cell phone in cuba
 

anybody know which phones companies work, ATT?

For what it's worth, not T-Mobile USA...

I'm going to go way out on a limb and guess that Sprint PCS will have cr*ppy coverage in Havana. http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

C_Com is the GSM900 operator in Cuba, they roam with most Western GSM operators but NONE of the US ones. They sell prepaid cards at the airport and this is their website:

http://www.ccom.cu/ccomen/home.asp

More on their prepaid service here:

http://www.ccom.cu/ccomen/MainNAV.as...cted=12&otros=

You (probably) aren't going to find any US companies that work in Cuba, as the US embargo on Cuba isn't that we can't go there, it's that US persons cannot spend any money in Cuba.

Clearly having cell phone roaming agreements is going to involve some financial considerations, which would violate the embargo.

Similarly, you see US farmers and other businesspeople calling for an end to the embargo so they can peddle their wares there.

d

As posted earlier, NO US operators have roaming with Cuba. GSM "clearing houses" operate where funds are transferred between the operators making US roaming agreements impossible.

I am going to Cuba on a State Department blessed trip in Jan. '04. Thanks for all the info, sounds like I can buy a prepaid card, and sounds like roaming is going to be expensive. Other info or ideas is appreciated.

Roaming is only going to be expensive if you CAN roam. Unless you have a european sim with Cuban Roaming agreements then you WILL need to get a prepaid card or possibly a subscription if they accept foreign subscribers (usually requiring a deposit).

According to the website they also RENT services, just make sure it's ok to use your credit card for this in advance...

[This message has been edited by ScottC (edited 09-27-2003).]

I was glad to see the Visa Mastercard Logo all over Cuba, but all my cards got declined including my German Citibank Visa.

So unless you have an offshore account take lots of cash as Cuba is pretty expensive for tourists.

A great time though!

Rogers (AT&T Canada) offers GSM coverage in Cuba as detailed here. I don't know anyone who has used the service, but if you have a friend in Canada with a Rogers/AT&T phone...

Better still would be a Canadian Fido phone, as their Cuba rates are 1/3 of Rogers/AT&T. ($3.99cad/minute vs. $1.33cad/minute for in country calling.) Fido accounts are easy to set up and surprisingly low cost. Details on Fido roaming can be seen at http://www.fido.ca/portal/en/info/Di...agePrice.shtml .