HAVANA TIMES – Good news today for Cubans with the ability to pay to connect to the Internet from the public Wi-Fi points around the country, Etecsa, the telecommunications monopoly, has dropped the price from 1.50 to 1.00 CUC (similar in USD) for an hour’s online time.

The company announced they will also be offering ½ hour cards for 0.50 and 5 hour cards for 5.00 CUC.

While in most of the developed and impoverished countries Wi-Fi in public parks and gathering places is a free service, in Cuba, where the average professional makes under 25 USD a month, it has been a pay-for service since its onset, originally costing 2.00 CUC for an hour.

The immediate reaction to the price drop is positive among the Internet consuming population, many with family or friends abroad that help them pay for the Wi-Fi use. It is also a plus for those who conduct any type of online business, especially artists who offer their work.