Cuba - Lonely Planet [379]
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TELEPHONE
The Cuban phone system is still undergoing some upgrading, so beware of phone-number changes. Normally a recorded message will inform you of any recent upgrades. Most of the country’s Etecsa telepuntos have now been completely refurbished, which means there will be a spick-and-span (as well as airconditioned) phone and internet office in almost every provincial town.
Mobile Phones
Cuba’s two mobile-phone companies are c.com ( 7-264-2266) and Cubacel (www.cubacel.com). While you may be able to use your own equipment, you have to prebuy their services. Cubacel has more than 15 offices around the country (including the Havana airport) where you can do this. Its plan costs approximately CUC$3 per day and each local call costs from CUC$0.52 to CUC$0.70. Note that you pay for incoming as well as outgoing calls. International rates are CUC$2.70 per minute to the US and CUC$5.85 per minute to Europe.
Phone Codes
To call Cuba from abroad, dial your international access code, Cuba’s country code ( 53), the city or area code (minus ‘0’ which is used when dialing domestically between provinces), and the local number. In this book, area codes are indicated at the start of each chapter. To call internationally from Cuba, dial Cuba’s international access code ( 119), the country code, the area code and the number. To the US, you just dial 119, then 1, the area code and the number.
To place a call through an international operator, dial 09, except to the US, which can be reached with an operator on 66-12-12. Not all private phones in Cuba have international service, in which case you’ll want to call collect (reverse charges or cobro revertido). This service is available only to Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France, Italy, Mexico, Panama, Spain, UK, US and Venezuela. International operators are available 24 hours and speak English. You cannot call collect from public phones.
Phonecards
Etecsa is where you buy phonecards, send and receive faxes, use the internet and make international calls. Blue public Etecsa phones accepting magnetized or computer-chip cards are everywhere. The cards are sold in Convertibles: CUC$5, CUC$10 and CUC$20, and Cuban pesos: three, five and seven pesos. You can call nationally with either, but you can call internationally only with Convertible cards. If you are mostly going to be making national and local calls, buy a peso card as it’s much more economical.
The best cards for calls from Havana are called Propia. They come in pesos (five- and 10-peso denominations) and Convertibles (CUC$10 and CUC$25 denominations) and allow you to call from any phone – even ones permitting only emergency calls – using a personal code. The rates are the cheapest as well.
Phone Rates
Local calls cost five centavos per minute, while interprovincial calls cost from 35 centavos to one peso per minute (note that only the peso coins with the star work in pay phones). Since most coin phones don’t return change, common courtesy asks that you push the ‘R’ button so that the next person in line can make their call with your remaining money.
International calls made with a card cost from CUC$2 per minute to the US and Canada and CUC$5 to Europe and Oceania. Calls placed through an operator cost slightly more.
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TIME
Cuba is on UTC/GMT minus five between October and April and UTC/GMT minus four (daylight-saving time) between April and October – the same as New York or Washington.
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TOILETS
Look for public toilets at bus stations, tourist hotels or restaurants, and gas stations. It is unlikely you’ll meet a Cuban who would deny a needy traveler the use of their bathroom. In public restrooms there often won’t be water or toilet paper and never a toilet seat. The faster you learn to squat and carry your own supply of paper, the happier you’ll be. Frequently there will be an attendant outside bathrooms supplying toilet paper and you’re expected