Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Sprint Signs First Direct Roaming Agreement With Cuba (sprint.com)

Posted by samzenpus on from the first-to-the-island dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Sprint is now the first U.S. wireless carrier to sign a direct roaming agreement with Cuba. Sprint already has a direct long-distance interconnection agreement with the Telecommunications Company of Cuba (ETECSA). "As the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Cuba continues to progress, it is expected that the number of travelers to Cuba will increase exponentially," said Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure. "We want to make sure any Sprint customer traveling to Cuba can use their phone the same way as they do in the United States."

17 comments

  1. As a locked in Sprint customer... by Bodhammer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ""We want to make sure any Sprint customer traveling to Cuba can use their phone the same way as they do in the United States." - not sure that is the best way to win new customers. Suggestion - put up some towers instead!

    --
    "I say we take off, nuke the site from orbit. It's the only way to be sure."
    1. Re:As a locked in Sprint customer... by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2

      ""We want to make sure any Sprint customer traveling to Cuba can use their phone the same way as they do in the United States."*

      * data costs $15 per meg and voice $0.59/minute

    2. Re:As a locked in Sprint customer... by Lumpy · · Score: 1

      Yep... Sprint wants Cuba to suffer with super crappy phone service...

      Honestly why can't get get them brought up on charges for inhumane treatment of cubans if they do this?

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  2. I live in a major US city by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd like some cell service in my neighborhood.

    1. Re: I live in a major US city by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "I'd like some cell service in my neighborhood."

      So would Kansas City residents. Now KC residents can get shitty service in Cuba too. Yea!

  3. Translation by viperidaenz · · Score: 3, Insightful

    We'd like to pocket the roaming fees, instead of having customers buy a local sim card when they get to their destination and cut us out of the revenue"

    1. Re:Translation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because convenience is so bad. Better get a new card and spend a day giving all your contacts the new number that you'll be using for one or two weeks.

    2. Re:Translation by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Getting a local sim card in Cuba is a pain in this ass. Customer service there is just like it was in the old soviet states.

  4. And then ... by PPH · · Score: 1

    ... we could open some Radio Shacks in Havana. This will get them yearning for the days of the Bay of Pigs invasion.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:And then ... by ajzimm3rman · · Score: 0

      I'm sure they're yearning for freedom more than socialism.

  5. Radio Silence by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Wonder if ETECSA will turn on some faster data speeds soon? And other frequencies ...In the city of Santiago and its environs presently only 900mhz is on and data, if. it works at all is E speed at best. I get pretty regular email out of Cuba and the sender uses her phone. And here's the oddball thing: it is less expensive for her to send me email than it is to send a text message, txting costs 1 CUC per, or maybe even two now. Havana gets everything first anyway,....

    Viva la revolución!

  6. Not surprising, by Holi · · Score: 1

    They have a strong presence in the Caribbean.

    --
    Sorry, teleporters just kill you and then make a copy. A perfect, soul-less copy.
  7. Not particularly surprising by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They are the shittiest of the cell providers we have.

  8. Americans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A lot of my European compatriots are getting in their final trips to Cuba before it is ruined by American tourists.

    1. Re:Americans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fuck you.

  9. So...not at all? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "We want to make sure any Sprint customer traveling to Cuba can use their phone the same way as they do in the United States."

    I jumped ship to AT&T to the tune of over 1k in termination fees (5 lines). Also, they tried to collect full taxes on that amount (service related taxes), even though an ETF amount is a FEE and not a service provided. Called the state and confirmed this was not legal prior to telling Sprint to eat a fat one.

    I used to love sprint because it didn't cost a lot and you got a lot for the money. Got sick of having 3 bars of coverage and a data indicator, and web pages took whole minutes to load.

    AT&T: 1 itty bitty bar, and I have solid voice. Intermittent data indicator, and I have solid web browsing.

  10. in other words by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "We want to make sure any Sprint customer traveling to Cuba can use their phone the same way as they do in the United States"

    Nothing to do with more acces to cubains