Over 70% of Cuba's internet accounts opened in 2015

While Cuba has yet to make the full leap onto the internet, the Cuban public is making strides in getting online: of the total 7.2mn internet accounts that exist in the country since 2013, some 71% were opened in 2015.

Since home access to the internet is still too expensive for most Cubans, they generally surf the net through public internet hotspots, such as libraries or online centers.

According to Mayra Arevich, president of state-owned telco Etecsa, every new hotspot reaches capacity rapidly. "More than 150,000 access [internet] daily on average. It's interesting to note that usage has doubled compared to last year after the introduction of wireless connection points. Every new access we create is an access that is filled," she told CubaSí. "So we need to keep increasing that capacity."

There are currently 339 hotspots around the country, including 58 with Wi-Fi. Etecsa plans to open 80 new ones next year.

Etecsa is also planning to expand mobile e-mail service, of which there are 1.2mn in the country of a total 3.2mn mobile lines. According to Arevich, over 2,000 new mobile e-mail accounts are opened each day.

Cuba has been making great progress in bringing connectivity to its citizens, but broadband is still out of reach for many Cubans.

Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández, general manager of computer science at the communications ministry (Micom), said the country plans to take broadband to all Cubans by 2020.