U.S. to Cuba Direct Calls Back After 16 Years

After 16 long years, two severed countries have finally decided to renew diplomatic relationships by reopening telecommunication access and business opportunities, International Business Times reported.

Direct calls from the United States to Cuba has been re-established for the first time, resulting to cheaper and more affordable rates for U.S. customers to call friends and relatives in Cuba.

Currently, IDT Domestic Telecom, the company assigned for this deal, is just waiting for the go signal from the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to start rebuilding lines to connect both countries. Etecsa, a counterpart company, noted that for now, the link will only be for phone calls but more services such as greater internet access, are expected to be established, they said in a statement.

Cuba is one of the most deprived countries when it comes to internet access, and this deal could be the beginning of something bigger not just for Cubans but also for the partnership between the United States and Cuba.

A statement from Etecsa has also been released saying, "This groundbreaking renewal of economic ties between two countries can provide better quality in the communications and offer greater opportunities between the people of both nations."

Director of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Relations Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, who is now leading the Cuban delegation for the deal, said that Cuba is now ready to receive US Telecom Companies and that they are all set for a possible economic and political partnership again with the developed country.

Going back to history, it was known that United States and Cuba went cold when the former closed its doors in Havana in 1961. The impact of this fallen relationship was the impairment of telecommunications between these two nations.

This lasted for years until just last December when U.S. President Barrack Obama decided to re-open the American Embassy in Havana sometime in April, according to reports.

Moreover, according to recent updates that were circulated, U.S. delegates headed by the State Department Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy will be heading to Cuba later this month to commence the said meeting with Cuban Representatives.