T-Mobile claims biggest benefit from Cuba connection with more than one-third of Cuban-born wireless customers on its network
Domestic telecom operators continue to pour into Cuba, with T-Mobile US the latest to announce a connectivity agreement with the country’s telecommunications operator.
T-Mobile US said the interconnect and roaming agreement with Empresa De Telecommunicaciones De Cuba allows the carrier to support voice calling between the two countries, and soon voice, text and data roaming for T-Mobile US customers traveling into Cuba. That capability is said to begin this summer.
The deal provides for T-Mobile US postpaid customers selecting the carrier’s Stateside International Talk feature at $15 per month to call phones in Cuba for 60 cents per minute. As for roaming into Cuba, T-Mobile US said customers will be able to use voice, text and data services, though there was no mention of any additional charge. T-Mobile US currently allows customers to roam into more than 140 countries with free text messaging, low-speed data access and calls charged at 20 cents per minute. Customers roaming into Mexico and Canada can access their current rate plan features for no additional charge.
The carrier said the move into Cuba is especially important for its customer base, which CEO John Legere claims serves the most Cuban-born wireless customers. This has led to strong demand for a Cuban connection from its customer base, which includes services from its MetroPCS prepaid brand.
“More than [one-third] (36.6%) of Cuban-born wireless customers are with T-Mobile, more than AT&T and triple the number of Verizon customers,” T-Mobile US noted. “And, customers in Cuban-American hubs like Miami are choosing T-Mobile and MetroPCS nearly twice as often as AT&T or Verizon. Not surprisingly, Cuba is the No. 1 requested addition to T-Mobile’s international roaming on social media.”
T-Mobile US had previously said the World Calling plan for its MetroPCS brand would include 20 minutes of calling into Cuba.
Verizon Wireless last September said it planned to be the first domestic carrier to offer roaming for customers traveling in Cuba. Sprint followed up and said it had struck a deal with the Cuban telecom operator to provide a direct roaming agreement and a direct long-distance interconnection agreement, which it said was the first of its kind by a domestic carrier. AT&T is also reportedly in talks for an interconnect agreement with Cuba.
The telecom moves followed an announcement from President Barack Obama in late 2014, which stated U.S. telecommunications companies would be allowed to roll out infrastructure and provide commercial services in Cuba. As part of the announcement, U.S. companies are now able to export and sell communications devices, hardware, software and other items that apply to updating Cuba’s current communications system.
Bored? Why not follow me on Twitter
