financetom
Technology
financetom
/
Technology
/
Cuban students seek concessions as frustration grows over internet rate hikes
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
Cuban students seek concessions as frustration grows over internet rate hikes
Jun 4, 2025 2:56 PM

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuban students clamored on Wednesday for further concessions to roll back a rate hike on internet data, saying a decision on Monday to offer them discounted access did not go far enough.

Students of at least one department at the University of Havana, the country's largest, called on their peers to skip classes in protest of the price hikes, which have been rebuked across the Caribbean island nation.

Reuters spoke with several students outside the university on Wednesday who confirmed the calls for a class boycott in some departments.

They said the situation remained tense on campus, and the issues unresolved, despite concessions on Monday from state-run telecommunications firm Etecsa that offered deeper data plan discounts for university students.

Haydee Fernandez, a 28-year-old student, said the price increases were unreasonable.

"I can't study if I don't have up-to-date (online) information," she said. "If it's necessary to stop classes, they should be stopped until there's a logical response to these needs."

Four students said attendance appeared largely normal on Wednesday but that many students continued to threaten walkouts.

Hany Blanco, 19, a first-year student, said she would continue going to classes but felt prices needed to be rolled back immediately.

"The old prices were accessible but now it's gotten very difficult."

Etecsa on Friday capped subsidized mobile data plans - offered for a steeply discounted rate of 360 pesos (less than $1 on the informal market exchange) - at six gigabytes, well shy of Cuba's average monthly usage of 10 gigabytes, according to state data.

Prices for an additional three gigabytes soar to 3,360 pesos ($9), more than Cuba's monthly minimum wage of 2,100 pesos ($6).

The price hikes - billed by the government as necessary to upgrade ailing infrastructure - have touched a nerve in Communist-run Cuba, where inflation has soared in recent years.

The University of Havana acknowledged the debate over the hikes but warned in a statement late on Tuesday that it would not tolerate disruptions to its classes.

Cuba rolled out widespread mobile internet in 2018, well behind much of the world. Cellphone data use on the island has soared since, with over 7.5 million users.

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
Taiwan Semiconductor's Options Frenzy: What You Need to Know
Taiwan Semiconductor's Options Frenzy: What You Need to Know
May 9, 2024
High-rolling investors have positioned themselves bullish on Taiwan Semiconductor , and it's important for retail traders to take note. This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in TSM often signals that someone has privileged information. Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted...
Key Takeaways From ACM Research Analyst Ratings
Key Takeaways From ACM Research Analyst Ratings
May 9, 2024
In the last three months, 5 analysts have published ratings on ACM Research ( ACMR ) , offering a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish. The following table summarizes their recent ratings, shedding light on the changing sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total...
Decoding 16 Analyst Evaluations For Confluent
Decoding 16 Analyst Evaluations For Confluent
May 9, 2024
Confluent has been analyzed by 16 analysts in the last three months, revealing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish. In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 10...
Smart Money Is Betting Big In QCOM Options
Smart Money Is Betting Big In QCOM Options
May 9, 2024
Financial giants have made a conspicuous bullish move on Qualcomm ( QCOM ). Our analysis of options history for Qualcomm ( QCOM ) revealed 8 unusual trades. Delving into the details, we found 50% of traders were bullish, while 37% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 2 were puts, with a value of $64,911, and 6...
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved