New WiFi hot spots connect Cuban relatives

New WiFi hot spots connect Cuban relatives
BY ROB O'NEAL Citizen Staff
roneal@keysnews.com

While Internet connections are still not easy to find in Cuba, the
arrival of WiFi a couple years ago is changing the lives of both the
Cuban people and visitors alike.

For a mere $2, access cards are readily available and make possible the
use of texting and much more — importantly, "Face Time."

With a used cellphone and a pair of headphones, virtual face-to-face
conversations are now possible for Cubans who once had to wait weeks or
months to speak with family living abroad.

These days, it an everyday sight around the island.

When asked about the value of this service, Pototo Baez, a resident of
the Cayo Hueso section of Havana, said it has eased the pain of his
daughter's move to the United States.

"The best part is that it is very inexpensive, and I'm able to see my
Elizabeth's smiling face and her young son, Valentino." Baez went on to
say that Cubans have found a way to maximize things. To make that $2 go
a bit further, a group of friends will buy one card, creating their own
"sub-hot spot," allowing up to six people to use the signal simultaneously.

"It's the Cuban way," he said.

Source: New WiFi hot spots connect Cuban relatives | KeysNews.com -
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