As part of a surprise move to normalize relations between the United States and Cuba, the White House announced that it would be "initiating new efforts" to help the island nation access the Internet.
In a statement published Wednesday, the Obama administration said that Cuba has a tiny Internet penetration rate—just five percent of the population is online. As such, most digital files are exchanged offline via USB sticks sold on the black market.
The White House also noted:
The commercial export of certain items that will contribute to the ability of the Cuban people to communicate with people in the United States and the rest of the world will be authorized. This will include the commercial sale of certain consumer communications devices, related software, applications, hardware, and services, and items for the establishment and update of communications-related systems.
Telecommunications providers will be allowed to establish the necessary mechanisms, including infrastructure, in Cuba to provide commercial telecommunications and Internet services, which will improve telecommunications between the United States and Cuba.
Earlier this year, the Associated Press broke the story of the United States’ efforts to create a Twitter-like communications network in Cuba aimed at fueling political dissidence by sidestepping the strict Internet filtering systems in the communist nation.
Back in 2013, a French-built fiber optic line between Cuba and nearby Venezuela was turned on, but it only sent traffic to the island. In March 2010, the US relaxed export regulations against Iran, Sudan, and Cuba, allowing US companies to provide instant messaging, e-mail, and social networking services to those countries.
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