The old saying "necessity is the mother of invention," attributed to the philosopher Plato in his work "The Republic," rings especially true in Cuba, where resourcefulness is a way of life. One of the latest innovations from the island's resourceful inhabitants is the homemade antenna, designed to capture internet signals using repurposed materials. These makeshift devices enable users to connect their mobile phones to mobile data networks, even in areas where connectivity is scarce.
An Instagram user named Yoslin recently shared a video showcasing these antennas sprouting on the rooftops of a Cuban village where mobile internet is otherwise unavailable. Though Yoslin didn't reveal the exact location, he demonstrated how the antennas work by placing a smartphone in a handcrafted holder connected to the antenna, allowing the device to receive internet signals.
"Almost everyone here has one of these antennas because there's no good coverage, no signal," Yoslin explained in the video. "Check out this clever setup: that little device allows you to connect! Look at the cable running down to the phone. This is cutting-edge stuff, even Mark Zuckerberg wouldn't know what to make of it!"
Rural Innovations: Turning Household Items into Lifelines
Back in July, another Cuban shared on social media how residents of rural areas in Holguín province were using a novel solution involving a pressure cooker lid repurposed as an antenna to enhance internet connectivity. This inventive setup was spotted in homes on the outskirts of Bariay, in the municipality of Rafael Freyre, where many houses sported what appeared to be odd-looking television antennas.
Upon inquiry, it was revealed that these were indeed makeshift antennas designed to extend signal reach. The setup involved a pressure cooker lid with an aluminum ring, connected by what appeared to be a coaxial cable leading to a wooden box, where a phone could be placed to boost coverage.
ETECSA: A Monopoly with Questionable Claims
In late May, Cuba's state-run telecommunications monopoly, ETECSA, proclaimed that its internet service was the cheapest in the Caribbean. Lidia Esther Hidalgo Rodríguez, the company's commercial vice president, argued this point based on the informal exchange rate, claiming that "one gigabyte of mobile data costs 0.17 dollars," according to the official Granma newspaper.
However, such claims are met with skepticism and controversy, considering that 88% of Cubans live below the poverty line, with a minimum monthly wage of 2,100 CUP, roughly six dollars (based on the informal exchange rate), which is below the World Bank's extreme poverty threshold of 2.15 dollars in total daily income.
As the sole telecommunications provider in the country, ETECSA boasts 7.8 million mobile users, 7.3 million of whom have mobile internet access. Yet, less than eight percent of Cuban households have internet access, and mobile phone penetration stands at 71.2% of the population.