Internet Instability Returns to Contramaestre as Etecsa Remains Silent on Causes

The Internet connection has once again deteriorated in the town of Contramaestre, located in Santiago de Cuba, following a brief period of improvement. Frustrated residents are speaking out, criticizing the state-owned Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba S.A. (Etecsa) and local authorities for their lack of communication regarding the ongoing issues.

Arnoldo Fernández, a local resident, took to Facebook on Saturday to highlight the return of Internet instability. His post quickly attracted comments from other frustrated community members.

"The most concerning aspect isn't merely the service disruption or degradation, but the complete absence of information from Etecsa about the underlying causes of these connectivity issues," Fernández wrote.

Community Frustration with Lack of Communication

Upon examining the official social media pages of local institutions, ranging from the radio station to the Communication Department, Fernández found only triumphant messages and event promotions, with no practical guidance for the public.

"What's the point of having an active social media presence if, when people seek answers to issues affecting their daily lives, those platforms fail to provide useful information?" he questioned.

Responses to the post extended the criticism beyond Internet connectivity. A resident compared Etecsa's silence to the communication blackout surrounding the municipality's water crisis: "Why doesn't the director of the water company tell us what's really happening? There are countless rumors, and we remain in the dark, suffering from thirst."

Criticism of State Monopoly and Communication Failures

Another comment highlighted the shortcomings of Contramaestre's Communication Department, accusing it of failing its primary duty to inform the public and calling for urgent measures to rectify the situation.

The anger was also directed at the state monopoly itself. "Etecsa wouldn't exist in another country due to its poor service and lack of respect for customers, offering the most expensive Internet in the world relative to wages," a user expressed.

One resident was more blunt: "In any other part of the world, customers affected by such poor service would be compensated with money or credits. Here, we live under the rule of absence and deceit."

Some residents pointed to pages like Radio Jiguaní and Palmeros Adelante as positive examples, noting their efforts to inform the public and address pressing community issues.

Public Outcry Over Lack of Accountability

Fernández encapsulated the dual frustration of Contramaestre's residents with a statement reflecting the sentiment of many Cubans toward the state monopoly's silence: "When the connection fails, public information shouldn't be cut off as well."

In early September, Fernández publicly criticized the state telecommunications monopoly on social media. He described the connectivity situation in his town as "a true odyssey" and demanded accountability for data packages that expire before they can be used.

Contramaestre is among the areas in Santiago de Cuba with the highest incidences of network issues, alongside San Luis, Palma Soriano, and Songo-La Maya.

In September, Etecsa's provincial director admitted that 140 to 150 company sites are taken offline daily due to power outages or a lack of fuel for generators.

Nationally, power cuts render about 47.5% of mobile base stations and 56.5% of telecommunications cabinets inoperative, as the infrastructure cannot withstand more than 24 hours without electricity, the company acknowledged.

In its most detailed statement of the year, released at the end of September, Etecsa declared that "investing further to expand the access network is not viable without the capacity to energetically support the infrastructure," shifting the blame to the electrical crisis without offering concrete solutions or timelines for affected users.