell where the Wifi hotspots are (other than in hotel lobbies). You will see lots of Cubans leaning against walls or standing in the street, looking at their phones.
Very recently, the system was upgraded and more people, including casa owners, may have begun to have Wifi at home.

R.bartlett

Thanks, sadly my business relies (like most people) on access so I will need to find these as I travel :-)

VidaNaPraia

I would not count on having Wifi for any dealings other than a quick check of your email and an occasional short message sent. Either resign yourself to actually being on vacation 100% or choose another destination.

R.bartlett

I understand what you're saying and no doubt I'll be frustrated as much as the next person. Heyho. :-)

VidaNaPraia

It's not 'frustrating', ES CUBA ! (the only attitude to have that won't drive you nuts)

catcher1

A telephone land line will land you WIFI too, but they are difficult to obtain.

kmora

When I go to Cuba (several times a year) I completely give up using my phone or any other device. Occassionally I would go somewhere to get connected to jus check on email and communicate with family back home. Of course, there are ways and places to connect, but don't count on them. You will also get to enjoy this forced incommunication.

djjaguar64

I have friends who run the wifi in the park and I get free wifi each time I am there.

MileageAddict

While some restaurants and casa particulars will say they offer wi-fi, what they mean is they have a router and a connection. They will provide you the router access password but you will need to purchase the Etecsa (Cuban internet company) wi-fi access card which gives you 1 hour of use. Oddly, I found it impossible to logoff on the Etecsa if you do not plan to use the full 60 minutes. At all of our accommodations, the host asked me to let them know whn I wanted to log off as they would shut off the router. A few times, I ended up wasting 15 or 20 minutes of wifi access time but then again, we're only taking about 25 to 40 cents.

joseandres

I think, you can use a AT&T line in Cuba.

sillypainter

At&T, Verizon, Sprint, and TMO all work in Cuba, but the rate per MB. is around $2, which comes out to around $2000 for 1 Gigabyte.

There is an alternative albeit expensive still for some people at around $175 per Gigabyte.

https://www.cellomobile.com/hotspot-rental/cuba.html

catcher1

To use WIFI in Cuba, you need to purchase internet cards. They are usually 1 CUC for an hour of use, and can be purchased at major hotels. You can access WIFI, using the cards, at hotels and some restaurants. There are also hot spots in various locations (e.g., parks), which you can identify by the dozens of Cubans sitting busy with their computers or phones. After you finish, turn off WIFI on your device, otherwise the remaining time on your card will continue to run.

Other hints? Have a meal at the restaurant Chacon 162, at that address in Habana Vieja. Excellent food and service, and wonderful ambiance with outdoor seating in a pedestrian street. Visit the Taller de Grafica, adjacent to the Cathedral plaza, founded by Che; watch the master printers create art using hand-operated machines from the 1700s. Have a drink and enjoy the view at the rooftop bar/restaurant of the Ambos Mundos hotel, and visit the room on the fifth floor where Hemingway lived and wrote for a time and which is preserved just as he left it.