Cuba's telecom, Google sign deal to speed up internet access

Cuba's state-run telecommunications company ETECSA and U.S. Internet giant Google signed an agreement on Monday designed to speed up local access to Google's online content. The deal, signed by Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google parent company Alphabet, and ETECSA Director Mayra Arevich, allows Cuba's telecom to use Google's Global Cache service, meaning content can be stored locally, making it easier to retrieve.

"This in turn means Cubans who already have Internet access and want to use our services can expect to see an improvement of quality of service and reduced latency for cached content," Google said in a statement.

"All these projects are tied to Google's core values to make the world's information useful and accessible to everyone regardless of cost, connectivity and language barriers," it added.

The two sides reached the agreement on Nov. 23, but made it public on Monday at a signing ceremony in Havana.

Google products include YouTube, Blogger and Google News.

In 2014, Google first launched a number of products in Cuba that had been previously blocked due to U.S. sanctions. It opened a technology center in the capital earlier this year as part of a White House initiative to expand Internet access in Cuba.

After the two nations restored diplomatic ties last year, several U.S. companies signed agreements with Cuban government-run enterprises in such sectors as tourism, telecommunications, infrastructure and energy.

Other U.S. firms are expected to announce deals with their Cuban counterparts before president-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

Trump has criticized the White House rapprochement with Havana as "weak" in terms of securing concessions from Cuba, leading to speculation he may try to backtrack on the bilateral progress made to date.

source: Xinhua