Cuba 192 - ALBA 1

[Beagletorque]

Cuba has no usable internet to speak of although they do have an optic fibre cable running from Venezuela (ALBA-1) and a story that is too. It works, but it is heavily censored and of little practical every day use for Cubans (as of May 2015). It would appear to arrive at the University of Havana and be controlled by government employed staff who "download" the items that have been requested and pass them on.

This is the main server room for the whole University and where the data arrives. Don't ask how I found myself there!



It is the oldest University in Cuba founded 5th January 1728 with the permission of Pope Innocent XIII and King Philip V of Spain, required at that time.

[raymondo]

Re: Cuba 192 - ALBA 1

Hi Beagletorque, I think you are some kind of James Bond secret agent character, to take photographs in the university, in the communications room, and I remember a photo that you have taken in the bank, just makes me think.

Seriously though, Cubans have had it hard, living under a dictatorship and no outside influence, no computors and all the news being censored, very low wages, I dont think that if there was very good internet to the country for the masses, the ordinary people could not afford it, a shame really but things are looking up for them although it will take a couple of decades for the masses to feel any benifit,

[Guest]

Re: Cuba 192 - ALBA 1

ALBA1 is manifestly very hi-tech compared to Australia's so called (NBN) National Broadband Network promising, but unlikely to ever deliver, 100mbps.

You don't know what frustration is until you experience our Internet. It's like waiting for SWMBO to get dressed and ready for a night out, or otherwise you have tea while waiting for a page to load.